Session 7: Parashat Mishpatim
"The New Colossus," Emma Lazarus, 1883
Among the many laws of Mishpatim, we find the Torah’s first command that we should care for the strangers in our midst. Given the current anti-immigrant fervor in the United States, this verse represents an opening for conversation about how we as Jews balance contemporary political trends with our personal spiritual views. This is not a conversation about immigration policy per se, but rather an exploration of the importance of this aspect of the American narrative for our Jewish identities. To facilitate the conversation, we turn to the ur-text of national welcome: Emma Lazarus’s “The New Colossus.”
As always please use the comments section below to add feedback and ideas about how you used this study sheet in your community. American Scripture Project is a collaborative platform.
The text of the handout is not as clear as in past weeks.
I have been using the materials for a Thursday noon Torah discussion group online and at a joint Torah study group between two congregations on Saturdays after the service and kiddush. Both groups are engaging in the materials and wrestling with the questions raised in thoughful ways.