We share with you an excerpt from the JTA /Forward article announcing a major step by a major Jewish organization against the Corporate Carbon Pharaohs who are burning Earth for the sake of their own profits.

R’ Arthur writes: “Chava Alberstein, a premier Israeli singer, took the traditional Pesach song Chad Gadya and in Hebrew and Aramaic, bewailed its cycle of violence. Juliet Spitzer turned it into an English that is singable, chantable.”

Join people of all backgrounds for this long-running and beloved annual event at The Weitzman Museum in Philadelphia, inspired by R’ Arthur’s original Freedom Seder. A lineup of speakers (including R’ Arthur), storytellers, and musicians reflect on traditional Passover themes such as freedom, renewal, transmitting traditions, and welcoming the stranger.

The Shalom Center joins with the Jewish Climate Action Network of Massachusetts to Turn Out the Pro-Earth, Pro-People Vote, beginning properly enough in high-stakes Pennsylvania on Pesach!

R’ Arthur writes, “We have done what we could to send biblical passages, Palestinian poetry, etc., to help in creating a Truthful Seder [this year]. We also invite you to buy Liberating Your Passover Seder to heal and hearten your heart.”

R’ Arthur shares “Notes toward a Haggadah” for this season, not the haggadah itself — with an invititation to add or subtract and to let us know what emerges.

How can we celebrate in the face of so much death and so much trauma amongst the living? The biblical tradition offers us a way.

April 22 is the night of the first Seder. The day before, April 22, is Earth Day. We are making available two possible Sedarim. The first one is this, from a couple of years ago, called Earth & Justice Freedom-Seder.

R’ Arthur explores the differences between Purim and Passover, with the question in mind: How should we celebrate Passover this year?

Dvarim (Deuteronomy) 25: 17-19 (to be read specially on the Shabbat before Purim, called Shabbat Zachor [Shabbat “Remember”]

In “From the Desk of Rabbi Arthur Waskow”, R’ Arthur shares some responses, and his own answers, to his earlier essay, There Is No “Jewish” State.

We are all — all of us whose hearts are open and tender enough to grieve both Palestinians and Israelis — in a state of prolonged and bone-deep grief. This Thursday, on Ta’anit Esther, you are all invited to mourn with us. Wherever you are, on your own, and for those of you in the Bay Area, in person, at our Tent of Mourning.

We are happy to announce that our previously postponed event has been rescheduled! Join us on Sunday, May 5th at 7pm ET (4pm PT).

Shalom Center Senior Fellow Robert Brand writes, “The current worsening crisis in Gaza and increasingly on the West Bank creates a fierce urgency for recognition of the state of Palestine to be done now.”

This Purim, in this moment in history, with war raging in Israel and Gaza, The Shalom Center invited dear writers and seekers to reimagine Chapter 9 of Megillat Esther as an exercise in dreaming new worlds, new responses, and new endings into existence.

In a note “From the Desk of Rabbi Arthur Waskow”, R’ Arthur writes, “The State” is in many ways not acting Jewishly or democratically to those it governs.

We have invited a group of insightful writers and dreamers to each rewrite Chapter 9, and will compile these original tellings into a digital collection. Today we share one of those Chapter 9 rewrites as a taste of the kind of power and depth to be found in the full collection.

R’ Arthur writes: “My emotions were stirred in contradictory directions, as yours may have been when you heard the news. I decided to divide them up according to the Four Worlds of Jewish mysticism.”

In case you were still hoping to register for tonight's book talk program, we regret to inform you that we must postpone the event. We look forward to rescheduling the program at a time when our speakers and moderator can all fully participate. We will share more details when we have them.

R’Arthur on the passing of Rabbi Ellen Bernstein