At our tables at Jewish seders around the world we recall and symbolically re-enact our ancestors’ trials as slaves. What have we learned? Have we learned to appreciate our freedom? I hope so.

Have we learned not to enslave others? Maybe, but we don’t always know if we are indirectly enslaving people through our purchases. Recently, Rabbi O wrote an op-ed that was published this past Tuesday in the Times Union – in it, he pointed out that Publix purchases tomatoes from growers that employ workers in virtually slave-like conditions for slave wages. Other supermarkets have pledged not to purchase from these growers. Publix responded that it is a labor matter for the vendor, not for Publix. Kudos to Rabbi O for pointing out that slavery still exists and for attempting to pressure growers to pay non-slave wages by publicly pressuring their customers.

What other products do we buy that involve slave labor somewhere in the production chain? Take this survey to find out

– it’s very informative…. Thank you to Rhoda Goldstein and Rabbi Olitzky for sharing.