Ve'hi sheamdah
וְהִיא שֶׁעָמְדָה לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְלָנוּ! שֶׁלֹּא אֶחָד בִּלְבָד עָמַד עָלֵינוּ לְכַלּוֹתֵנוּ, אֶלָּא שֶׁבְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר עוֹמְדִים עָלֵינוּ לְכַלּוֹתֵנוּ, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַצִּילֵנוּ מִיָּדָם.
This promise is what has stood by our parents and by us! For not just one alone has risen against us to destroy us, but in every generation they rise against us to destroy us; and the Holy One, blessed be He, saves us from their hand!
Y esta promesa fue la que mantuvo a nuestros antepasados y a nosotros, pues no fue sólo uno
quien se levantó contra nosotros para exterminarnos, sino que en cada generación se levantan
contra nosotros para aniquilarnos, mas el Santo, bendito es Él, nos salva de sus manos.
V'hi SheAmdah
Possible questions to answer:
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How does anti-semitism affect your Jewish experience?
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Does focusing on Jewish suffering make us more sensitive to the sufferings of others or more isolated?
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How wide-spread is anti-semitism?
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How much of our Judaism is reactive and how much is proactive?
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When we pour a cup of wine and open the door for Elijah, we traditionally say a paragraph beginning with "pour out your wrath." An alternative version instead begins with "pour out your love." Which version would you say (both are below)? Why?
Traditional version: Pour out Your wrath upon the nations that did not know You and upon the kingdoms that did not call upon Your Name! Since they have consumed Jacob and laid waste his habitation. Pour out Your fury upon them and the fierceness of Your anger shall reach them! You shall pursue them with anger and eradicate them from under the skies of the Lord.
Alternative version: Pour out Your love on the nations that know You and on the kingdoms that call upon Your Name. For the loving-kindness that they perform with Jacob and their defense of the People of Israel in the face of those that would devour them. May they be privileged to see the Succah of peace spread for Your chosen ones and rejoice in the joy of Your nations.
I think Anti-semitism connects us to Jews in the past and future, because it's something that hasn't gone away and possibly may never go away. We are able to empathize more to the pain of the past and inversely apply past biblical stories to our lives today, because we are going through similar Jewish experiences. -Lila, Los Angeles
Anti-semitism can make it harder for someone to want to be Jewish, but it can also make someone more motivated to be Jewish. Anti-semitism can give someone a reason to be Jewish and motivation to stand up for what they believe in. -Alexa, Los Angeles
The idea reflected in this recitation is one that comes up time and again throughout Jewish history. It's a bittersweet passage; bitter, because it shows how the history of persecution is so long-lasting and pervasive, but also sweet, because we are celebrating our people's continued perseverance in the face of danger and impending destruction. -Benny, Los Angeles
I think that focusing on Jewish suffering makes Jews more aware and sensitive to the suffering of other groups. As Jews, we understand what it feels like to experience hate, or to feel shut out. In this way, we can become more empathic to other people who also experience hate.
-Anonymous, Los Angeles
Anti-semitism feels like a core of the Jewish experience in some ways. It is so prevalent and no matter how many times we think it's finally over and we can relax, it comes back strong. However, I think because it affects my Jewish experience so much, it is one of the reasons why Judaism will go on for so much longer. For example, the October 7th attacks were a horrible thing to happen to the Jewish people. and yet it also united us in a way that we had not been united in for a while. It brought us together to a new level, where we were suffering with people, some who we did not know before. -Anonymous
I think the amount of oppression the Jewish people have endured and survived over thousands of years has both isolated us in our struggle yet also allowed us to empathise and care about other people's. -Abby, Melbourne
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