Can We Feast Our Freedom?

Daniel Weiss grew up in Kibutz Be’eri. He survived October 7th but his parents – Shmulik and Yehudit Weiss – did not.

Daniel is a musician and artist. He became a well-known figure thanks to his story and his powerful performances.

In this rendition of “Let My People Go!” he is one of the soloists (standing 3rd from right and crying out loud at the end for his friends and relatives to be released from the dark tunnels of Gaza).

It is so hard to fathom celebrating our freedom when 59 of our own are still held captive. It makes me realize how many layers there are to true freedom.

Israel is going through a process of several layers of freedom. In the past 150 years or so we have been set free from exile; So in the geographical sense, we can celebrate our freedom, though not in fullness.

But what about our souls’ freedom? And our spiritual freedom? We are certainly not there. And as long as these kidnapped are not back home, our national soul is in bondage with them. Most Israelis, as we sit around the Seder table tonight, will refer to their suffering and our fear for their lives and sanity.

But the very fact that we can sing (yes, with tears, but still sing) and declare that our people will be let go, speaks even stronger. Simply because it means that promises are being fulfilled right before our very eyes, suffering turns into a powerful tool in God’s hand to mold our soul and awaken our spirit, and hope is becoming an anchor.

Join us as we weep and pray – that this heart’s cry of a whole nation to Let Our People Go will not only come from our souls but also from our spirits; that we will not only focus on relieving our pain but realize there is a glorious plan behind it; that we will turn this cry to the Only One who can make that happen.

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