Passover 2025

Stephen Shaiken

Stephen Shaiken is an attorney and author. He has written extensively on Constitutional issues. He has litigated scores of Constitutional questions in federal appellate courts and is a member of the United States Supreme Court Bar

PASSOVER 2025

First things first: I wish everyone a “Zissan Pesach.”

We Jews have been celebrating this holiday of Passover for thousands of years.

We are well aware that the Passover story is about freedom and a promise kept to us to have Israel forever if we accepted the Torah. We did, and it happened, though it was a rocky road getting there again, and it hasn’t been particularly smooth as of late.

Our identification with Israel, diverse as it may be is central to our identity. It is also central to many of the sicknesses that plague us. The conflicts over the Gaza War have been felt everywhere, including here in Hillsborough County, where antisemitism has divided and roiled our party, though it doesn’t seem to have slowed the growth of this caucus is any way.

We end every seder with “Next year in Jerusalem,” which was a prayer and hope for thousands of years, a reality today. We still say it, because the notion of Jerusalem and Israel are more than just a physical locations; they are also an integral part of a history of beliefs, ideals, and teachings.

While the story of the promise of Israel, and of course, freedom from bondage, are generally well known, what is less recognized is the historic commitment to the rights of immigrants which we learned from the time in Egypt. Indeed, the Torah mentions immigrants 36 times, more than any other topic.

At our last general meeting, we explained the meaning of Passover to our guests and to non-Jewish members of our caucus. We highlighted the commands to be just and fair to immigrants, to embrace and love them. I’m repeating some of them here.

(Those of you with eagle eyes and razor-sharp memories may note that the translations here are slightly different than those used at the meeting. That’s because just as Bob Dylan never plays a song the same way, I have to do the same when it comes to Biblical translations.  )

So here are four of the 36 references the Torah makes to immigrants, commanding Jews to treat them the way we want to be treated. The way all people are entitled to be treated:

Exodus 23:9– You shall not oppress the stranger, because you know the heart of a stranger, having been strangers in the land of Egypt.”

Deuteronomy 10:18- “He (G-d) defends the cause of the orphan and the widow, and loves the foreigner living among you, giving him food and clothing.”

Deuteronomy 24:17-“Do not deprive the orphan or immigrant of justice, do not allow the widow to be impoverished.”

Leviticus 24:22- “You shall have one standard of justice for citizen and foreigner alike, for I am the Lord your G-d.”

Enjoy your seders!

Am Yisrael Chai

Stephen Shaiken, President

Hillsborough County Democratic Party Jewish Caucus