Serving in the Season of Liberation
In a country where fewer than 100 citizens identify themselves as Jewish — remnants of an ancient and vital community that numbered 90,000 almost 60 years ago — the U.S. occupation has greatly, if temporarily, increased the Jewish population.
At least 1,000 Jews are among the more than 100,000 U.S. military and civilian personnel in Iraq, estimated [Rav Mitchell S.] Ackerson, 46, a reservist who at home is Jewish chaplain to two Baltimore hospitals.
Arranging Passover services for his current flock, scattered at military outposts across Iraq, has been a challenge, Ackerson said in a phone interview last week.
“It won’t be like home, but we’re going to do as well as we can do,” said the rabbi, noting that the Department of Defense had delivered 700 Seder kits.
WaPo examines Pesach in Iraq.
craziness. it’s amazing how one’s deepest religious feelings can support one policy or another entirely depending on the political position one’s experiences and intellect lead one to adopt. Passover is about liberation . . . but who is being liberated? from what? to where? who is the oppressor, and who the oppressed? it is the political consciousness that decides the answers to these questions, which is why some Jews will pray tonight for the liberation of Israel from terrorism, and others for Palestinians from occupation . . .
. . . and others for both