Translation:Passover

by Cemach Feldstein

We have been granted survival of a second Passover in the imprisonment of the Ghetto. An oddly tragic fate: slavery at the beginning of our history and now again after 3,000 years. That the Jewish people continues to exist is the greatest wonder, but its fate has changed little. This is the awesome, frightful riddle.

Yetsies-mitsraim, the Exodus from Egypt, was a turning point in our history. Liberation first opened the road to independence and to a free life. The people still had to undergo a great wandering and overcome many upheavals and blunders until it established its own foundation, but the exodus from Egypt was the first condition for the existence of the people, for its religious and national unification. Still, in slavery alienation, even an ancient and tried people cannot maintain its national integrity and its moral stance. Slavery and estrangement oppress and disorganize.

We yearn for freedom. This holy word has become so weakened and desecrated in our times. We are truly afraid to use the term. We mean the freedom that includes people living together freely and happily, the freedom to take part in the battle with nature in order to place all of her hidden treasures at the disposal of human civilization. For us, freedom entails equal justice for those who create honorably.

Meanwhile, our existence is very difficult. Our life stands short moments away from not-being. But we still hope for a way out. We hope for a solution for our people to receive equal rights to live and work among the nations.