A Turtle's Memory

Haggadah Section: Maggid - Beginning

"Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations." (Deuteronomy 32:7)

Every year, hundreds of giant sea turtles swim hundreds of miles from their natural habitat on the Brazilian coast to  tiny Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean in order to mate.

For years, researcher and pioneer conservation biologist Archie Carr tried to understand how the turtles could find their way from so great a distance, when even airplanes had trouble locating it. What do you think it was?

Carr's conclusions were fascinating: he claimed that the turtles navigate using genetic memory.  Once upon a time, millions of years ago, when the dinosaurs lived, that little island was closer to Brazil. The journey from Brazil to the closest strip of land was only a short swim.

The land was submerged millions of years ago. But the turtles, driven by their genetic memory , still search and find the last remaining remnant of the world that disappeared into the ocean - Ascension Island. Every year they return to perpetuate the species and memory. Each year, they go there together to remind themselves of the trip that their ancestors used to take. Tonight, we are just like those turtles.

Source:  
A Night to Remember

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