Just Because You’re A Jew doesn’t mean you get to change the meaning of one of our holidays. Especially when you’re the boss of a gigantic Internet “community” whose pages are filled with vile Jew hatred that does not “violate community standards”.
Just before Pessach Mark Zuckerberg posted the following (testing out his company’s new “Celebrating Passover” feature no doubt). Here’s what he wrote with my highlights:
Tonight is Max’s first Passover — the holiday celebrating the Jews’ escape from slavery, survival as refugees and rebuilding as immigrants in a new land.
Every year, my family gets together to give thanks for our freedom and for those who suffered so we could be here. For me, the most important tradition is to remember that we will not be truly free until every person is free. While we give thanks, we pray that next year every person will find their home.
Tonight, I’m reflecting on these words from President Obama:
“Scripture tells us that we shall not oppress a stranger, for we know the heart of a stranger — we were strangers once, too.”
Passover reminds us that we were strangers once, too.
I hope we have the humanity to bring people together, so one day every person will be free and will find their home.
My friend Ari replied:
The Jews weren’t “immigrants” in a “new land”. The Hagada (Passover storybook) says very clearly the Children of Israel (Jews) went down to Egypt TEMPORARILY and were enslaved, and RETURNED to their homeland, Israel, where they’d lived since Abraham.
Which is completely correct. Jews and Judaism returned to Israel. Greatly affected by its time in slavery, Egypt and various wanderings including, very importantly, receiving the Torah (our Laws) at Mount Sinai.
I’m no biblical scholar which I why I don’t pretend to play one in real life. It’s clear Mark knows even less than I do. It’s very clear that trying to turn this holiday into some kind of PR stunt for Angela Merkel is really not Kosher for Passover.
Update: Here’s another great explanation by Joy of points completely lost on Mark Zuckerberg:
Zuckerberg misses the point entirely. Passover is NOT celebrating the Jews escape from slavery, survival as refugees and rebuilding as immigrants in a new land.
We didn’t ‘escape’, God led us out.
We didn’t ‘survive’, God fed us with manna and quail for 40 years.
We didn’t rebuild as ‘immigrants’, God brought us into the Land that He gave to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.What Haggadah is Zuckerberg reading from? Passover commemorates God bringing us out of Egypt, delivering us out of their bondage, redeeming us, and taking us as His people.
