Rabbi Ari Kaiman’s 2022 Passover Message

In “Exodus and Revolution,” public intellectual and theorist Michael Walzer wrote, “First, wherever you live, it’s probably Egypt; second, that there is a better place, a world more attractive, a promised land; and third, that the way to the land is through the wilderness. There is no way to get from here to there except by joining together and marching.”

When Israel trusted God enough to march through the sea of reeds, with walls of water raging to their right and left, we were born a free nation into the wilderness. We broke out in song, joining our voices together as one.

In recent months, in some ways we’ve emerged from a wilderness. Many of us are gathering again, seeing one another’s faces, embracing, joining our voices in song.

Yet, in other ways, the world is descending again into Egypt. Warfare is raging in Ukraine, world economies are struggling with supply chains, restructurings of societies.

Perhaps we will always have an Egypt to seek redemption from, a promised land to seek, a wilderness to walk through. We also have received redemption, found promised lands, emerged from Egypt to the wilderness and from the wilderness to the promised land.

May our Passover be filled with gratitude at our many redemptions and strengthen our courage to move through our future wilderness together, marching with a song in our hearts.

Rabbi Ari Kaiman is the senior rabbi at Congregation Shearith Israel.