Jew in the Lotus
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Passover Seders for Tibet

In 1996, after meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, Rodger Kamenetz worked with the Interfaith Action Network of the International Campaign to free young Panchen Lama from Chinese detainment. The world's youngest prisoner of conscience, Panchen Lama's eighth birthday fell during the first week of Passover. Struck by this coincidence, Kamenetz created a nationwide campaign of Passover Seders for Tibet, uniting the Jewish memory of slavery and oppression in Egypt long ago with the lack of religious freedom in today's Tibet under Chinese rule.

Rabbis
In a letter to Seder participants, the Dalai Lama wrote, "In our dialogue with rabbis and Jewish scholars, the Tibetan people have learned about the secrets of Jewish spiritual survival in exile: one secret is the Passover seder. Through it for 2000 years, even in very difficult times, Jewish people remember their liberation from slavery to freedom and this has brought you hope in times of difficulty. We are grateful to our Jewish brothers and sisters for adding to their celebration of freedom the thought of freedom for the Tibetan people."

Next Year In Lhasa: Seders for Tibet Haggadah:
As we now bring this celebration to its end, we close with the hope: L'Shana Haba-ah B'Yerushalayim, next year in Jerusalem. May that be a Jerusalem, for all of us, real and symbolic, a place of peace, freedom and joy -- in every heart, in every home, in every land. For our guests here today may it be for them the fulfillment of their dream: L'Shana Haba-ah B'Lhasa. Next year in Lhasa. Next year may they be a free people.


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