Chairman’s message With the coming of Spring, one’s thoughts turn to Pesach, the season of freedom, liberty and the possibility of human choice. Our ancestors in Egypt had very hard lives with no choice but to be slaves. Without G-d’s intervention we would have remained in slavery. It required Divine protection, a strong leader and great courage on the part of the people to change from slavery to freedom. There were stages of belief in G-d and then backsliding, as with the Golden Calf. The end result was the liberation of the Hebrew people. We have celebrated this through the centuries and we celebrate again today this change of status by reminding ourselves of our history and even reenacting it, as some communities do, marching round the Seder table carrying a cloth bag over one shoulder as a symbol of the Jewish people’s needs for their journey to the Promised Land. We draw our children in to the celebration so that they are encouraged to ask questions. Hence: ‘Ma Nishtana?’ Why is this different? The children’s Haggadah with the pull tabs to make baby Moses sail along the Nile in his basket keeps the attention of the young whilst we recite the Haggadah. Let us all read the text of the Haggadah again and rejoice at being free. It is good to remember and acknowledge one’s freedom. Wishing everyone a Pesach Kasher v’Sameach. Ros Landy, Chairman
Left: Ros Landy cutting a celebratory cake, with Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks looking on with interest, at the 75th anniversary party of CUJS last autumn. (Photo credit: Mark Harris)
5