Tonight is the first night of Passover, where the story of Exodus, central to Jewish tradition and the Passover celebration, will be told. But the Exodus story resonates profoundly beyond Judaism, embodying universal aspirations of freedom, justice, and hope. Throughout history, across continents and cultures, people have drawn upon the Exodus narrative as a powerful metaphor and rallying cry against tyranny and injustice.
At its core, Exodus tells the story of the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in Egypt, symbolizing humanity’s enduring struggle against oppression. This narrative transcends religious boundaries, providing inspiration and moral clarity to diverse communities fighting for their freedom. Many Muslims commemorate the Israelites’ liberation by fasting on the Day of Ashura, while Christians reflect upon Passover during Holy Week —from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday — as liberation from spiritual bondage.
Black liberation theology has extensively drawn from Exodus, viewing Moses as a prophet and revolutionary leader. Minister Albert Cleage emphasized this by stating, “Moses didn’t just preach hope; he organized his people to take their freedom.” Malcolm X echoed this revolutionary spirit, connecting African Americans’ plight directly to the Israelites’ oppression in Egypt, asserting, “Just as the children of Israel had to be delivered out of Egypt, the Black man in America has to be delivered out of his land of bondage.” Rev. Jesse Jackson famously invoked Moses’s timeless demand, “Let my people go!” articulating the urgency for racial justice. Huey Newton, co-founder of the Black Panther Party, likewise viewed Exodus as a revolutionary call for oppressed people to rise against injustice.
The spirituals sung by enslaved African Americans poignantly captured Exodus’s hopeful message. Songs like “Go Down, Moses” served as fervent prayers and defiant anthems, embedding the narrative deeply into Black America’s cultural resistance. Frederick Douglass often referenced Exodus in denouncing American slavery, comparing oppressive leaders to Pharaoh. Civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer also cited Exodus to galvanize African Americans in their struggle for political rights, affirming the narrative’s contemporary relevance.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., expanded Exodus’s message, declaring, “The story of the Exodus is the story of every human being who has ever yearned for liberty.” His teachings reinforced the moral responsibility to stand with all oppressed communities, underscoring the narrative’s universality. The Quran further solidifies Exodus’s importance within Islam, instructing Moses (Musa) in Surah 20:47 to confront Pharaoh and demand liberation, underscoring its significance across religious lines.
Latin American theologians, including Gustavo Gutiérrez, emphasized that Exodus’s liberating power extends beyond spirituality to encompass justice on earth. Archbishop Óscar Romero, assassinated for advocating on behalf of El Salvador’s oppressed, invoked Exodus passionately, urging his community to break free from oppressive structures. Similarly, theologian Jon Sobrino interpreted the Exodus narrative as a mandate to liberate the poor from economic and political oppression.
Asian liberation theology also embraces Exodus as a critique against colonialism and imperialism. Kosuke Koyama critiqued Western domination in Asia by aligning contemporary imperialists with Pharaoh, reinforcing Exodus as a revolutionary call to resist subjugation. Theologian C.S. Song broadened the narrative, suggesting the Exodus represents God’s eternal commitment to ending human oppression wherever it exists.
Feminist and womanist theologians have uniquely reshaped Exodus, emphasizing gender oppression and resilience. Delores Williams centered Hagar —the enslaved woman — as emblematic of Black women’s strength and survival. Katie Cannon saw Exodus as empowering marginalized people to trust in their own resistance against injustice. Latina theologian Ada María Isasi-Díaz drew parallels between the Exodus and Latina women’s struggles, particularly migrant and working-class women battling economic exploitation. Ivone Gebara called upon religious institutions to actively dismantle patriarchal oppression, mirroring God’s liberation of the Israelites.
Exodus’s symbolic power extends significantly to indigenous struggles as well. Nobel laureate Rigoberta Menchú connected her people’s suffering directly to that of the Israelites, asserting, “We, too, have been enslaved and forced from our land.” Similarly, Chief Standing Bear poignantly compared Native American displacement to the Israelites’ exile. Scholar Vine Deloria Jr. argued that indigenous movements parallel the Hebrew journey, emphasizing reclamation of stolen lands and cultural identity.
Global political leaders have frequently harnessed Exodus symbolism. Nelson Mandela regularly compared South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement to the Israelites’ liberation from Egypt, underscoring the power of the Exodus as a rallying point for oppressed peoples globally. Across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, anti-colonial movements repeatedly drew strength from Exodus imagery in their resistance to European imperialism.
Today, the Passover Seder has become a moment for communities to advocate universal justice. Jewish communities globally emphasize that true freedom remains unattainable while oppression persists anywhere— a sentiment that underscores the narrative’s enduring significance.
Ultimately, the Exodus story calls humanity to an ongoing collective responsibility to pursue liberation. Whether reflected in Malcolm X’s revolutionary rhetoric, Harriet Tubman’s courageous Underground Railroad journeys, Rev. Jesse Jackson’s relentless activism, Nelson Mandela’s anti-apartheid struggle, feminist resistance against patriarchal oppression, or indigenous struggles articulated by Menchú, Chief Standing Bear, and Deloria, the story of Exodus continues to animate humanity’s pursuit of justice.
From spiritual hymns to protest marches, religious sermons to revolutionary manifestos, the enduring demand — “Let my people go” — echoes across generations, reminding us that freedom and justice are inseparable from the human spirit. Exodus calls us continuously to solidarity with the oppressed, urging humanity toward a world shaped by liberation, justice, and hope — not merely for some, but for all peoples everywhere.
Ed Gaskin is Executive Director of Greater Grove Hall Main Streets and founder of Sunday Celebrations