Statement on the Observance of Passover

Tonight Jewish communities in the United States, Israel, and around the world will celebrate Passover, a holiday whose ancient story has inspired humanity for millennia.

For many, this will mark the first time in three years that families and friends will be able to gather around the Seder table, a testament to the lifesaving miracle of modern medicine and the progress we've made to address an unforgiving pandemic.

Together again, we will commemorate the Exodus of the enslaved Israelites from Egypt. And we will retell a timeless story about that most human quest for freedom: redemption, faith, hope, and ultimately, deliverance; a story that has brought solace and a sense of promise to Jewish communities throughout their history as they endured acts of persecution, pogroms, and even genocide; and one that inspired and empowered oppressed peoples everywhere who, even in their deepest despair, sensed that their own liberation was not beyond reach.

This Passover, we hold in our hearts the people of Ukraine and those around the world whose heroic stand against tyranny inspires us all. The enduring spirit of this holiday continues to teach us that with faith, the driest desert can be crossed, the mightiest sea can be split, and hope never stops marching towards the promised land.

To all those celebrating this Festival of Freedom, Jill and I wish you and your loved ones a happy Passover. Chag Sameach!