Recent news from Iraq doesn’t sound too good. The killing of allied soldiers and civilians goes on. Random attacks on American civilians have become the norm, frustrating the rebuilding of a war-torn country. Plans for the freedom of Iraq and its neighbors are being set back. Allied goals for leaving the Iraqi people with the choice of democracy and free elections have become a nightmare. What will become of this region? Over 597 U.S. troops have died since the war began in March 2003. Do we have the power to truly liberate the region?

April is here and spring is in the air. Soon Passover and Easter will be celebrated and eyes turn to the Holy Land. Israel is the mother land for religions, the place where religious people draw their inspiration. It’s always in the prayers and hearts of many. So hopefully the holidays will bring stability to the region.

Passover is an eight-day Jewish holiday of biblical origin. It marks the emergence of Jews as a unique nation, under the leadership of Moses, who is considered the greatest Jewish prophet in history.

The holiday of Pesach is quickly approaching and will be celebrated on Saturday night, April 19th. What message is there for our families in this fast moving world?

The Jewish calendar is full of holidays. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkos, Simchas Torah, Chanukah, Purim, and Shavuos. Each of the holidays is celebrated in synagogues or at homes. But none of them are totally family orientated. Each holiday has its symbols and prayers.

On Monday night, March 29th, Jewish people worldwide will join together in celebrating the holiday of Passover. A highlight of the celebration is a festive meal called a Seder. The holiday commemorates the Exodus of Jews from slavery in the land of Egypt some 3322 years ago. On this evening families gather together and observe the holiday by reciting the story of Jewish enslavement and redemption, from a book called, The Hagaddah. The meal is replete with many symbols. The wine represents wealth and happiness. The bitter herbs, called marror, represent the bitterness of slavery and the unleavened bread, matzah, represents unleavened bread baked hurriedly by Jews before their departure