Passover: The festival of freedom and the ambivalence of exile

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Passover: The festival of freedom and the ambivalence of exile

The Passover Seder – like this one in Azerbaijan – commemorates the story of the Israelites' escape from slavery, and the start of their long sojourn in the desert. Reza/Getty ImagesThe Jewish holiday cycle is, to a large extent, an exploration and commemoration of the experience of exile. The fall festival of Sukkot, for example, is celebrated in small booths, temporary shelters that recall the Israelites’ experience sheltering in tents while …