While Passover is a historical commemoration and retelling of our ancestors’ pursuit of freedom from slavery in Egypt, it is perhaps more significant for reminding us of profound themes that are fundamental to our enduring values.  The circumstances of our enslavement in Egypt, the quest for freedom, and the manner in which we are instructed to recall these events, are linked to traditional Jewish values that guide our actions today as individuals and as a Jewish community.  

Because we were slaves in Egypt, physically and spiritually, we are reminded to identify with those in similar circumstances today — the “strangers,” the homeless, the hungry and all who are enslaved.  Because we experienced such great oppression, who better than we can understand the pain of being oppressed, and who more than we are obligated and prepared to address such wrongs, wherever they occur.

On behalf of the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis, I would like to commemorate Passover by drawing attention to a number of important issues in our community where action is needed.

The seder begins by inviting the hungry and the homeless to our table.  Sadly, hunger remains very much a problem in our country and in St. Louis, including among Jews. JCRC recently adopted a resolution that recognizes the relevance and immediacy of the problem. Local food pantries are reporting vastly increased demand over last year and critically inadequate supplies. The Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry, a program of Jewish Family & Children’s Service, is currently feeding between 7,000 and 8,100 people each month, an increase of over 40 percent since mid-2013. 

No one should have to choose between purchasing adequate food and purchasing medicine or having daily shelter. Recently adopted reductions in food stamp benefits could cause this situation to worsen further. Nor is the problem limited to the chronically homeless and unemployed; 40 percent of households receiving food stamp benefits have at least one wage earner. Among other recommendations, the JCRC urges the federal government to take action to alleviate food insecurity by strengthening and expanding federal nutrition programs, especially in times of economic distress.

Our collective memory as strangers in Egypt (and immigrants in America) inspires our obligation to welcome and respect the rights of strangers in our midst. This deeply held Jewish belief is at the core of our longstanding support for compassionate immigration reform.  In the last year, JCRC has urged fundamental reforms, with particular attention to creating a path to citizenship for the millions of undocumented immigrants who are leading productive lives in this country and making such important contributions to our society and economy. Particularly relevant to the value of family that is central to the Passover tradition, we urge that immigrant families and their citizen children be kept together. 

The tragedy of slavery that our ancestors experienced in Egypt continues today, even in America. Human trafficking is modern day slavery. It involves the use of force, fraud and/or coercion for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor. There are an estimated 27 million slaves worldwide. The U.S. State Department estimates that 600,000 to 800,000 people are victims of human trafficking in the United States annually, 100,000 to 300,000 of whom are children. Only recently is this issue coming into view on the public agenda, and Jewish communities across the country are lending their voices to efforts to stop human trafficking.

The JCRC is now working with area congregations, local Jewish organizations and others in the community who share a concern about the tragic persistence of slavery in our society. Together, we will explore whether to advocate changes to federal, state and local laws that strengthen prosecution of those who engage in acts that constitute human trafficking and that assist the victims of trafficking in becoming productive members of society.  

We hope that during Passover we can all to remember how the traditions of the holiday lead us to work for the well-being of all people who are strangers, hungry or enslaved, much like our ancestors who we will now so vividly remember as we read the Haggadah.