By Rabbi Jason Nevarez in San Diego
(Photo: Beth Israel Quarterly)
As we gather at our Seder tables this year, we carry both the weight of this moment and the power of our story. In a time of war, rising antisemitism, and deep uncertainty, we cannot ignore what is broken in our world.
And still – we gather and tell the story of freedom. Because Passover calls us not only to remember
the Exodus, but to see ourselves within it, and to imagine what redemption can look like in our own time.
May these questions open meaningful and honest conversation at your table. Chag Pesach Sameach!
We begin the Seder by naming where we have been held tight. Before freedom, there is constriction. This moment asks us to notice where narrowness still lives—in the world, and within ourselves.
Q1–Where do you feel “narrowness” (meitzarim) in your own life right now – personally, spiritually, or as a people?
Q2–What does freedom look like for you this year – not in theory, but in lived reality?
Q3–When the world feels overwhelming, what helps you take even one step forward?
The heart of the Seder is storytelling. We remember not as history alone, but as identity—carrying forward the journeys, struggles, and resilience that shape who we are today.
Q1–What part of your family’s story, recent or distant, feels especially present for you this year?
Q2–Where have you seen resilience in your own journey or in those close to you?
Q3–How do we honor our past without becoming trapped by it?
In every generation, we have faced challenge and uncertainty. This year feels no different. And still, something endures, a strength that holds us, even when the world feels unsteady.
Q1–What has it felt like to be Jewish this past year? What moments have stayed with you?
Q2–Where have you experienced fear – and where have you experienced strength or solidarity?
Q3–What does it mean to live openly and proudly as a Jew right now?
Final Question: This year, what does it mean for you to say: “We were brought out of Egypt”? What’s your role?
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Rabbi Jason Nevarez is the senior rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel