Today is the first day of The Jewish holiday Passover. It began at sundown yesterday with the Seder, a big holiday meal that involves reading the story of Passover, eating symbolic foods, and drinking 4 cups of wine. And yes, some singing too. Seder actually means “order” as the meal is done in a certain order. Nearly every part of the night’s festivities is a symbol of the story of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. The Exodus is a tale of a tyrannical ruler (Pharaoh Ramses II) who oppressed the Israelites living in Egypt (the land of Goshen) having escaped the great famine in Canaan around 1225 BCE. On Passover, Jewish people observing the holiday are asked to regard themselves as if they had personally left Egypt out of slavery and into freedom. Passover is week-long holiday. This year, ending the evening of Thursday April 13.
The Seder is one of my favorite meals of the year. I love the classic Seder dishes, some of which we only eat once a year. But more importantly, for me, it’s about the coming together with loved ones in celebration of our traditions. A central ritual is asking the 4 Questions: Ma Nishtana – “Why is tonight different from all other nights?” These questions are meant to incite conversations about the values of liberty, justice, equality and peace in all human relationships and between nations. Sadly, this Passover is bitter sweet for me. The celebration of personal freedom, human dignity, and overcoming adversity rings a little hollow when Israel democracy is under attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his minions in the far-right coalition have launched an all-systems assault on the nation’s democracy rooted in the values of social justice. Israel used to be described as an oasis of democracy in the Middle East, a region overrun by authoritarian regimes. Israel has always been viewed as an important ally to the US sharing America’s democratic values and advancing US security interests in the region. Thus, the current political crisis in Israel has ramifications beyond just an internal state matter. It is part of a global democracy crisis seen in other democracies around the world.
What is different this Passover? Israel is under threat of modern tyranny. No divine power is hardening Netanyahu’s heart causing him to tear apart my home country. His motive is simple, greed - the ugly, dark, and intense human motive that can be traced back as far as the biblical story of Cain and Abel, the first two sons of Adam and Eve. Cain murdered his own brother in order to gain more wealth and possessions. Netanyahu who faces corruption charges is driven by the same evil motivations: pride, vanity, jealousy, and insatiable greed. His primary goal is to avoid a trial for charges of fraud and breach of trust. To that end, his plan of attack is the decimation of the Israeli Supreme Court, which in effect will eliminate the current checks and balances in Israeli democracy. This will result in entering autocratic rule with no accountability for Israel’s political leaders and the erosion of democracy.
The State of Israel was forged from out of the ashes of the Holocaust. Its democratic values are being reversed right before our eyes. I cannot help but worry whether Israel will remain a democratic country. And it breaks my heart. During uncertain times, it is normal to feel angry, frustrated, and anxious. My work now is to acknowledge and honor my emotions as I mindfully find ways to respond constructively rather than reactively in order to cultivate resilience. Tough and challenging times present obstacles but also the opportunity to build courage, inner strength, and resilience.
Resilience is being larger than the obstacles, not only hoping things will be better, but finding creative ways to make them so. It doesn’t make the troubles go away, and not necessarily solve any problems, but it is a great way to empower yourself to proactively and skillfully respond to difficulty. To get through a crisis is to focus on the things within your control. Focus on the choices that are available to you, the way forward instead of your worries. Here’s how:
Live authentically staying true to your values.
Take responsibility for choices and actions.
Build resilience to triumph over adversity.
To build resilience, prioritize self-care.
Write down what you most need right now.
Commit to taking 3 actions that will help you get through this season of hardship.
Repeat.
Three self-care activities for your consideration:
#1 Connect with people who uplift you: spend time with people who will help you see the sun where you could only see clouds.
#2 Connect with nature: spend time outdoors paying attention to the beauty of the world in a focused and mindful way.
#3 Connect with meaning: spend time doing something for the greater good.
Don’t give in to despair. True strength is holding it together and working to make things better. Remind yourself to take the long-term perspective. Look beyond the current crisis to find the possibilities emerging in the horizon. Trust that as things fall apart, they can be put back together. Find your inner strength and build a strong support system. Then use your privileges and exercise the freedom you have to fight for freedom, equality, justice, and dignity for all. Freedom means different things to different people, but at the core, it’s having the autonomy and capacity to make individual choices. Freedom and choice go hand in hand. With the freedom to make choices, we need to be willing to accept the responsibility for our decisions, actions, and outcomes. Freedom is the ability to embrace challenges and become better humans.
To practice freedom:
1. Ask the tough questions
Am I proud of the person that I am today? If not, what needs to change?
Am I in control of my life? If not, how can I free myself to take the driver’s seat?
What is holding me back? What would I dare do if fear wasn’t a factor in my choices?
2. Accept that there are no easy solutions
When things aren’t what you want then to be, look for the possibilities to be an agent of positive change. The are no easy solutions, but there are simple ways to do the right thing.
3. Commit to one thing
Stop waiting until the time is right and the conditions are perfect. Commit to doing at least one thing, taking one action, every day to create a positive impact.
May this festival of freedom bring peace and freedom to all of our homes in every aspect of our life and in all our endeavors.
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