FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nevada Legislators Gather for First-Ever Interfaith Passover Seder Hosted in State Capitol
CARSON CITY, NEV. (April 25, 2019) – Amid a growingly divisive political climate nationally, legislators in Nevada recently sat down to celebrate diversity during an inspirational, first-of-its-kind, interfaith Passover Seder at the Nevada State Capitol. On Wednesday, April 24, during the Nation of Immigrants Seder sponsored by ADL in partnership with the National Association of Jewish Legislators, approximately 60 legislators and staff convened under the Capitol’s picturesque rotunda for a feast and to share traditional stories, songs and readings spanning several cultures and religions. The Seder was led by Rabbi Sanford Akselrad of Congregation Ner Tamid and notable attendees included Michael Brown, director of the Department of Business and Industry; Alisa Nave-Worth; Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson; Senators James Ohrenschall, Dallas Harris and Melanie Scheible; and Assemblywomen Lesley Cohen, Ellen Spiegel, Shea Backus, Shannon Bilbray Axelrod and Lisa Krasner. In addition to a traditional Seder reading of the text of Haggadah, which retells the story of the exodus from Egypt, readings included works by Maya Angelou, Cesar Chavez and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “There is no more important time to gather people from both sides to come together for an evening that celebrates diversity,” said Jolie Brislin, regional director of ADL. “Now, more than ever, it’s vital to understand that we, as a people, are bigger and our voices are stronger when we stand together.” “Thanks to the ADL and Rabbi Akselrad for conducting the Legislature’s Nation of Immigrants Seder,” added Assemblywoman Spiegel. “Everyone appreciated how the Passover story was made relevant to today’s current events and taught how the lessons of the Seder are the same today as they have been throughout Jewish history.” The first Nation of Immigrants Seder took place in Boston in 2008 and has since launched in San Diego, Arizona, New York and Nevada. The prior three Seders in Nevada occurred in Las Vegas. The 2019 Seder marked the first time Carson City hosted the event and the first time, nationally, a group of legislators comprised the guest list.
At its core, the Seder brings a message of hope, liberation and freedom while encouraging communication between various religious and ethnic groups. It marks a time and platform that allows everyone to share his or her unique story and to remind everyone that America is a nation of immigrants. In part, the Seder is inspired by John F. Kennedy’s 1958 essay for the ADL titled A Nation of Immigrants, in which he called on Congress to evaluate U.S. immigration laws through a lens of freedom and respect.
About ADL
ADL is a leading anti-hate organization that was founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry. Today, ADL is the first call when acts of anti-Semitism occur and continues to fight all forms of hate. A global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education and fighting hate online, ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate. For more information, visit www.adl.org.