The Book of Exodus is many things: an epic tale, a law book, an origin story. It is also at its core an astute and timeless depiction of the battle between autocracy and the rule of law. While Pharaoh claims that his word is law, the Torah insists that there is a higher moral order calling us to value all lives, even the lives of the powerless and oppressed.
Monday, January 20 is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. As it happens, January 20 this year is also the Presidential Inauguration Day of Donald Trump. The conflicting visions of these two figures about the nature of American society could not be more stark. In an additional confluence of calendars, Jews begin the reading of Sefer Sh’mot, the Book of Exodus, on Saturday, January 18. What does our ancient story have to teach us about the struggle between Trump’s understanding of power as an end unto itself and King’s vision of power as a means to serve and shape a just society?
In this course we will be examining the Book of Exodus for insights and inspiration about the never-ending human conflict between the lure of tyranny and the call of justice.
Jonathan Kligler is rabbi emeritus of the Woodstock Jewish Congregation. He is a renowned and beloved teacher of Torah, and is the author of Turn It and Turn It, for Everything Is in It: Essays on the Weekly Torah Portion.
Six Wednesdays, 1–2:30pm ET, beginning January 22. IN PERSON AND ONLINE VIA ZOOM. Register below to receive Zoom access link.
$60/WJC members; $120/General.
