The great thing about Passover for Jews, is that you can be sure on Friday night, Jews all over the world whether, orthodox, progressive or secular will be participating in a Seder to mark the beginning of Pesach and will be retelling the story of the Exodus.
Seder is one of those landmark events that makes us reflect on the year that has past. We remember those who are not with is this Seder, we reflect on how much our children have grown up since last year and we think about how much has changed in our lives since the previous year.
This year I’ve read a great deal about the meaning of the Exodus story and how it’s our moral imperative to include in our Seder the plight of those who are still exploited such as child labourers and women. In decades passed we have been urged to remember Soviet Refuseniks, those suffering in an Apartheid South Africa and this year we have been urged to remember those in Syria who are fighting for their freedom. However, whilst these things will be featuring at our Seder this year, I am calling attention to the newest type of slavery, an affliction that affects us all; the burden of being constantly in contact.
Last week, Rabbi Miriam Berger said in an interview with the Jewish Chronicle that “many of us should put a blackberry or apple on our Seder plate to represent the technology and pace of life which enslaves us today”. Never a truer word said in jest was my response. Having just spent a weekend as an emergency contact with parents whose children were on trips in Amsterdam and Prague I truly felt the burden of responsibility and I felt as if my freedom had been taken away. Not because I was being exploited or taken advantage on but the fact that I had to be on the other end of the phone if I was needed meant that what I did was restricted.
As more of us than ever have Facebook and Twitter accounts, blackberry’s and I-phones the ability to stay in touch is truly amazing. I and others are in contact with people I never would have been in contact with had it not been for modern technology. Births, engagements and career changes have all been announced via Facebook. Opinions and reactions to current events are shared via twitter. PDA’s been that the office is with us wherever we go. Basically, the yoke of technology is strangling us but we are unable to shake it off.
So, what can we do about it? Well this Seder night for a start I am going to ask everyone to turn their phones off. There will be no virtual Seder at our house this year! I am also going to set myself a challenge for Pesach. I am going to celebrate freedom by not checking my email first thing in the morning and last thing at night. If an email is not an emergency I am not going to reply to it on my day off! I am going to turn my phone off when I go to the cinema rather than put it on silent. Why am I doing all this? Because this Pesach, I am setting myself free from the technology that whilst amazing stops me relaxing!
Chag Pesach Sameach- May your retelling of the Exodus story be meaningful and may you always be free!
Excellent piece.
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