FROM THE DESK OF AVI BENLOLO: This Passover, Pay it Forward

In a world in which freedomis taken for granted by those who have it, and longed for by those deprived ofit - the message of Passover compels us to turn our compassion into action.Next week, Jewish communities all over the world will partake in an age oldtradition of commemorating the Jewish exodus from Egypt. We will be rememberingthat we "were once slaves in Egypt" and recalling our oppression anddesperation to escape our tormentors to freedom - to the land of ourforefathers, the land of Israel. The story is retold from generation togeneration so that we never take freedom for granted, even while in many casesthereafter, freedom was removed from our grasp.

Since then, Jewish communitieshave integrated a passion for striving to build communities and nationsfoundationally based on freedom and democracy. In America, it was the Jewishcommunity who marched alongside black communities in the civil rights movement.Jewish activists represented a disproportionate number of whites involved inthe struggle. They participated in the Mississippi Freedom Summer in 1964.Leaders of the Jewish reform movement were arrested with Martin Luther King Jr.in St. Augustine, Florida in 1964. Most famously, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschelmarched arm-in-arm with King in his 1965 March on Selma. 

One FSWC member said to me,"I lived in New York through the Freedom Marches and the civil rightsmovement. I marched in Manhattan supporting the movement. Many Jews supportedthe black civil rights movement, some even risked their life in the South whenthey went to march alongside them." At the core of Passover, it is ourtradition to stand for and with those who are oppressed and to liberate people- no matter who they are from social injustice.

Similarly, Jewish women andmen have championed feminism in America and around the world. In 1960, Americanwomen were limited in almost every respect and rightfully demanded fairness andequality. Gloria Steinem, a co-founder of Ms. Magazine, became the most widelyrecognized leader and spokeswoman of the modern feminist movement. Identifyingherself of Jewish descent, she helped launch the National Women's PoliticalCaucus, the Coalition of Labour Union Women, Choice USA and the Women's ActionAlliance.    

There is no greatershowcase for equality for women than Israel's first and only female primeminister, Golda Meir - she was only the fourth prime minister of Israel,elected in 1969 - at a time when a female prime minister would have beenimpossible. There was no greater role model for women around the world thanGolda Meir who worked tenaciously for the betterment of her people.

Passover teaches Jewishcommunities worldwide to be compassionate, kind and caring in the communitiesin which they reside. While we make up less than 3% of the population in somecommunities in which we reside around the world, our philanthropy isappreciated. We are ingrained with an ethos of helping the impoverished and thesick; we regularly assist refugees and the downtrodden and we are compelled tohelp advance education and science for the betterment of humanity.  

It is interesting to notethat 881 people have been awarded Nobel Prizes, of whom 196 - 22.2% were Jewishor of Jewish descent - despite the fact the world's Jewish population is lessthan 0.2% of the global population. It is a reflection of the Jewish ethos towork for the betterment of the societies in which they reside in and to helpadvance humanity - to "liberate" humanity from the social andphysical challenges inflicted upon it.   

Mostly, Passover imbues uswith the passion and identity to act whenever necessary. We are proud of thecompassionate actions undertaken by the State of Israel - despite its minusculesize - it is a country that regularly comes to the assistance of its neighboursand beyond. This week, the horrific gassing of Syrian civilians has elicitedcondemnation from Israeli leaders. Since the start of the massacre in Syria,Israel has set up field hospitals to aid the injured coming across its border.In fact, Israeli organizations like Just Beyond our Border, IsraelGives andIsrael Flying Aid have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to aid Syrianchildren in the recent gassing attack. In December, we gathered a group ofHolocaust survivors in front of our offices in Toronto to condemn the slaughterin Syria in front of major media.

Israel, as the embodimentof the Jewish nation, even has its own rescue and aid agency called"IsraAid" and over the last fifteen years and more, it has helpedcommunities in South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Kenya, the Philippines and more. Myfavorite action to aid was during the tragic earthquake in Haiti. Israel wasthe first country on the ground, immediately setting up a massive fieldhospital to aid desperate Haitians who required medical attention, food andwater. In 27 days, Israel also provided post trauma assessments, physicalrehabilitation, social programming and youth leaderships, women empowerment,agriculture training and more. 

Some have said that sincethe exodus from Egypt, "freedom has been spoken with a Hebrew accent"- that it had set a precedent for all people. In fact, I would argue thatfreedom must be spoken with a universal human accent. What Passover taught usis to "Pay it forward" - to try and make the world a better place forourselves and for everyone. For humanity to survive, for freedom to breathe, weall have to work together with kindness and compassion. 

These are the values we teachevery single day at the Canadian Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center. 

Shabbat Shalom,

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Avi