Dear RJ,

In a few days, Jews around the world will sit down at the Seder table to mark the first night of Passover and tell the ancient story of our people’s flight from persecution. This story reminds us that our freedom is inextricably linked to that of all others fleeing from violence and toward safety.

Our stories are powerful, RJ, and we would love to hear yours. Will you take a moment to share the story of one of your meaningful Passover moments? Your story can be about anything you want to share, whether it’s a particularly memorable Seder, a moment you cherished with a family member, or a conversation you had with loved ones about welcoming the stranger in need. If the story is important to you, we would be honored to hear it.

Here’s some stories from our HIAS staff members:

“My mom always required us kids to bring a non-Jewish friend to Passover. It was sweet to share new experiences with loved ones and bring friends into a meaningful family moment.”

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“One year, I hosted a Seder in Amsterdam where people from six different countries attended and it was a beautiful night celebrating freedom from persecution.”

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“My father, Abe, was a refugee who lost his family in Auschwitz and rebuilt his life in the US. At every Seder, before we opened the door to welcome Eliyahu (Elijah) the Prophet, he’d sneak away, don a flowing white robe, reappear in the doorway as “Abe-iyahu,” and drink from Elijah’s cup.”

Share Your Story

And as we gather this Passover to tell the story of the Jewish people’s journey to freedom, we must hold in our hearts and minds the millions of displaced people around the world today.

There is a line from the Haggadah that we turn to each year around this time: In every generation, each person must imagine themselves as if they had come out of Egypt.

So we hold in our hearts and minds those who are fleeing Ukraine. We hold closely those who have fled Afghanistan. We hold closely the persecuted Rohingya … the people still fleeing Syria and Darfur … the asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border.

From our family to yours, chag sameach — happy Passover! Next year, may we all be free.

—Team HIAS

P.S. We’ve put together a Haggadah full of readings and stories which connect the foundational liberation story of the Jewish people with the reality of the refugee experience in the 21st century. We hope you’ll make the HIAS Haggadah a part of your Seder this year.