Passover provides each of us, through the Passover symbols of the Seder, the means to strengthen world Jewry, increase our security and enrich our own lives.
The Afikoman, which is the broken half of the matzo, reminds us of our need to work for Jewish unity; we should not be a people broken or divided against itself. It is for this reason that the Chief Rabbi of Rome, Dr. Riccardo DiSegni, invited Five Towns high school student to Rome in February for the eighth annual American-Jewish/Italian-Jewish High School Youth Exchange Program. Our community will host the Jewish youngsters from Rome in May.
Our students were shocked to hear from their Roman partners of their fears of displaying signs of their Jewish identity from wearing a Jewish star to yarmulkes or shirts and bags that contained Hebrew writing or spoke of Israel, when they ventured outside of the Jewish ghetto. In addition, our students were directed not to tell anyone they met outside of the ghetto that they were Jewish.
The Rome students recounted their families experiences with the fascists and Nazis during the Mussolini era and the persecutions that they endured in Libya under Moammar Gadhafi. Half the Jewish community of Rome fled Libya.
One young lady, after proudly stating that her ancestors came to Rome with Titus more than 2,000 years ago, told the students how fortunate they were to be able to live openly as Jews without fear and that their friendship and support and that of the American-Jewish community gave her and the Jews of Rome a greater sense of security. We are, indeed, one people of one faith and one fate, responsible for each other.