Pesach Thoughts

Tomorrow's Passover and while I don't practice, I remember learning the history - hearing about the oppression we suffered - and how important it is to "remember that you were slaves in Egypt."
I remember thinking that I wanted to help - not just my ancestors but all those who suffer oppression. In a small way, those Passover dinners helped influence the activist and journalist that I've become.

Today, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians gathered on the Gaza border as part of the Great Return March - an effort to, ironically, do what the Jews had wanted to do thousands of years ago: go home.
We were taught as children that plagues and killing babies were warranted retaliations against our enslavement. But a peaceful protest - a boycott movement - these are unacceptable means to fight for freedom and justice.

As someone who is culturally and ancestrally Jewish, I find it horrifying, disgusting and unbelievable that those who are told to lament their own historic oppression feel they have the right to oppress.

I ask fellow Jews to consider this as you sit down for Passover dinner. Consider the teachings of what you read - the right of any oppressed group to fight back, to become free by any means necessary.
Consider your history as a lesson to always stand up for the oppressed, against the oppressor. And in this case - that means standing with Palestinians and people around the world firmly against the Israeli apartheid state and their continued human rights violations.

#Pesach