Because We Were Slaves

The title of the curriculum, Because We Were Slaves: The Jewish Struggle for Justice in Making America Home, alludes to the daily Jewish commandment to remember that we were slaves in Egypt and therefore should never turn a blind eye to injustice. The materials focus on how Jewish people dealt with their precarious position – sometimes accepted and sometimes not – as they endeavored to make America their home. In order to understand the broad experiences of Jewish struggle in the United States, one must also fully understand the begrudging acceptance Jews have experienced from the moment 23 Sephardic refugees arrived in New Amsterdam in 1654, to the present day challenges faced by the Jewish community. 

The materials are supplemented by first-person accounts through the eyes of people who have taken this journey, and augmented by links to further reading, videos, and music. Because We Were Slaves encourages students to find a connection between the texts and our lives today. Our goal of this, and of all Chai Mitzvah materials, is to provide the framework for meaningful conversations, and to ignite deeper insight and continued growth in one’s Jewish Journey.

There are six parts to Because We Were Slaves.
Click here for a sample of PART 1

For questions, please contact: Nina Woldin: nina@chaimitzvah.org