Jewish Labor Committee

April 4, 2023 - The story of Passover transcends the Jewish community. It is the story of overcoming injustice and achieving freedom. This story has resonated with and inspired all sorts of communities and causes through the centuries.
Especially when we come together from different backgrounds and situations to celebrate and find our own meaning in the Passover Seder, this story reminds us of something else: that justice is indivisible. You can't be for justice for some and not be for justice for all.
That's why it is so important for the Jewish community and the labor community to come together, and share each other's concerns and priorities, in the context of common values. The JLC has been hosting labor seders in many cities, across the United States, for over two decades.
As we tell the story of the exodus, we also see how it relates to the struggles of working people to find meaning and dignity in their own lives.
At the same time, it provides an opportunity to address the challenges the Jewish community continues to face, with alarming increases in acts of antisemitism all across the country.
This is a special moment for working people in the United States. More than two thirds of Americans now support unions - the highest number in decades. And workers are standing up in numbers we haven't seen in a long time. Workers are tired of being treated like a disposable commodity, with their health and safety disregarded - as too many people witnessed during the Pandemic.
Our two communities - the Jewish community and labor - both believe that all people must be treated with dignity and respect. And that means there is a lot to talk about to see how we can support each other.
With best wishes for a Happy Passover, a Hag Sameakh, a Ziessen Pesakh!

Stuart Appelbaum
President
Jewish Labor Committee