[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[April 15, 1992]
[Page 606]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 606]]

Message on the Observance of Passover

April 15, 1992
    Beginning on the evening of April 17, Jews around the Nation and 
throughout the world will observe Passover, the traditional celebration 
of the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt. In the Jewish calendar, this 
holiday is also known as the Feast of the Unleavened Bread and the 
Festival of Spring. During Passover, a people who have all too often 
known oppression and persecution will reaffirm their faith in the Divine 
Judge, who brought them out of Egypt and delivered them from slavery. 
Passover is, in the words of the kiddush which Jews recite as they drink 
each of the four cups of Passover wine, ``a time of freedom.'' This 
Passover comes at an especially precious moment in Jewish history. Since 
Jewish families and friends last gathered around the seder table a year 
ago, we have all rejoiced at the modern exodus of Jews from Ethiopia and 
the former Soviet Union to Israel. We have also triumphed in the repeal 
of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3379, that infamous 
declaration, which wrongly equated Zionism with racism. We celebrated 
together the defeat of Iraqi aggression, a modern day threat to Israel 
and the entire Middle East. Finally, we began a process that for the 
first time in history brought together Israel and all of her neighbors 
to make peace.
    The most well known portion of the Passover Hagaddah is the ``Ma 
Nish'tana''--the four questions asked by the youngest child in the 
family about why this night is different from all others. This year the 
answers are especially vivid. Today, more people live in freedom than 
ever before. In the last few years, we have witnessed the liberation of 
millions of people from the political and ideological oppression under 
which they lived. As we stand united today in freedom, we have an 
unprecedented opportunity to move forward toward our goal of a more 
humane and peaceful world.
    Barbara and I extend our best wishes to members of the Jewish 
community for a joyous Passover.

                                                             George Bush