The story of Passover and the miraculous escape from Egypt always captivated me as a child. Yet it was after some critical moments in my adult life that the vivid imagery from Passover truly came alive.
When my husband and I moved from America to Israel, we believed with all our hearts that Israel is where we are meant to be. We fully appreciated the blessing of a Jewish homeland knowing that generations of Jews had suffered nearly 2,000 years of oppression in the Diaspora, and we felt God tugging at our heartstrings, telling us that Israel is our true home.
Yet, despite these reassuring thoughts, it was hard to say goodbye to everything and everyone we had always known and step into the unknown. It took a huge leap of faith to board a plane on a one-way ticket to Israel for a life we could never have imagined.
Choosing change over comfort, and the unfamiliar over what is known, has never been easy. When the Israelites left Egypt in the Exodus story, after Pharaoh finally sent them away, Jewish sages have explained that when it finally came time for the Israelites to leave, they were hesitant to go. Pharaoh had to push them out the door! They needed an extra nudge because in spite of the bitter slavery in Egypt, the people were afraid to step into unfamiliar territory.
As human beings, it’s natural for us to fear the unknown, just as the ancient Israelites did. So we stay in jobs that we don’t like, relationships that hurt us, or in places that no longer suit us. But do you know what is even worse than the unknown? It’s staying with something that we know is bad for us.
Passover is a time for stepping out in faith. It’s a time for leaving old habits and situations behind in order to make way for something new and better. It’s a time for change even if it makes us uncomfortable. In fact, In Judaism, the Exodus from Egypt is often compared to the birthing process (what I now consider the pinnacle of discomfort) It was only after I had gone through that experience myself that I truly appreciated what it meant.
The Hebrew word for Egypt is Mitzrayim, derived from a word that means “narrow straits” or “constriction.” Egypt was seen as a narrow place, similar to the birth canal. The children of Israel were stressed, oppressed, and compressed; literally caught in a narrow place where they found themselves sandwiched between the Egyptians and the Red Sea.
But just like the birthing process, the stress and confinement were all part of the plan. When the Israelites couldn’t stand it any longer, they threw up their hands and said, “We are powerless God and only You can help!” At that point, the sea split, the Israelites left Egypt for good, and a new nation was formed.
One of the key lessons from Passover is that change and enormous pressure can lead to rebirth and renewal. We also need to remember that God is hard at work in all of those defining moments we encounter. He is always up to something grand on the other side of our pain and the unknown - as he has been throughout all of history.
When we follow God, we may not always know where we are going, and we are often in discomfort along the way. But we can be sure that we will end up exactly where we are meant to be.
Yael Eckstein is the president and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. In this role, she also holds the rare distinction of being a woman leading one of the world’s largest, religious not-for-profit organizations, having raised $1.8 billion — mostly from Christians — to assist Israel and the Jewish people. She is the author of the book “Generation to Generation: Passing on a Legacy of Faith to our Children.