Ukraine War Refugees, Aid Workers to Celebrate Multi-Faith Freedom FESTIVAL OF PASSOVER IN POLAND
PRZEMSYL, Poland, April 8 – Dozens of refugees from the Ukraine war, along with aid workers, will attend a multi-faith Passover Seder dinner for some 200 people on April 12 in Przemsyl to mark the Jewish holiday and celebrate the universal values of freedom, renewal and gratitude, in a special free event organized by NATAN Worldwide Disaster Relief and partner aid groups.
NATAN, which has stationed doctors and social workers on the Polish-Ukraine border to aid refugees since the war started, is organizing the “Passover in Przemsyl” and hosting it along with UJA Federation of New York, the JCC of Krakow and the Polish cultural group Folkowisko Association.
The ecumenical gathering will feature parts of the traditional annual Passover Seder, which celebrates the Jewish people’s escape from slavery in Egypt. Along with 20 Reform Judaism rabbis visiting the area who will join the event, participants of all faiths will light candles, share wine and a vegetarian feast, and discuss Passover’s timeless story. This special Seder will also include olives, symbolizing the olive branch a dove brought to Noah as a sign the floods receded and humanity would be given a second chance.
“On Passover we remember the exodus from Egypt and we pray for all of you who have left Ukraine and for those who stayed behind,” said NATAN Chair Daniel Kahn. “The refugees may not be able to celebrate their holidays with loved ones at home, but they can join us in experiencing Passover and its stories of freedom from oppression. This year we celebrate together, here in Poland.”
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About NATAN Worldwide Disaster Relief:
NATAN Worldwide Disaster Relief is an all-volunteer multi-faith Israeli humanitarian aid organization of doctors, nurses, dentists, social workers and other healthcare experts who are trained to mobilize for human-made and natural disasters worldwide. For more than 18 years, NATAN teams have responded to global crises from earthquakes in Haiti to the Syrian civil war, collaborating strategically with NGOs and local communities. NATAN was inspired by Israel’s pioneer humanitarian activist Abie Nathan, a former combat pilot who dedicated his life to helping rather than destroying humanity. For details, please visit https://natanrelief.org/.