April 2005
Volume IX, Issue 4
35th Anniversary of Earth Day, April 16
Started in 1970, environmental groups worldwide have chosen the third Saturday in April to focus on ecological issues, such as pollution, endangered species, and over-development, seeking reform and improved quality of life. The Earth Day Network (consisting of over 12,000 environmental groups in 174 countries) proclaimed 2005's theme to be Fostering Healthy Environments for Children. "This year, our aim is to inspire a new generation of leaders to champion environmental causes that will deter practices contributing to substandard and unhealthy living conditions for children," a spokesman for the group said. According to EDN, more than 40 percent of the world's children under the age of five carry diseases that can be attributed to environmental factors. These include lack of pure water, inadequate personal hygiene, lack of proper sanitation, unsafe food, air pollution, and chemical hazards.
Passover, April 23:
Passover is celebrated every year to remember the account of God leading the Hebrews out of Egypt by the hand of Moses, as detailed in the first 15 chapters of the Biblical book of Exodus. The Passover (or Pesach, the Hebrew word for "protection") arises from the last of the 10 plagues God unleashed on the pharaoh of Egypt to force him to turn loose the enslaved Israelites. The first nine were blood, frogs, lice, flies, blight, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness. The tenth and final plague was the slaying of the first-born male of every man and beast in Egypt. The Israelites were warned of the coming punishment and marked their dwellings with lamb's blood so that the Angel of Death would "pass over," sparing their sons. This final plague convinced the pharaoh to release the Israelites, though he ultimately changed his mind and sent his army chasing them through the desert. At the Red Sea, the water parted, allowing the Israelites to cross to the other side. The Egyptian army, attempting to likewise cross in pursuit, were swallowed up by the water and drowned when God returned the waters to their place. Jews celebrate the Passover with the seder, an elaborate meal at which the story of the Israelites' deliverance is retold. Many believe Christ's Last Supper was a seder.

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