Passover, Freedom and Friendship

Dear family and friends,

Each of you to whom I a

ddress these words has touched my life in unique ways.

The Jewish people are now getting ready for Passover, our festival of freedom. Some of us go into a totally perfectionist preparation hysteria while others do the minimum and some basically do nothing at all except perhaps participate in a seder meal.

As much as I adhere to trying my best to cleanse and prepare, the main thing for me is to remember, cogitate and internalize some basic meanings.

FREEDOM, release from slavery, both corporate and personal after (hundreds of) years, personal responsibility, examining and taking charge of my life under the tutelage of the Almighty and trusted teachers, reconciliation with my fellows, unity, forgiveness and rebirth.

Evaluating myself yet again and courageously making a "heshbon," an accounting of my failures and successes since Rosh HaShana, the Jewish New Year.

It all seems to go by so quickly. We have so many responsibilities, so many demands on our time, worries up the yazoo, distractions, and even wasted time stemming from myriad detours.

We forget to let those we value know what they have meant to us.

Therefore, dear friends and family, I am thinking of you! I acknowledge that I am not in touch with you often enough or deeply enough. Please forgive me for that.

I would love to live in the same neighborhood with you and see you at the market, the post office, on the street and be able to shoot the breeze with you for a few minutes every week. Our life-styles pull us in so many directions that we no longer seem to share the same village.

I want you to know your are important to me! That your name and face pass through my thoughts more often than you can imagine! That I am wishing you every good thing that I wish for myself.

May we all come to experience our liberation from "Egypt," that narrow place that limits and at times torments us.

For all the hurts and disappointments you have experienced of late, I pray healing and restoration.

For your successes, I salute you. For your hopes and dreams, I wish and pray for your continued optimism, energy, inspiration and accomplishment.

I ask your forgiveness for neglecting you and look forward to more connection and love!

Oceans of love,

Linda Shulamit,

Mother, sister, daughter, niece, cousin, friend and colleague