Happy Passover from Project Kesher
As we prepare to gather around our Passover tables, women in our communities in Israel and Ukraine are marking this holiday under the shadow of war—facing uncertainty, fear, and profound disruption to daily life. And yet, like the story of Exodus itself, this moment also calls us to remember resilience: the strength to endure, to care for one another, and to hold on to hope even in the most difficult times.
The prayer we offer below comes from the Ukrainian-language Haggadah published by Project Kesher Ukraine—an expression of how tradition continues to live, adapt, and offer great meaning even in times of crisis. It reminds us that memory is not only about the past—it is a call to action. It asks us to remain open-hearted to the suffering of others and to carry forward the values of compassion, justice, and community.
In the spirit of Passover, may we continue to support one another, drawing strength from tradition and from the enduring power of connection, as we work toward healing and a more just and peaceful future.
A Woman’s Prayer to Repair the World
Prayer by Alice Shalvi, professor of Shakespeare, founder of the Israeli women’s lobby and of a progressive religious girls’ school in Jerusalem.
O GOD, creator of Heaven and Earth, creator of humankind and of all living things, grant me the power to feel as others feel, the power to listen and to hear, to behold and truly see, to touch and be touched.
KEEP fresh within me the memory of my own suffering and the suffering of Clal Yisrael (the whole community), not in order to stimulate eternal paranoia, but rather that I may better understand the suffering of strangers.
MAY that understanding lead me to do everything in my power to alleviate and to prevent such suffering. Guide me in the ways of Tikkun Olam, of mending the world. Enable me to be like Yourself – to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, tend the sick, and comfort the bereaved.
AS I delight in a loving marriage of true minds, may I never forget the thousands of women battered and beaten by their spouses.
AS I rejoice in the bliss of my children and grandchildren, may I never forget the pleading eyes and swollen bellies of starving infants deprived of physical and emotional nourishment.
MAY there always be a place at my table for those who are homeless or hungry.
MAY my woman’s capacities for concern, compassion, and caring never be dulled by complacency or personal contentment.
MAY my feelings always lead me to act.