Freedom Rally to Support U.S. Troops in Iraq Features American and Passover Symbolism

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Freedom Rally to
Support U.S. Troops in Iraq Features
American and Passover Symbolism
By Glenn Richter
April 14, 2003

The worlds most enduring symbols of oppression and freedom bitter herbs and Passover matzah commemorating the ancient Hebrews liberation from Pharaohs oppression 3500 years ago, was the center piece of a Sunday Freedom Rally at the United States Mission to the United Nations in support of American troops, MIAs and POWs in Iraq. Passover begins Wednesday evening.

The rally drew widely diverse participation, from the New York area Jewish community, to Curtis Sliwas Guardian Angels, to a group of Biafrans who traveled up from Washington, DC.

Standing be hind a table laden with the Passover seder objects of wine, bitter herbs and matzah and in front of a large American flag, New York City Councilman David Weprin intoned the names of the remaining American missing in action, while celebrating the just-announced liberation of seven POWs.

CJC-Amcha national president RabbiAvi Weissdeclared, "As in the Passover seder, we break matzah to symbolize the pain it takes to achieve freedom. As such, we remember those American soldiers who gave their lives in Operation Iraqi Freedom, those wounded, andthose still prisoners of war or missing in action, even as we celebrate the seven liberatedtoday.

"At the Passover seder, we ask questions. My question is, when will the world learn that Israel faces a similar enemy to that America faces inIraq?" asked CJC-Amcha vice president Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld. And, he continued, "How can we root out terrorism at its very core?"

Rabbis Weiss and Herzfeld joined Rabbi Adam Starr of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in leading participants to sing "Dayenu" ("Enough"). Rabbi Herzfeld explained that that the song "is at a centerpiece of the seder. Even if we do not achieve all our goals, we thank God for what we have accomplished. At my Passover seder, we will also express gratitude for living inAmerica, a country that makes space for people who are very different from each other. In the seder, we recount that four sons ask different questions. In Iraq under Saddam, you wouldhave been executed for being different, for asking the wrong questions."

Rabbi Herzfeld introduced Congressman Anthony Wiener as the first legislator to respond to CJC-Amchas call to question the FBIs characterization of last Julys attack at theLos AngelesAirport (LAX). The FBI saidthe attack by an Egyptian expatriate on El Al Israel Airlines passengers at LAX was not a terrorist act. Only yesterday, at long last, the FBI publicly reversed its stand.

Congressman Wiener observed, "One of the ways we express our patriotism is by rallying for our closest allies. Andthere is none closer thanIsrael. If your name is Kim of North Korea, Khatami of Iran or Assadof Syria, you shouldnot sleep too sanguinely after whats happened in Iraq. We now have to focus like a laser beam on these bad players. We cannot allow ourselves to be hamstrung by those who say were a big, powerful righteous country, but we shouldnt use that power and righteousness to free ourselves from the shackles of terrorism."

Rabbi Weiss turned to another concern: "The late, beloved Rabbi Abraham Kook would say that what unites us is greater than what divides us. What unites us is a quest for peace and freedom, and understanding that the challenge ahead is to overcome terrorism. In the weeks ahead,Israel will be placed under huge pressure. We will not allowIsraelto be a sacrificial lamb to appease Arab countries, many of whom did little or nothing to help Americain Operation Iraqi Freedom."

Among the diverse individuals who attended the Freedom Rally was Mike Roth, who said he wished to run for the New York US senatorial primary next year. When he added that he emigrated from the former Soviet Union 13 years ago, Rabbi Weiss hugged him. "We held so many freedom seders at the former Soviet UN Mission residence so that the Michaels of the USS Rcouldbe free and here he is at a symbolic seder celebrating the success of Operation Iraqi Freedom!"

Glenn Richter