This winter I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing an advance copy of Freedom Journeys, a new book by Rabbis Arthur Waskow and Phyllis Berman. My review of their book is now online at Zeek. Here's a taste of what I wrote:

Even if there is no historical evidence for the Exodus, argue Berman and Waskow, there is value in retelling and reexamining the story. Just as Shakespeare’s play Hamlet speaks to us on levels which might not be tapped by a factual history of Denmark, the story of the Exodus from the Narrow Place of mitzrayim resonates emotionally and spiritually regardless of its historical veracity. The story, the authors point out, is a shared one; it speaks to Jews, Christians, and Muslims, as well as those involved in secular struggles for justice and freedom...

I've studied (and prayed and sung) with both Rabbi Waskow and Rabbi Berman. I know that they are each skilled at interpreting Torah texts in ways which reveal the deep spiraling patterns of descent for the sake of ascent, of constriction which can lead to new expansiveness. Even the tiniest details become opportunities for new interpretation. For instance, the way they interpret the Hebrew word "Mitzrayim," Egypt. Noting that it matches the form of the Hebrew plural, they read it as a kind of twice-constrictedness, like the English colloquialism "between a rock and a hard place."

Who else would use Robert Heinlein's imaginary Martian term "grok" as a way of explaining the full meaning of the Hebrew "yodea," usually rendered in English as "know"? If, like me, you are charmed by the notion of using a germinal SF classic to shed new light on the intricacies of Hebrew word-roots, then this book is probably a good fit for you.

In addition to exploring the Exodus narrative through the authors' own midrashic, personal, and political lenses, the book features three essays by invited contributors: one on the story of the Exodus as it appears in the Gospels, one on the Exodus as it appears in the Qur’an, and one on Exodus as it manifests in and shapes African-American culture. I think it's a really interesting text. Read my whole review here: New Teachings from Exodus: Berman & Waskow’s Freedom Journeys.