Editor's Note:
re: freedom, faith and nationhood

This week, Jews all over the world celebrate Passover, the festival of freedom. We eat the "bread of faith" (as the Kabbalists term the matzah) and tell the story of our birth as a people.

What is freedom and how is it achieved? What is "faith" and how is it actualized? What makes a "people" and why do we need and desire to belong to one? We've been exploring these questions since the first Passover 3,314 years ago, so the twenty-six articles, stories and essays we've assembled can hardly cover all the angles. But we hope there's some thought for food here, or at least something to tell the children (of all ages) asking the Four Questions at the seder.