Honoring Passover
A message from: Lorenley Báez, Associate Provost for Equity & Belonging
Dear Students,
Passover, a religious holiday sometimes referred to as the Feast of Unleavened Bread, begins on Saturday, April 12th and concludes on Sunday, April 20th. We honor and celebrate the Jewish community during this religious observance while also recognizing ongoing antisemitism, discrimination, and the current political turmoil transpiring regionally, nationally, and globally. During this time, we must lead with a desire to increase empathy for each other and center our humanity. Only then, can we begin to internally heal and cultivate a global sense of what it means to exist in a peaceful community with each other, with an understanding of how the fate of the world, and that of humanity, is intertwined.
This religious observance lasts eight (8) days and is celebrated by Jewish people worldwide. Passover commemorates the Hebrew people’s liberation from slavery in Egypt and the presence of divine protection. Throughout this period, all leaven, whether in bread or other mixtures, is prohibited, and only unleavened bread, called matzo, may be eaten. The matzo symbolizes both the suffering experienced during bondage, as well as the haste with which the Hebrew people fled Egypt in the course of the Exodus. The first night of Passover is celebrated with a special family meal called the seder. During the seder, foods of symbolic significance honoring the Hebrews’ liberation are eaten, and prayers and traditional recitations are performed. In addition, Passover involves dietary restrictions and special prohibitions regarding work at the beginning and end of the religious observance.
I encourage you to connect with the following on-campus student clubs and organizations to learn more about this vibrant community, as well as visit Narwhal Nation for a more comprehensive listing, including student-led activities.
Additionally, all who observe are welcome to use the university’s Meditation, Contemplation, and Prayer room during Passover. It is located in the University Center, room UL206.
I look forward to honoring our Jewish community during Passover at The New School!