All over the world Jews are observing the festival of Passover this week. Passover is one of the three harvest festivals where Jews celebrate their liberation from Egypt. Freedom is the very precious treasure Jews rejoice over this time of year. As a citizen of the United States, freedom comes easy to me. The first amendment of the constitution automatically states my freedoms as a member of this union. In the United States, I can say whatever I want and be whoever I want. Israel is a similar situation where Jews are allowed to practice their religion free of persecution. As a religion, Jews have won many rights that our ancestors would have thought unthinkable.
Unfortunately, not everybody in the world can be as free as us Jews are. As I am sure any of us knows, the youth in the Middle East have been fighting constantly for the simple liberties we enjoy everyday. In early February, I wrote a piece on the Middle East while Egypt was overturning Hosni Mubarak. The storm of protests across the region are known as the Jasmine Revolution. They are inspiring and give hope that the hostility towards American throughout the area is finally coming to an end. On the other hand, the Jasmine Revolution could release a new wave of extremely dangerous terrorist government. I feel the same way I felt in February, only time can tell what will and will not happen.
It is a Passover tradition to recline a pillow while we eat the delicious Passover meal. In the Middle East, specifically Libya, turmoil removes this sense of comfort from millions of people. Egyptians suffer a fight that has had no results since Mubarak left his office. Yemenis are harshly fighting a tyrant who claims the United States is controlling the protests from a small office in Tel Aviv, Israel. Worst of all, Momar Kadafi is massacring his owns people. I feel that many times we see these images and see only images. The news can not illustrate the actual suffering one feels when one's leaders turn against them. I believe it may be like when we take in too much horseradish at the seder. We are all alone and have no one who can help us. Not even the stabilities of water and other foods can completely dilute the bitterness of the maror.
How free can the world ever be? Even in developed countries, laws and political disagreement strain our ability to live free and progress as a society. Do religious and political laws restrain our freedom? I believe that without such laws people would stop aspring to perform acts of love and kindness. Evil is caused by human's ability of free will. Every human has the free will. In Kadafi's Libya, someone can still speak out against their dictator. The only difference is that in the United States' someone still has a chance of living. At the conclusion of the service, we ask to all be free in Jerusalem. In my opinion, we not only mean the Jews, but anyone who is still fighting the fight of freedom.
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