Passover – Why the Story Matters More Than Ever

Passover is often celebrated as the festival of freedom—a moment to retell the story of the Exodus from Egypt. But what if you’re not sure it really happened? What if you wrestle with doubt, question the historicity, or feel distant from traditional faith?

This blog is for you.

It’s also for the believer—for those who faithfully follow tradition and find deep truth in the Bible. Because the story of the Exodus belongs to all of us. Whether we approach it with certainty, scepticism, faith, or questions, the Exodus remains the cornerstone of Jewish and World identity.

It’s more than a historical event. It’s a national birth, a moral vision, and a spiritual guide that has shaped the Jewish people—and the world—for over 3,500 years.

1. The Exodus: The Jewish Declaration of Identity

Just as the American Declaration of Independence defines the ethos of the United States, the Exodus is the founding declaration of the Jewish people. It marks the transformation of the Israelites from a tribe into a nation—not defined by land, royalty, or conquest, but by a covenantal relationship with God.

“I am the Lord your God who took you out of Egypt.”
That’s how the Ten Commandments begin. Our identity doesn’t start with law—it starts with liberation.

Unlike other ancient civilizations, Israel’s nationhood was forged in the crucible of oppression and redemption. The idea that freedom is sacred and that it comes with responsibility is repeated in Jewish life every single year through  Pesach (Passover).

Every Jew is commanded to see themselves as if they personally left Egypt. This is not a tale we hear once—it’s a story we step into again and again.

2. Beyond Archaeology: The Meaning Is Greater Than the Proof

Judaism has never required scientific proof to validate its deepest truths. The Torah isn’t a history textbook; it’s a guide for living.

Yes, archaeology may offer interesting insights. But the Exodus remains powerful even if it can’t be confirmed in a lab or a dig site. Why? Because the story has meaning that goes far beyond fact:

• Freedom comes with responsibility – The Exodus is about God liberating a people and then giving them purpose at Sinai.
• Compassion grows from memory – “Do not oppress the stranger, for you were strangers in Egypt.”
• Moral clarity is rooted in our past – Memory is sacred in Judaism. Whether or not the story can be “proven,” it has been lived and retold for millennia.

The question isn’t whether it happened exactly as written—it’s what it means that we keep telling this story year after year.

3. The Structure of Jewish Life Is Built on Exodus

The Exodus is not a once-a-year story—it shapes the entire Jewish calendar:

• Shabbat – A reminder that we are not slaves to time or toil.
• Pesach – The moment of national birth.
• Shavuot – Receiving the Torah at Sinai.
• Sukkot – A celebration of recalling the time spent wandering in the desert.

Each of these is more than ritual—it’s a re-enactment of a story that continues to define who we are.

4. The Key to Jewish Survival

Unlike many empires and civilizations that rose and fell, the Jewish people endured because they never stopped telling the story.

The Exodus has carried us through:

• Exile and destruction
• Pogroms and persecution
• The Holocaust and displacement

Each time, it reminded us: If God took us out of Egypt, there is always hope. If we were once slaves and found freedom, we can do it again.

5. The Birthplace of Ethical Monotheism and Human Dignity

The Exodus introduced something revolutionary to the world:
There is one God who has acted in history and cares about human dignity.

In pagan cultures, history was viewed as cyclical—people were believed to be trapped in fate. The Exodus broke that cycle and introduced the idea of moral progress—that the world can change and people can grow.

• No ruler or system has ultimate power over you—only God does.
• All people are created b’tzelem Elokim—in the image of God.
• Human dignity is non-negotiable.

This was the seed that later grew into human rights, liberation theology, and modern justice movements.

6. The Exodus in Modern Times: Still Changing the World

The impact of the Exodus goes far beyond religion:

• Political freedom – It inspired thinkers from John Locke to Martin Luther King Jr.
• Jewish nationalism – Zionism is, in many ways, a modern Exodus: return, redemption, and rebuilding.
• Universal justice – The Jewish call to protect the weak comes directly from this story.

Even in a sceptical, secular age, the Exodus continues to speak. As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote:

“The Exodus is not just the founding myth of the Jewish people. It is the meta-narrative of hope.”

7. For Believers and Doubters Alike

This story is not just for the pious or the traditional.

It’s for the Jew who struggles to believe and the Jew who believes with all their heart.

It’s for those who need a reason to hope, a framework for justice, or a reminder that their identity is built on something ancient and enduring.

You don’t have to believe every detail. You don’t need certainty to find meaning. You only need to ask the questions—and stay open to the answers that have echoed through Jewish history.

Seder Table Questions – For Real Conversations

Use these at your Seder to open up deep discussion:

1. Do you think a story must be factually accurate to carry deep meaning? Why or why not?
2. What does it mean to see yourself as if you personally left Egypt?
3. Which part of the Exodus story speaks to you most today—faith, freedom, memory, or justice?
4. How has the Exodus helped the Jewish people survive history’s darkest times?
5. Can shared memory be more powerful than historical fact?
6. What responsibilities come with freedom? What does that look like in today’s world?
7. If you were telling the Exodus story to your grandchildren—what would you want them to remember most?

Final Blessing 

May this Passover be filled with meaning—whether you come with strong faith, deep questions, or somewhere in between.
The Exodus is your story, too.

Footnote:
The insights shared in this blog were inspired by a book from James D. Long’s Riddle of Exodus regarding the historical context and reinterpretation of the Exodus are drawn (1997). Long explores archaeological findings, Egyptian texts, and biblical analysis to argue for a historical basis for the Exodus story, proposing a revised chronology that better aligns with both biblical and archaeological records. His work invites readers to reconsider mainstream assumptions and highlights the enduring relevance of the Exodus narrative for faith, identity, and historical inquiry.

The featured Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0bWlkdn2Fs was filmed at the Yiboneh Centre, Jerusalem https://www.yiboneh.com/riddle-of-the-exodus.html

Further reading

I invite you to read what I wrote last year, where I started with this:

The same God that took us of Egypt brought us the modern State of Israel.

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/my-zionist-hagadah/