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Searching for meaning in a post-Oct. 7 Pesach

Let us rediscover clarity, understanding, moral vision and spiritual memory.

Israeli Defense
An Israeli air-defense battery fires interceptors at missiles fired from Iran, as seen from Jerusalem, April 14, 2024. Photo by Jamal Awad/Flash90.
Rabbi Warren Goldstein is the chief rabbi of South Africa and the founder of the International Shabbat Project.

As the night sky of the Middle East lit up with a deadly barrage of drones and missiles being shot down on the night of April 13-14—halting Iran’s genocidal intent in its tracks—it was clear to all that this war has never been about Gaza or the Palestinian cause. There is something much bigger at play.

In this video, I explain how the Passover seder provides a frame of reference for understanding Iran’s recent attack, the Hamas terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7 and the vicious antisemitism that has awoken across the globe—unlocking the mystery of Jewish history and the secret of Jewish identity.

Pesach is the key to making sense of our world amid the utter bewilderment and shock Jews have experienced since Oct. 7. The barbaric attacks themselves. The Iranian bombardment. The massive surge in global antisemitism. Israel’s ongoing demonization. The global obsession with the Jewish state.

I hope to offer a framework of the meaning of the turbulent times we live in, and to give Jews in Israel and the Diaspora a sense of purpose and direction amid the chaos and uncertainty—a theory of Jewish identity that informs Israel’s national security, but also explains Jewish destiny and identity to a new generation of Jews asking burning questions.

Let this Pesach be a watershed moment for all of us. Let us rediscover the clarity, understanding, moral vision and spiritual memory that we need to navigate this post-Oct. 7 world.

Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, commander of the 52nd Battalion in the 401st Brigade, was among the troops slain when a drone struck his tank.
The Friday talks will not take place after Tehran suspended participation over developments in Lebanon.
The policy group praised U.S. and Israeli military gains against Iran but warned that the agreement lacks enforcement mechanisms, raises concerns about Hezbollah and should be submitted to Congress before receiving U.N. endorsement.
Ahead of the JNS Summit, the Bosnian Serb leader explains her strong support for the Jewish state and warns of Iranian influence in the Balkans.
“I have no choice but to sever all contact with Ms. Kallas,” Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar tweeted.
Alexander Filin is the 18th Israeli to be killed by Hezbollah since April 16, when Jerusalem and Beirut agreed to a U.S.-mediated ceasefire.