How does the journey to freedom continue?
Risking together what we never imagined possible on our own, we keep walking. The sea rises to our nostrils. Then, with a breath, the waters part.
Following fire and cloud, we stumble through endless desert. At night we build fragile shelters that sway in the wind. The water is too bitter to drink. Even manna sometimes tastes like sand.
Some cry out for Egypt, longing to return to the known.
How does our journey to freedom continue?
We re-awaken deep yearnings: for history and song, for learning and connection.
We glimpse new possibilities: for our lives and our communities, for our families and our world.
Some begin to plot change immediately. Others sit in the silence and absorb.
For ours is a holy journey. We falter, but will not turn back. Embracing the challenge of tradition, we clear new paths to the future. Ours is a holy journey, a journey towards new song.
For hundreds of years, seders have concluded with the words: “Next year in JerusalemLit. City of peace From the time of David to the Roman destruction, Jerusalem was the capital of Israel and the spiritual and governmental center of the Jewish people. During the long exile, Jews longed to return to Jerusalem and wrote poems, prayers, and songs about the beloved city. In 1967, with the capture of the Old City, Jerusalem was reunited, becoming "the eternal capital of Israel." Still, the longing for peace is unfulfilled..”
Jerusalem. A name that means city of peace, integrity, wholeness.
Jerusalem. A city of walls, ancient and new. Walls of apricot Jerusalem stone. Walls of misunderstanding, hatred, and violence between religious and secular, Jew and Arab, woman and man.
Jerusalem, what is our hope for your rebuilding?
A year of equality and inclusiveness.
A year of wholeness for our people.
A year of peace for all the peoples who sing to you, Jerusalem.
L’SHANAH HABA’AH
L’shanah haba’a bi’y’rushalayim. Next year in Jerusalem.
The Journey Continues: The Ma’yan HaggadahLit. "Telling.” The haggadah is the book used at the seder table on Passover to tell the story of the Exodus, the central commandment of the holiday. It is rich in song, prayer, and legend. There are many different version of the Haggadah produced throughout Jewish history. can be purchased for $12 + $4 s/h by emailing Ma’yan, infomayan@mayan.org.
