Practising Liberal Judaism at Pesach

Jewish observance is not the preserve of the Orthodox:  While Orthodox daily practice is Orthodox, Liberal daily practice is Liberal.   This is also true when it comes to special moments in Jewish life, like Shabbat and the festivals.  Perhaps the festival that is the most demanding from the point of view of Orthodox observance is Pesach.  So, what is distinctive about observing Pesach as a Liberal Jew?

A Liberal Jewish approach to Pesach begins with some key Liberal Jewish commitments:

• A commitment to do what we can put the message of liberation and justice at the heart of the Exodus story into practice in the world in which we live
• A commitment to ensure that the invitation, ‘Let all who are hungry come and eat’, with which the seder begins in earnest, is not an empty gesture
• A commitment to making a connection between our ancestors’ experience and our own experience

Each one of these commitments has implications for how we observe Pesach as Liberal Jews.  Putting the message of liberation and justice into practice, involves relating the story of our ancestors to, for example, the plight of those living under oppressive regimes today, and taking practical steps, like supporting the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture.  Being sensitive to those who are poor or have limited means includes: donating the leaven products we remove to non-Jews in need; avoiding expensive products labelled ‘Kosher for Pesach’ that have nothing to do with leaven, like coffee, for example, and donating the money we save to Tz’dakah; making sure we are hospitable to those who are poorer than ourselves.  Making a connection between our ancestors’ experience and our own experience, involves examining the ways we are enslaved in our daily lives and using Pesach as an opportunity to break destructive habits by spending a week eating a simpler, healthier leaven-free diet:  If we don’t buy all those Pesach products, which are designed to substitute for leaven, lay off the imitation-leaven Pesach cakes, and eat more vegetables and fresh fruits, there’s a real chance we may actually enter into the true spirit of the tale of liberation and renewal.                            

With best wishes for a Liberal Jewish Pesach – and Chag Samei’ach!

Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah

Brighton and Hove Liberal Synagogue