This Year We Are Slaves, Next Year We Will Be Free, 1 of 6

Every generation of Jews must see themselves as if they were slaves in Egypt and God took them out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. While it may be comforting to think that Egypt is long gone and Pharaohs are a thing of the past, we would be foolish to believe this. The Exodus from Egypt retains such great power in the Jewish imagination because its themes constantly make their presence known in the world and in our lives. These classes will seek to explore its key themes through a close reading of the Biblical narrative and by drawing on midrash and traditional commentators alongside modern thinkers such as Sigmund Freud, Walter Benjamin, and Franz Rosenzweig.