As Jews observed their second night of Passover last night two leaders of Reform Judaism conducted a “freedom” seder for members of Cesar Chavez’s United Farm Workers Union at St. Gregory’s Church, 144 West 90th St. Albert Vorspan, NYC director of social action of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, and Rabbi Daniel Syme. NYC assistant director of the UAHC’s Youth Division conducted the seder service in Hebrew and English, and a minister translated the English into Spanish for members of the union. The more than 100 people present, most of them union members, participated in singing Hebrew and freedom songs and songs in Spanish.
Vorspan stressed that the freedom seder had been arranged to “dramatize the relationship of the Passover observance recalling the flight from tyranny and the United Farm Workers Union’s campaign for improved working conditions, wages and social betterment for their families.” He added that “our story of Exodus and redemption offers such an opportunity.”
The UAHC and the Central Conference of American Rabbis have been long-time supporters of the Chavez fight for the rights of the lettuce and grape workers. The institutions of Reform Judaism, representing 710 synagogues in the United States and Canada, are advocating the Farm Workers Union’s lettuce boycott.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
