This week is Passover, and its promise of freedom is for all people and taught by many kinds of teachers in many different ways. Here are three people – none of them Jewish, by the way – who never met each other, but meet in my head and heart this Passover. Each inspires me with their unique voice, and each invites us to ask what freedom means to us. Watch and see.
Why is William Wallace’s speech so powerful?? It’s more than Mel Gibson’s delivery, or even the cornflower blue face paint which so perfectly matches his eyes. When you think of the ways in which you long to be free, do you think of being free from something, or the freedom to do or be something?? Both?
What is freedom for Roger Daltry? Where do feel yourself floating freely, carried along buoyantly?? What does it mean to swim in those waters? Why might it be so important, as it is in ancient rabbinic teaching, not only to teach our kids to float, but to teach them to swim as well? How is that kind of freedom different from floating?
What is your dream of freedom, especially beyond your personal needs? How is it like Dr. King’s? How might it be different?? Will we ever achieve King’s lofty goals, or does that not even matter as long as we keep moving in the direction of their achievement?
Brad Hirschfield is the co-founder and co-executive editor of The Wisdom Daily. A rabbi, Brad has been featured on ABC’s Nightline UpClose, PBS’s Frontline, Fox News and National Public Radio. He wrote a long-standing column, “For God’s Sake,” for the Washington Post, and has also written for The Huffington Post and Beliefnet.com. He authored the book, You Don?t Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism. Brad also serves as President of Clal, The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, a leadership training institute, think tank and resource center in New York City.