Passover

2024 - 4 - 22

Passover Drama: From Hostages to Empty Chairs

Passover 2024 Freedom - Gaza War - Hostages - Passover - Resilience - Passover 2024

Discover the unique challenges facing Passover celebrations this year, from hostages to empty chairs, in a journey of resilience and hope.

Passover, a time of celebration and remembrance, has taken on a different tone this year for many Jewish communities. The shadows of captivity loom large as families who have experienced the pain of loved ones being taken hostage are forced to navigate this holiday season with a heavy heart. The story of resilience and compassion emerges from the devastation faced by families on kibbutzim, highlighting the need to expand empathy and understanding in the face of adversity.

As the world grapples with conflicts and uncertainties, the unifying power of Passover seems strained and elusive. The traditional cohesion that this holiday brought to Jewish communities for centuries is now tested beyond imagination. Daniel Osborn's poignant reflection captures the essence of this struggle, emphasizing the importance of finding unity amidst the chaos.

Despite the challenges, the spirit of Passover perseveres. Israelis mark the holiday with yellow ribbons, a symbol of hope and remembrance for both the victims of war and the captives held by Hamas. The empty chairs at Passover tables serve as a stark reminder of the hostages still in captivity, urging for solidarity and prayers for their safe return.

The celebration of freedom and liberation, rooted in the ancient story of the Israelites escaping bondage, takes on a bittersweet tone this year. With over 100,000 displaced individuals and 133 hostages in Gaza, the journey towards freedom is marred by the harsh realities of the present. As Israelis prepare to commemorate the trauma of the past months alongside the historical significance of Passover, the festival of freedom becomes a poignant mirror reflecting the ambivalence of exile.

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Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

My parents were taken hostage on 7 October. This Passover, we ... (The Guardian)

My family's kibbutz was devastated and pillaged. After 200 dark days, we need to expand our compassion, says film-maker Sharone Lifschitz.

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Image courtesy of "WBUR"

There is no unifying story for Passover this year | Cognoscenti (WBUR)

The cohesion that Passover has provided Jews for millennia is currently strained in ways I cannot remember and cannot fathom, writes Daniel Osborn.

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Image courtesy of "Financial Times"

Israel marks Passover with yellow ribbons and a table place left empty (Financial Times)

Traditional Jewish holiday will be muted as Gaza war and fate of captives held by Hamas hang over the country.

The weeklong Jewish holiday Passover begins as the war in Gaza ... (NPR)

Israeli Jews prepare to celebrate Passover — the holiday which marks freedom from bondage — with more than 100 captives still in Gaza.

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Image courtesy of "The Times of Israel"

With empty chairs and forlorn homes, Israelis prepare for solemn ... (The Times of Israel)

Celebrating freedom of ancient Israelites is a struggle with 133 hostages in Gaza and over 100000 displaced, as some look to mark trauma of past months ...

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Image courtesy of "The Commercial Appeal"

Passover 2024 begins at sundown but when it ends depends on ... (The Commercial Appeal)

The celebration of Passover begins Monday. What to know about the Jewish holiday and how is it celebrated.

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Image courtesy of "Search Engine Roundtable"

Programming Note: Offline For Passover (Search Engine Roundtable)

This is a programming note that I will be completely offline for the Passover holiday. Passover is on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 23rd and 24th and then ...

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Image courtesy of "The Washington Post"

The first Seder since Oct. 7 arrives in a hostile, beautiful world (The Washington Post)

Benjamin Resnick is the rabbi of the Pelham Jewish Center in New York. His debut novel, “Next Stop,” will be published in September.

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Image courtesy of "Prime Minister of Canada"

Statement by the Prime Minister on Passover (Prime Minister of Canada)

Today at sundown, Jewish communities in Canada and around the world will celebrate the beginning of Passover.

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Image courtesy of "Al-Monitor"

Empty chairs for hostages as Israel at war marks Passover (Al-Monitor)

Jewish people marked Monday the start of Passover, a celebration of freedom, and around many holiday tables in Israel chairs stood empty for hostages still ...

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Image courtesy of "The Conversation AU"

Passover: The festival of freedom and the ambivalence of exile (The Conversation AU)

The Passover Seder commemorates the escape from slavery in Egypt. But then came the 40-year wandering in the desert – a story that resonates with much of ...

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Image courtesy of "al.com"

Passover 2024 starts tonight: What is the meaning of the Jewish ... (al.com)

A highlight is gathering for a ritual meal called the Seder, usually held in homes on the first and second nights of Passover.

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Image courtesy of "MSNBC"

My son is a Hamas hostage. Will Passover 2024 end with his release? (MSNBC)

Families of the hostages held in Gaza have suffered 200 days of torture. Trying to "celebrate" the Jewish Sabbath and 2024 holidays like Passover is agony.

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Image courtesy of "CBS Denver"

Colorado Jews celebrate Passover and pray for peace (CBS Denver)

The hearts and minds of Rabbi Mendy Sirota's congregation this year, he says, are with those suffering in the Middle East.

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Image courtesy of "The Times of Israel"

Passover 2024: The Diaspora Angle (The Times of Israel)

I traveled to Philadelphia April 14, 2024, from Boston, to attend a special pre-Passover Freedom Seder at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish ...

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Image courtesy of "KDLT News"

Local Rabbi explains importance of Passover amidst middle east ... (KDLT News)

Passover is a Jewish ...

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Image courtesy of "The Daily | Case Western Reserve University"

Dining options available for Passover (The Daily | Case Western Reserve University)

Fribley. From the East. tuna salad; egg salad; matzo crackers. Soup. vegetable matzo ball soup; chicken matzo ball soup · Leutner. Pho Station. vegetable matzo ...

Tel Aviv, Passover Eve, 2024 (The Times of Israel)

What is supposed to be one of the most joyous holidays on the Hebrew calendar is anything but. Pesach (Passover), the holiday in which Jews celebrate our ...

CT Rabbi says Passover amidst war brings a mixture of 'anguish ... (Connecticut Public Radio)

Bloomfield, CT based Rabbi Debra Kantor says the Israel-Hamas war is on everyone's mind as Passover 2024 begins.

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