Finding Our Way to Freedom: Bringing Ourselves to Seder in Troubled Times

Finding Our Way to Freedom: Bringing Ourselves to Seder in Troubled Times (3 sessions)
Program: Open Circle Jewish Learning Texts and Traditions
Instructor: Meredith Reiches
Day and Time: Mondays, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. Eastern
Dates: April 1, 8, 15, 2024
Location: Online via Zoom
Fee: $100 Financial scholarships available

The Passover seder is the most widely practiced Jewish custom. Around the world, Jews of every stripe sit down at tables to share a meal and tell stories of liberation. But what happens when we get to the table? How can we make the seder both meaningful and manageable? In this charged global moment, when Jewish identity is center stage in the Diaspora, this class invites us to explore how we articulate what freedom and liberation mean, and how we can share sacred space with people whose ideas are different from our own. We will look at the textual origin of the Passover story, Exodus, to grapple with how it describes the passage from slavery to a different place (hint: the word “freedom” does not appear in the text). We’ll examine passages from different haggadot to understand how the concept of liberation has resonated for different communities, identities, and causes. What speaks to us and what might we bring to our own seder tables to share? Whether this is your first or your seventy-first time thinking through the seder, all are welcome—the richness of our conversation will come from our many voices.

Hebrew College Open Circle Jewish Learning classes are for learners of all backgrounds.

Registrants from Canada, UK, EU and Australia: please email Cindy Bernstein to complete your registration. We apologize for the inconvenience.