Thinking About the First Passover
Yael Eckstein | April 3, 2023
As the Jewish people prepare for Passover, we think of God’s provision and love from the Exodus story. And as she prepares to teach her children this Bible story, Yael will also tell them stories of Jewish people today who still show God’s love for them:
“The road was very hard. The weather was very bad. We heard the artillery firing. We got cold and sick. Daniel just said a few words during the 15 hours of horror.”
This is the story of Svitlana, a Jewish grandmother from Ukraine who The Fellowship helped escape the war-torn country, along with her young grandson, Daniel, a small child already suffering from medical issues. The two, along with Daniel’s parents, evacuated their Ukrainian hometown, as Russians overtook the city. As bombs began to fall and troops began to advance, the family was forced to leave their home, immediately.
A family on the run. A family forced from their home without warning; without being able to pack; without being able to prepare food for young Daniel. A Jewish family forced to flee for their lives.
The story of Svitlana and Daniel’s family is one I’ll tell my own family this Passover. Whenever holidays come around, I teach my children the traditions and stories from the Bible on which these celebrations are based. But I also try to show them how each of these biblical observances is relevant today. Passover is no different — especially since the seder dinner and the Exodus story it tells are meant especially for the children at the table…