For over 2000 years, during Passover (Pesach), when Seder – a ritual feast – comes to its end, all its participants express their wish of returning to Jerusalem with the words: “Next year in Jerusalem”: LE SHANA HABA’A BE’YERUSHALAYIM!

Scattered all over the world since the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, they are hoping to return to their common home.

However, there is another, more profound meaning of the Seder farewell. In the spiritual sense, not only in the geographical sense, Jerusalem means “the city of peace” or “heavenly Jerusalem”.

Those who observe Passover in Jerusalem add: “In rebuilt Jerusalem” - LE SHANA HABA’A BE’YERUSHALAYIM HABNUJA! – in the rebuilt Temple, among the rebuilt values that the Temple stands for.

In that sense we are all pilgrims on our way to “the city of peace”. Therefore the greeting LE SHANA HABA’A BE’YERUSHALAYIM! is an expression of hope for finding spiritual peace and safe haven, irrespective of where we utter these words – be it in Jerusalem,New York or Zbąszyń.