Passover Reflections from Access MO
Access MO is a state-wide political action committee, inspired by Jewish values, that provides education about and support to state and local candidates and initiatives in Missouri that embrace and advocate for reproductive freedom and healthcare.
This week Jews will celebrate the holiday of Passover, during which we use the Haggadah and the ritual Seder meal to tell the story of our time as slaves in the land of Egypt and our flight to freedom. Many have used the structure of the Seder to explore other ways in which people experience oppression and strive for liberation and autonomy. Freedom Seders look at the oppression of racism and the progress that has been made and continues to be made to combat it. Feminist Seders look at the oppression of sexism and the struggle against it. We put an orange on our Seder plates to symbolize the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights, as well as other modern additions to call attention to various issues such as labor rights and refugees.
So too, we can apply the lessons of the Passover story to the fight for reproductive freedom. Just as the Jewish people were once held captive and denied their freedom, individuals who are denied access to safe and legal abortion services are held captive by their circumstances. Just as the Israelites fought to liberate themselves from slavery, we must commit to standing up for the rights of all individuals to make choices about their own lives. We must collectively liberate everyone from oppressive laws that restrict access to a full range of reproductive healthcare including affordable, safe and legal abortion care.
We encourage you to incorporate this repro insert for your Seder this year: From Oppression to Liberation: For the Pursuit of Reproductive Justice in this Generation created by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism(the “RAC”).
In the words of our She-Roe Senator Barabara Boxer, “By raising our voices, we will embody the ongoing lessons of Passover and keep fighting for reproductive freedom and justice — both for ourselves and for others. Bans on access to abortion are no different from all the other fights we have waged together, as Jews and global citizens. When we stand up for the values we share and the human rights we hold dear, we continue to forge our journey toward freedom for all.”