A Passover Seder table. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

In just a few days, Jewish families around the world will gather around the Seder table, read the Haggadah, eat matzah and maror, and join their children in singing “Ma Nishtana” with joy and pride.

Passover, the Festival of Freedom, returns each year to remind us not only of where we came from, but also of where we hope to go — from darkness to light, from slavery to redemption, from division to a shared destiny.

But this year, the feeling is different.

Israel remains at war, primarily in the south, following the brutal October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas. Thousands have been killed or wounded. Families are still reeling, and approximately 60 hostages remain in Gaza. The nation is struggling — not only in the battlefield but also in the court of public opinion, in the halls of government, and in the hearts of its people.

While external threats are clear and present, the internal ones may be even more dangerous. Israeli society is deeply divided. Arguments rage over democracy, the judiciary, national leadership, the rule of law, and the cost — moral and political — of securing the hostages’ return. Public discourse has grown more heated. Protests, political polarization, and harsh rhetoric are replacing mutual responsibility and national solidarity.

It is precisely at such a moment that Passover calls on us to pause and to look inward. Not toward our political opponents, but toward ourselves. What do we want to remember? What kind of people do we want to be?

We left Egypt as a “mixed multitude,” but redemption came only when the Jewish people united around a common purpose. They were no longer scattered tribes, but B’nei Yisrael — the children of Israel — who walked together through the wilderness with faith, courage, and shared vision.

The Haggadah teaches: “In every generation, a person must see themselves as if they personally left Egypt.” This is more than a historical reflection — it is a call to action. Each of us must strive to leave behind the “slaveries” that bind us: hatred, hostility, fear, and alienation.

Passover reminds us that true freedom is not merely physical — it is moral. It depends on our ability to listen, to respect, and to recognize that even in disagreement, we are all part of the same family.

Whether you are in New York, Berlin, Manila, or Jerusalem, our concern for the Jewish people is one and the same. At this fragile time, we cannot afford to lose our sense of solidarity.

So, when our children ask, “Why is this night different from all other nights?” perhaps we can answer: Because tonight, we chose to look not only to our past, but to our future. A future in which we all step out of our personal and national Egypts, and walk together, once more, toward renewed freedom.

Wishing you and your families a meaningful, unified, and redemptive Passover.

Itamar Tzur is the author of The Invention of the Palestinian Narrative, and an Israeli scholar specializing in Middle Eastern history. He holds a Bachelor’s degree with honors in Jewish History and a Master’s degree with honors in Middle Eastern studies. As a senior member of the “Forum Kedem for Middle Eastern Studies and Public Diplomacy,” he leverages his academic expertise to deepen understanding of regional dynamics and historical contexts.