At the end of the Passover narrative, G-d speaks to Moses and imparts various commandments.
One of these commandments emphasizes the importance of the seder-וְהִגַּדְתָּ֣ לְבִנְךָ֔ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא V’Hegadita l’vincha bayom hahu,“and you shall tell your children on that day” (Exodus:13:8), alluding to the importance of educating our children and reminding them of our roots, traditions, and commitment to our communities. We want to encourage our children to ask questions and demand answers that will then inspire positive and tangible outcomes. We want our children to leave the seder table with new insights on how to be a mensch, with a deeper level of responsibility.
One of these commandments emphasizes the importance of the seder-וְהִגַּדְתָּ֣ לְבִנְךָ֔ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא V’Hegadita l’vincha bayom hahu,“and you shall tell your children on that day” (Exodus:13:8), alluding to the importance of educating our children and reminding them of our roots, traditions, and commitment to our communities. We want to encourage our children to ask questions and demand answers that will then inspire positive and tangible outcomes. We want our children to leave the seder table with new insights on how to be a mensch, with a deeper level of responsibility.
An incredible example of this comes from the Bolton family in New York City. Ziv Bolton, just 13 years old, learned about BaMidbar through his parents’ efforts to promote mental health awareness in their synagogue, Or Zarua. Or Zarua hosted a panel discussion on Addiction, Wilderness Therapy, and the Jewish community’s responsibility. Hearing the discussions, Ziv realized how important BaMidbar is for the Jewish community and wanted to do his part. In most synagogues, youth preparing for their B’nai Mitzvot are encouraged or instructed to select a Mitzvah Project relating to something that is significant in their lives. For Ziv, this was BaMidbar; he took it upon himself to raise funds and awareness for our program. Seeing his actions demonstrates the importance of mental health and addiction awareness from an early age. We have an opportunity to not shy away from challenge, but to teach our children so that they can be a part of the solution. Please view the video below to hear Ziv recount firsthand why he chose BaMidbar for his Mitzvah Project, the impact he has made, and his love for community.
From the entire BaMidbar team we want to wish you and your family a meaningful, educational and kosher Passover.