The Legacy “Passed Down” (or Passed Over) to Us

This week, I’ve thought quite a bit about legacy.  I’ve had the luxury over the last couple of days to study alongside nineteen other ministers and faith leaders about fundraising!  Yes, fundraising!  I’m pursuing the Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising as part of the Lake Institute of Faith and Giving.  Although we’ve addressed the ins-and-outs of making a fundraising plan, the heart of our conversation has focused on personal legacy.  One lesson I’ve taken to heart: we each are moved to become generous people because of our very human need to create a legacy.

Yesterday, I was given the chance to reflect upon my own personal legacy.  We were each given forty-five minutes to write a letter to a loved one, sharing our hopes and dreams.  I was able to take some precious time to write an emotion filled letter to my three year old son, Caleb.  With pen in hand, I jotted down my personal story and the values that continue to drive me.  I wanted to share with Caleb, my hopes, my dreams, my legacy.

As Passover approaches, we Jews are subtly reminded about our need to build a legacy.  We gather around the holiday table to remember the enslavement that our ancestors endured in Egypt so long ago.  However, as we remember the brutality of the past, we are also commanded to express our hopes and wishes for a better tomorrow.  This is the gift, the legacy, which was passed down to us by the rabbis.  Over two thousand years ago, they made a drastic change to our Passover observance.  They took a holiday focused on our connection to the Temple in Jerusalem and transformed it to a holiday centered in our homes.  The rabbis wished to create a legacy that would encompass their most important ideals: storytelling, family, building a better tomorrow.

This weekend many of us will gather with friends and family around our seder tables.  We’ll read through the words of the Haggadah, we’ll sing Dayenu, we’ll nosh on our matzah!  Yes, we’ll reflect upon our past: the turmoil our ancestors endured.  But, we are also commanded to think about our future: our legacy!  The rabbis left us a precious gift, a moment in time where many of the most important people in our lives are gathered around the table.  Isn’t this the perfect opportunity to share with them, our hopes, our values, our dreams?  A Zissen Pesach, a Happy Passover to everyone!