Liberty to the Captives

Finding Meaning In The Passover

By Emily Jex Boyle

For millennia, Jews around the world have observed and remembered the Feast of the Passover (also called Pesach). In 2021, Rob Eshman wrote an op-ed for the L.A. Times in which he suggests readers connect in one form or another with the sacred holiday. He writes, “Do not find the nearest Jewish home and crash the Seder — that could go horribly wrong. But a year into the pandemic, there is something about the holiday that everyone — Jewish, non-Jewish, religious, antireligious — can find powerful and important. Even if you’re not Jewish, you should still do something Passover-ish.”

Passover is a holiday to remember the exodus of the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt. (Ex. 12:17). In the face of a determined Pharoah, Moses prophetically, and repeatedly, called for liberation culminating with the tenth plague in which “the first born in the Land of Egypt [would] die.” (Exodus 11:5) To those willing to obey, Jehovah offered life rather than death, promising the destroying angel would pass over them. These instructions, the first Passover, foreshadowed the death of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Authors of the book, A Christ-Centered Easter: Day By Day Activities to Celebrate Easter Week, Joe and Janet Hales, write, “According to Christian tradition, Jesus’ Last Supper was a Passover meal. Because of this, some Christians, including Latter-day Saints, have drawn upon the Jewish tradition by celebrating Passover with the Seder service.” Invited as a young adult to experience my first Seder meal while in the Netherlands, I witnessed poetic parallels connecting Jewish faith with that of my own. The movement of the story tied to the symbolic food and drink, including the afikoPhoto by Lynne Wilson men, touched me deeply. At the Dow Wilson with his grandson at family meal, I learned about and noticed Seder meal. powerful imagery related to the Last Supper and weekly sacrament ordinance.

Dr. Lynne Wilson explains that during the traditional Seder meal families, “remember all these symbols of the blood spilt and the bitter herb, the unleavened bread and the lambs that were sacrificed to paint the blood over their doors, a sacred place to be preserved. it was Christ’s blood that will preserve and seal and keep us. These are all symbols from the sacrament that are part of the Passover feast.” This includes a cup following dinner called the cup of Redemption.

“The Passover Seder invites us, through questioning, to give memory meaning,” according to Rob Eshman. This spring, consider a trip out of Egypt with your family.

Lentil Soup for Passover (from Lynne Wilson)

2 T. olive oil 2 large onions chopped 3 carrots coarsely grated ¾ t. Marjoram crumbled ¾ t. Thyme leaves crumbled 28 oz. canned diced tomatoes and juices 7 c. broth 1 ½ c. dried lentils, rinsed and picked ½ t. Salt ¼-½ t. Black pepper

Heat oil and sauté onions, carrots, marjoram and thyme stirring frequently for about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth and lentils. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until tender. Add salt, pepper and parsley. Simmer for a few minutes. Serve with cheese.

Our thanks to the many JustServe volunteers who

have given their time and talent to help us serve thousands of East Valley families in need over the past 50 years.

justserve.org/anewleaf Learn more about opportunities to volunteer individually or as a group — in person or remotely.

Just a few hours of your time can help families and change lives!