Jewish Values in Exodus Journal

Through the dramatic stories of the Book of Exodus, students explore Jewish values that can guide us in our lives today.

From the courage of the midwives as they save the Israelite babies, to Moses standing up for justice, to Miriam’s thankfulness at the Sea of Reeds, we can learn something new about how to apply Jewish values to our own everyday challenges.

Jewish Values in Genesis spoke about the connections between Jewish values and how they could be applied to our relationships with friends and family. Here, Jewish Values in Exodus takes that a step further, and uses the biblical stories to help students make connections between Jewish values and their role in the larger community.

Jewish Values in Exodus: If I Could Ask Miriam

Chapter 1

Shifrah and Puah: About the midwives

Video: Anti-Bullying / Israel

Video: Israeli president speaks about racism

Chapter 2

More Information for Values In Action:

·         Mark Zuckerberg

·         Drake   

·         Sarah Silverman

·         Scarlett Johansson

·         List of Jewish leaders

About the Midrash

Chapter 3

Video:  Let My People Go.

About the spiritual: Go Down Moses

Articles about the freedom music that is shared by both the Jewish and African American communities:

·         The Forward

·         The Jewish Journal

·         Encyclopedia.com

More Information for Values In Action:

·         Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

·         Ruth Bader Ginsburg

·         Rabbi Jill Jacobs

·         Natan Sharansky,

·         Stav Shaffir

Chapter 4

Video: Debbie Friedman’s “Miriam’s Song”

Why it is important to be thankful, and how it can help people feel happier.

Video: 100 Blessings

Article: 100 Blessings

About the Talmud

Insights into the questions raised in the exercise, “Rabbi’s Corner”.   

Practicing gratitude in our daily lives  

Chapter 5

Insights into what it means to be God’s chosen people:

·         The language used in the Bible and Jewish prayers regarding the Jewish people’s special relationship with God and what it means.

·         Discussion of the historical development of the idea of the chosen people.

·         Article by Rabbi Alan Lurie: An explanation of why being God’s chosen people does not mean the Jews are superior to others.

·         Article by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks:  On what it means to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

·         Article by Rabbi Jill Jacobs:  About Israelites committing, “We will do” before the Israelites know what they are committing to doing.

The 10 commandments:

·         As statements rather than commandments

·         The relevance of the Ten Commandments

·         Different versions of the Ten Commandments.

Chapter 6

Insights on how forgiveness can benefit the person forgiving

About Rwanda following the 1994 genocide

About South Africa following apartheid

About Maimonides   

The Groning Case:

·         The case of Oscar Groning

·         The story of how one Auschwitz survivor embraced and forgave Groning   

·         Discussion of whether there are some people who should not be forgiven

Chapter 7

On the benefits of giving