Passover - Connections

Tonight is the first night of Passover, the Jewish holiday celebrating the Jewish people's escape from slavery in Egypt thousands of years ago. My extended family on my father's side got together to feast and celabrate the seder, the ceremonial meal commemorating the event.

I don't come from a religious family, and I'm not particularly religious, but being Jewish is being part of a tribe - I was born to the tribe and I'll always be a member.

When I was little, my parents avoided the religious content by emphasizing the universal aspects of the story -- a people in slavery gaining their freedom. They linked it to people around the world today who do not have freedom so we would think of them and feel compassion.

Today when I celebrate, I feel this incredible sense of connection - to my family, to people all over the world celebrating tonight and to all of the people in the past who for thousands of years have been sitting down to a Passover seder, and to all of the people in the future who will carry on the tradition. I'm just a tiny link in a chain.

Today I was also thinking about the new connections I'm making here and the incredibly positive feedback I've been getting from so many people on my recent images and thoughts. It's a privilege to be here!