A Passover Like No Other: A Message From Our President & CEO


Dear Friends,

As we all know, this Passover will be like no other that any of us have ever experienced. In past years, the Passover Seder is all about gathering family and having an in-person dinner immersed in tradition. This year, in order to protect ourselves and each other from a virus that has spread worldwide, we must stay in our homes for all but essential tasks.

There’s no denying this year’s Seder night will be different from all other nights, but it can still be very special. Together we are using our creativity for celebrating Passover and for taking part in the whole experience of Jewish life in our “new normal.” That, in itself, is a way of winning our freedom. Finding our new path is bringing out the best in us, as individuals, Jewish organizations, and as a community.

A Zoom gathering would not be anyone’s first choice for participating in a Seder, which, among all our Jewish holiday observances, is a uniquely sensory experience. Yet, innovative communal professionals, Rabbis and community members are determined to make it work – scheduling virtual Seders and Passover learning opportunities, offering Seder meals to go, providing helpful guidance for people planning a home Seder for the first time, and more.

Take a look at our new JewishKC Virtual Community webpage to find out more. We’re keeping it updated as we learn about Passover resources and other virtual gatherings that are happening in our own community and around the world.

The journey to freedom on which we reflect at every Passover is not a one-off from a long-ago time. It is an ongoing story of deliverance, as relevant for us today as it was for our ancestors escaping slavery millennia ago. Together, we are uniting to confront the pandemic crisis. In doing so, we are not only protecting our collective health and serving our community’s needs – we are charting new paths to freedom.

Stay healthy, be well, and together, we will get through this. 

Shabbat Shalom!

Helene