On Passover we recount the story of our people’s journey out of mitzrayim – narrow places. It is a story of struggle, a story of organizing to take on powerful forces, and a story of liberation.
Recently, I’ve been reflecting on the idea of yirah – the feeling of awesome wonder that is summoned when we pass out of narrow places, to freedom. As we read during the Seder:
God brought us out of Egypt/narrow places with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with great, awe-filled wonder.
Today, we are indeed in a narrow place of overlapping crises: A continuing pandemic, war in Ukraine, systemic racism, increasing anti-semitism, and the ever-escalating climate crisis. But this can also be a time of great wonder as we come together to move from a narrow place to an expanse of possibility.
So much of what we know, we must transform. It will require courage and vision from all of us, and a willingness to walk out of mitzrayim. A willingness to demand a better future, for ourselves and for all generations to come.
This Passover, we have two things to offer you on this journey:
A Passover resource on yirah to open a discussion with family, friends, or Seder guests, on what brings us a feeling of awesome wonder in these times.
21 upcoming Passover actions happening across the country. We will gather outside big banks and asset managers to call on them to stop investing in oil, gas, and coal, so that we may leave the narrow place of fossil fuels. Join us at an action near you!
I am so grateful to be together with you on this journey and wish you and your loved ones a healthy, joyous, and liberating Passover.
Rabbi Jennie Rosenn
Founder and CEO Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action
