The New York Association for New Americans (NYANA), celebrated its 59th Passover seder, an event coinciding with New York City’s Immigration Heritage Week, in which New York City celebrated the impact immigrants have had and continue to have in shaping America.
Joe Lazar of the Lazar Consulting Group, CEO of NYANA, opened the event by retelling the story of Passover; the story of the Jewish exodus from Egypt and their quest for freedom. He stressed to attendees the importance of NYANA’s mission of resettling immigrants and the importance of each culture remembering their history.
“By recounting the story, we make it come alive to each of us,” said Lazar.
Aaron Aranov, former client of NYANA and current president of the Bukharian Jewish Museum, spoke afterwards of his own experience escaping the former Soviet Union and the aid NYANA gave him when he first arrived in America.
All those in attendance received a complimentary Passover bag after the event, with wine, boxes of matzah, and two haggadahs, one in English and one in Russian, ensuring all that they would have a healthy and meaningful Passover.
