Date:
Sunday, March 24, 2019 (All day)
Location:
1000 Morrissey Blvd, Dorchester, MA 02122, USA
UMass Boston’s campus was quiet on March 24th, a Sunday afternoon, but the campus center ballroom overlooking the harbor was buzzing as attendees gathered for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of New England’s 12th Annual “A Nation of Immigrants” Community Seder. While still a few weeks before Passover, this seder provided a time to learn about and celebrate the diversity of Boston’s immigrant community and to gather in solidarity against all forms of hate and bigotry.
As people filled the room, tables were covered with all the makings of a traditional Passover seder. Every person received a program and resource guide, as well as a Haggadah (the text recited at the seder), which showed that the seder to follow would be unique. Led by Rabbi Claudia Kreiman of Temple Beth Zion in Brookline, MA with the help of her guitar, the seder followed a traditional order but included substitutes and additions to focus on the theme of immigration and diversity. For example, after reciting the ten plagues, the room recited ten “modern day plagues” including anti-semitism, homophobia, and xenophobia. A moment that celebrated the diversity of the room was the asking of the question “Why is this night different from all other nights of the year?” Rabbi Kreiman invited attendees to come up to the microphone and recite the question in whatever language they wanted, adding Urdu, Swahili, German, Punjabi, and Bulgarian (to name a few) to the usual Hebrew and English.
While keynote speaker, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, was unfortunately unable to attend, the other speakers offered attendees many words and stories to reflect on. Cardinal O’Malley, the Archbishop of Boston, began the seder with opening remarks. The highlight, however, was three immigration stories told by members of the community throughout the seder. A teacher’s aide from Kenya who fought for 24 years to get her immigration papers and gain permanent residency, a student activist from Venezuela on DACA, and an undocumented college student from the Boston area all told their stories and embodied the event’s message of hope for a more inclusive future and inspiration for advocacy.