New Jersey Labor Seder draws diverse crowd
About 70 representatives from organized labor, Jewish organizations, civil rights and other community groups, and public officials broke matzah together at the annual New Jersey Labor Seder organized by the Jewish Labor Committee. The program was held on March 26 at the New Jersey District offices of the SEIU 32BJ union in Newark. Another dozen people participated via the livestream on Zoom from across the United States.
The overarching theme was “Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the United States by Recommitting Ourselves to the Ideals of Democracy.” As is the tradition of this seder, each of the four cups of wine was dedicated to a contemporary topic that resonates with the themes of the Passover holiday: freedom, workers’ rights, and welcoming the stranger.
The Jewish Labor Committee has organized labor seders in New Jersey and elsewhere since 2000. This year seders were held not only in Newark but also in Dorchester, MA; Washington DC; Brooklyn; Denver, and Philadelphia. The New Jersey Labor Seder was made possible this year due to the partnership of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest New Jersey, the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, the American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, New Jersey District SEIU 32BJ, New Jersey AFL-CIO, and the National Council of Jewish Women Essex County.