Jeffrey Korbman, Assistant Executive Vice President is a guest blogger this week for "Max"imum Potential

As a youngster, the successive holidays of Purim and Passover brought with it two successive traditions that always fascinated me.

On Purim, when reading the Scroll of Esther, we recite the names of the ten children of Haman as they are sent to the gallows of death. But there is something unique about how this passage is read. Unlike all other sentences in the Scroll of Esther, this one is traditionally recited in one breathe. After all these years I still look at the reader in synagogue as they take a deep breathe to make sure they can get through all the names quickly.

Then there is Passover. During the Seder, there is a well known tradition while reciting the 10 plagues. After reciting each plague we are to take our pinky and dip it into our wine goblet. We then spill a drop of wine on our plates. I can still recall, as a youngster, being told not to make too big a mess.

Between these two holidays, and between these two traditions, I believe there is a message; a message about the universal responsibility of Jews as citizens in this world.

We read the names of Haman’s children quickly because the death of anyone, even the children of our enemy, hurts. Life has intrinsic value, and the demise of life is nothing to celebrate.

Similarly, tradition teaches, we dip the wine during the recitation of plagues at the Passover Seder to remember the spilling of blood of the Egyptians. The Egyptians, like Haman in the Purim story, were our enemies. They oppressed us. But even as we celebrate the freedom of our Exodus, we take a moment to realize, once again, that achievement came at the expense of human life….the life of our enemies.

Perhaps the underlying value is what Golda Meier meant when she remarked to Egyptian President Sadat, “I can forgive you for killing my sons, but I cannot forgive you for forcing me to kill your sons.” Those lives are precious too.

With these historic values guiding us, United Jewish Communities of MetroWest will continue to set up fundraising “mail boxes” on our website to raise funds for those in need. Several weeks ago it was for Haiti. Today, there is one for Chile. Tomorrow, if such disaster strikes, we will continue to act responsibly, to offer help, and to participate in rebuilding of societies and lives.

“Choose life” the Torah has written, and therefore we do whatever necessary to protect its sanctity, the world over.