Passover Levity And DE&I

This week is Passover.

As every year goes by, I am more amazed at how a giant cracker, matzoh (the bread of affliction), comes to be more and more meaningful. 

In general, I’m not particularly observant. Even the high holidays don’t resonate for me anymore.

But, Passover is different. It can be as cut and dry  tradition based or as modern and socially relevant as you make it. My family and I choose a less traditional but more relatable approach. 

For those who may gasp — don’t worry, all basic requirements are met. But that’s the tradition, the checking of the boxes. The details are what’s interesting.

Passover has three pieces to it: the preparation, the meals at the beginning (the Seders on the first and second night), and observing the holiday for the rest of the week. 

This holiday is the most important to me for three reasons:

Order

To mark the beginning of the holiday you get a fresh start. It actually requires spring cleaning. You are creating the space. Then, the ceremonial meal – a Seder –  is held, making time to start the holiday. The purpose of the Seder is to tell the story of the exodus from Egypt. The meaning of Seder is order. 

In a greater context, the meal marks a time and space. The retelling of the story is to make us think about how it relates to the world we are in now. 

Symbolism

The meal is filled with symbols. Some which relate directly to the story, like the matzoh, the flat and crunchy while slightly burnt tasting bread of affliction. Or, charoset, a sweet mixture of chopped   apples, nuts, honey, and wine (traditionally, I highly recommend using a Venetian recipe) that symbolizes the mortar used by the slaves to build the pyramids.  Others symbols which are always relevant such as the bitter herb to remind us that to have rights and comforts there was bitter struggle to achieve them. Or salt water, to symbolize the tears shed in oppression and bondage.

Struggle, rebirth, bitterness, sweetness, and renewal are ideas everyone can relate to, and they are woven into the experience of what it is to be human. For those who are fighting for visibility and their voice to be heard, the struggle remains. 

There are struggles that are easy to see around us. Large conflicts that are occurring, rights being stripped, battles that are in the open. 

But, there are silent battles that occur around us every day. Ones we don’t see because the people fighting who mask to keep everyone else comfortable at their own expense. 

These are the struggles that can be impacted everyday by removing the barriers to others so they no longer need to mask, hide who they are with clothing they find uncomfortable, or feel shame for expressing who they are and where they are from. 

Relevance

The ultimate idea behind the holiday is to create the time and space to move from bodnage to freedom.

Taking traditions and giving them modern relevance can be uncomfortable. Being honest with yourself about what “bonds” are still holding you means becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. This discomfort is necessary if you want to create the time and space needed to experience renewal and rebirth. 

So what can this look like? For yourself, this could be deciding what your goals are and what’s holding you back. Then, creating an actionable plan to achieve those goals. 

For others, it means acting from a place of empathy and working to break the barriers that may be holding them in bondage. But, this means being comfortable with the discomfort of accepting the disparities of treatment in the world so that others can be raised up. 

In the workplace, this is where Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DE&I)  approaches are vital:

• Raising everyone up instead of singling out individuals
• Creating time and space for all voices to be heard
• Embracing individuality and creating flexibility that allows for individual expression and needs to be met
• Taking ownership of hurts you may cause, even if they’re unintentional
• Recognizing those who don’t always seek acknowledgement for their own work

At the beginning I mentioned matzoh being the bread of affliction. During Passover, this is the only bread meant to be eaten during the entire week of the holiday. We are also not to eat anything that contains the five ‘forbidden grains’ or has been leavened or fermented.

When I was young, this felt taxing. Now, it is part of creating that time and space to be comfortable being uncomfortable. It removes a daily convenience and requires thoughtfulness about food, preparation, and eating. Most importantly, it forces you to choose how interact with the world during this time. 

The holiday is never an excuse to not interact. It can be frustrating when the rest of the world doesn’t acknowledge that there are alternative needs not being met, but that is where I can advocate and educate. The purpose of the holiday is much like a diagnosis; the purpose is to better understand yourself and help others understand more deeply. It is a way to move forward, not something new to hide behind.

Much like I don’t allow my clients to use a diagnosis as a sword or shield, the same is true of personal beliefs.  Everything is connected and a holistic approach can bring it all together. 

Being a Nurse Coach, having ADHD, being a martial artist, bringing a holistic approach to my work, means that what I do is also a reflection of who I am. Not just parts of myself, but my whole self. Passover is one more way to do the deep work at a personal level, and it is this same deep work and dedication I bring to every client I work with. 

If you’re ready to be comfortable being uncomfortable and create a culture that allows your entire workforce and organization to thrive, reach out today.