Hatikvah slate offers Haggadah insert

hatikvah slateSAN DIEGO — The following Passover Haggadah insert was received by San Diego Jewish World from the Hatikvah slate running for delegate spots at the upcoming World Zionist Congress.  We provide the text for your information, and not as an endorsement.
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Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav has become famous because of these words:
Kol Ha’olam Kulo Gesher Tzar M’od, V’haikar Lo l’fached Klal.

All the world is a narrow bridge and the main thing is to never be afraid.
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But this is not what the Rebbe from Bratslav wrote originally.

Instead he wrote this:
Kol Ha’olam Kulo Gesher Tzar M’od, V’ahikar Sheh Lo Yitphached Klal.
All the world is a narrow bridge, and the main thing is not to be overtaken by our fear.

Today, Israelis and Palestinians are being overtaken by their fears.
We as American Jews are being overtaken by our fears.

When the Israelites left the narrow straits of Egypt, they too had a moment of paralysis. Facing the Sea of Reeds, they stand frozen on the shore, deep waters before them and Egyptian cavalry quickly approaching from behind.
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It seems impossible for them to move, paralyzed by their fear of the unknown future and the fear of their past.
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All of a sudden, God calls out to Moses:  “Why are you crying out to Me?
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Speak to the Israelites and tell them to go.”
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And go they do.
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Nachshon, the son of Aminadav, takes the first step and the Children of Israel follow

In some ways, Israel is at such a moment as well.
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It is unclear what the future holds and what the journey through rough waters will bring.

The memory of victimhood at the hands of Israel’s enemies is paralyzing.

Elected officials play on those fears rather than dreaming of a better tomorrow.  Israel appears frozen with fear.

And yet…things are happening.  People are doing things.  They are not calling out to God or waiting for instructions. They are acting and doing.

There are Israelis both Jewish and Arab working together to lead the state across the Reed Sea of racism.

There are parents, Jewish and Arab, sending their kids to dual language schools like Hand in Hand so they can build relationships together.

There are leaders from Israeli youth movements who are working together with Arab youth to create a shared society.

These courageous leaders are the Nachson of today. They continue to dream and work towards an end to the conflict based on the idea of two states for two peoples.
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Yes, the world is a narrow bridge, like Rabbi Nahman teaches, but the main thing is not to be overtaken by fear.
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Do not let fear get in the way of doing the things we dream we can do. Let’s take fear in our hands and find a way forward. If these Israelis and Palestinians can, shouldn’t we be able to as well?
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These brave Israelis are not alone – there are steps we too can take, steps not as threatening as walking into the Reed Sea but steps just as important.
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The time has come for us to step up and vote as well. This year will see the convening of the 37th World Zionist Congress (WZC) that same “parliament of the Jews” established in 1897 by Theodor Herzl. The WZC is the only gathering where representation is not affected by wealth or spheres of influence. Choosing the American delegation to this congress has always been important but this year, in response to the results of the recent Israeli elections it is even more so. This year a strong progressive delegation will help counter the despair that the elections results have created.
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The WZC controls budgets of millions of shekels, money that can either be spent building settlements on the other side of the Green Line or spent improving infrastructure in Israel proper.

Money spent laying “Jew only” roads through the occupied territories or spent improving the lives of Israelis living in the Galil and the Negev.
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How that money gets spent is at least partially up to you.

Be a Nachshon –

Vote Hatikvah, the only Progressive Zionist Slate, and help ensure that the vision of Israel as described in Israel’s Declaration of Independence is fulfilled. Vote for hope, banish despair and don’t fall prey to fear.

 

Preceding provided by the Hatikvah Slate