Drawing hope from Passover's message

I always look forward to Passover, and I know I’m not alone. According to conclusions from a 2013 Pew survey, you and I are more likely to attend a Passover seder than to fulfill the solemn mitzvah of fasting on Yom Kippur. The epicurean delights that frequent the seder table (and the mitzvah to drink copious cups of wine, I’m sure), are part of what draws us to the holiday. That, and the sense of renewal we feel from connecting with family and friends.

Still, I don’t think that’s the reason the “Festival of Freedom,” as this week-long celebration is often called, ranks so high on our preferre...