Dear Friends,
As we gather tomorrow around our seder tables for Passover, we join in a tradition that has endured for over three thousand years—a tradition that reminds us not only of the bitterness of slavery, but also of the sweet and enduring miracle of our people’s survival.
The Haggadah teaches: “B’chol dor vador chayav adam lirot et atzmo k’ilu hu yatza miMitzrayim”—“In every generation, we must see ourselves as if we personally went out from Egypt.” This sacred teaching isn’t only about remembering the past—it’s about recognizing that liberation, renewal, and resilience are eternal parts of our Jewish story. They are as relevant today as they were then.
In a world overwhelmed by the constant noise of digital messages, breaking news, and fleeting images, it can be easy to miss the quiet, everyday miracles that surround us. A child asking the Four Questions for the first time. A matzah delivery to a homebound elder. A young adult connecting with their heritage. These are our modern-day nissim, small miracles reminding us that the spirit of our people endures, even amidst chaos.
This year, our hearts are especially heavy as we remember those who are still being held hostage. We cry out to Heaven for their safe return. May HaShem protect them, give strength to their families, and bring them home. We pray with all our hearts that L’shana haba’ah b’Yerushalayim—“Next year in Jerusalem”—will not be a dream deferred, but a reality fulfilled, together with them.
From all of us at the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, may your Passover be filled with meaning, community, and the kind of hope that sustained our ancestors in the wilderness—and sustains us still.
Chag Pesach Kasher V’Sameach,
– Danny
Danny Cohn
President & CEO
Jewish Federation of St. Louis