As a proud Jew, I’m relishing the excitement of Passover, which begins on Saturday night. You probably know the story behind this holiday: It celebrates how God “passed over” the houses of Jewish slaves when visiting a deadly plague upon their slavemasters. Even if you aren’t Jewish (which is pretty likely, since we only account for 0.2% of the world’s population), it’s easy to relate to the Passover spirit. Who doesn’t want their freedom, and for the world to rid itself of those who cruelly dominate others? There are way too many tyrants on the planet, and far too many people who suffer because of it.

Around this time of year, I also think of Scarsdale’s remarkably good fortune. So many things have “passed over” over us. We see no ugly racism here, nor any blight. Instead, we’re a community that gathers in times of joy and supports one another in sorrow (see “Heathcote Teacher’s Sudden Death Leaves Community Mourning.”) For all our town’s faults—and for as much as we gripe about them—we’re a very special place.

At the end of the Passover seder, we say “Next year in Jerusalem.” I took in a course on Jewish history in college, and my professor quipped, “We say that, ‘Next year in Jerusalem,’ but we don’t really mean it. We mean ‘Next year in Scarsdale.’” Well, at least for now. Enjoy Passover, or for those of other faiths, the weekend.

Yours in Scarsdale love,

Deborah Skolnik
Editor In Chief

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