Like most Americans my age, I can rattle off all the lyrics to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme at the drop of a hat. So the "slap heard around the world" the other week really bothered me on so many levels: the unnecessary physical violence, Hollywood applauding hypocrisy, and the image of a childhood role model that no longer exists.

I’m not a judgmental person, but I do believe in taking a lesson from every situation. There was a meme going around that Will Smith should have learned from Moses: you don’t hit the Rock, you talk to the Rock! (Moses famously was barred from the Promised Land because he hit a rock with his staff to bring forth water, instead of speaking to it like G-d commanded). Funny, but perhaps there is actually some wisdom in comparing the Fresh Prince with the Prince of Egypt?

Will Smith has been a role model for decades but put it all in jeopardy because of one split second of bad judgment. Moses similarly lost his chance to enter the Promised Land in that one second when he hit the rock. (No offense to the Academy, but I think we can all agree that Moses got the worse of the two punishments...) But how does this happen? They both let their guard down and let their emotions get the better of them.

I’ve learned the hard way that no one is infallible, and Judaism teaches that leadership (and life) requires us to constantly check in with ourselves to ensure that we are behaving like the person we aspire to be. Indeed, Will Smith mentioned this idea in his apology, stating how he wasn't living up to his personal standards.

Passover is about breaking through our own hardened hearts to break free of our self-sabotage. But that requires coming to the realization that our decisions and actions are in our hands and no one else’s.

This year, JGSI is hosting over 36 Passover Seders across North America! We are excited to share this message of Passover to 1,460+ grad students and alumni who won’t make it home for the holiday.

Wishing you and your family a meaningful Passover, and a small reminder to not to slap your relatives at the dinner table – even when they are being obnoxious!