Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan on Tuesday hosted a mock Passover seder in the United Nations with the participation of 70 ambassadors from around the world.
Traditional holiday foods were served, excerpts from the Haggadah were read, and the ambassadors learned about the traditions and customs associated with the Jewish festival of freedom.
The March 28 event was initiated by Erdan and held in collaboration with Aish Global, with the aim of strengthening the familiarity of Jewish traditions and values among the ambassadors.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield and Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya were among the participants.
“At the seder, we are commanded to retell the Exodus as if we ourselves were slaves in Egypt and we, ourselves, were brought out by the hand of God. This is how the Exodus becomes a collective memory for every Jew around the globe. But even more than that, the Exodus—going from slavery to freedom—has become the universal theme of liberation for all people, Jews and non-Jews alike,” said Erdan.
“It is not only the story of Jewish emancipation and nationhood; it is also the story of Jewish statehood—the legitimate right of the Jewish people coming home to the land that God promised us. Today, the modern State of Israel is the continuation of that very same Exodus. And it is a story of great success. When every Jewish family retells the story of our journey from being slaves in Egypt to free people in Zion, we remind the world that Israel has been, is and always will be the homeland of the Jewish people,” he added.
Passover begins at sundown on April 5 and continues through the evening of April 13 outside of Israel, where the holiday lasts for seven days, ending on April 12.
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