A Passover Message from Kaylene Ladinsky

What enslaves me? I wanted to dismiss the answer that was looming in my mind as if it was too simple. But after two days of pondering, I finally came to listen to the screaming voice that was saying, “The answer is … ME.”

Sure, there are challenges and obstacles to achieve our goals, but I believe that anything is possible. We are fortunate enough to live in a time and a place in which we enjoy great freedom. I also believe that our abundant freedom can sometimes be that very thing that enslaves us.

The world around us would label everything and attempt to make sure that each has its own place, its own rights and its own freedoms, whether it’s gender, religion, race, sexual preference, political party or picking sides in a fight. The world we live in wants us all to exercise our freedom to choose a side, make a distinction and fight for its rights.

These labels can limit us to choose a side or restrict our beliefs and opinions to lean and gather to one side or the other, instead of just being free from the obligation of having to choose. I realize that it is part of the day-to-day life that our society presents us. The freedom to pick sides or stand for your right to be a part of a certain group or belief is bittersweet.

I love and appreciate the freedom and liberties that we are afforded, but then we may feel enslaved by the labels those choices impose on us. Every day we wear labels that society has designated, whether on the forms we fill out or simply our job titles: female; Jewish; heterosexual; married; mother; interim editor; managing publisher and so many more. Don’t get me wrong, I proudly wear my labels each day, but for just eight days during this Passover, I wish I could be “set free,” wearing only my name and my mission.

Kaylene Ladinsky, human being wanting to connect and relate to another.