Jewish storyteller Jennifer Rudick Zunikoff brought to life the story of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt at Spirit of the Wilderness Episcopal Church in Grand Marais on July 21, 2013. Using the tradition of Midrash, Zunikoff helped listeners see the ancient story with fresh eyes, highlighting important truths applicable to all people.
Some lessons really come alive with a story. Jewish storyteller Jennifer Rudick Zunikoff demonstrated this at Spirit of the Wilderness, the Episcopal church that meets at the Maple Hill Church, on July 21, 2013.
Zunikoff, who came from Baltimore, Maryland, partnered with the church by telling a story related to the original Jewish Passover meal, which is central to the Christian celebration of Eucharist. One of the goals of the event was to foster interfaith dialogue that would help Christians better appreciate their Judaic roots and inspire them to look at Scripture in a new way.
Zunikoff presented a Midrash—a story from the perspective of someone described in the ancient texts. In her July 11 parish newsletter, Spirit of the Wilderness Vicar Mary Ellen Ashcroft described Midrash as an approach “in which the teller is invited to imagine him- or herself in a character’s role to understand more about a story.”
Zunikoff called Midrash an interpretation, a “space between the lines” that “makes everything so alive.” She said the literal truth is of less concern than the lesson that can be learned from the Midrash.
“In most Jewish biblical interpretation, readings are provisional,” Ashcroft wrote. “In other words, there’s no right or wrong way to interpret a passage but many ways. This approach can be very helpful for us a Christians who have sometimes been given to believe that there’s one right way…. Midrash invites creativity and imagination.”
Zunikoff’s Midrash takes listeners from the Egyptian fields where the Israelite slaves collected hay for making bricks to the conversations of the Israelites while the Egyptians endured the plagues Moses warned the Pharaoh about when he demanded the release of his people to the galloping of the horses pulling Egyptian chariots that were closing in on the Israelites just before the Red Sea parted, giving them safe passage to Israel.
Rena, a character created by Zunikoff, is a woman of faith. She sews colorful thread into her dull slave clothes and sings celebratory songs of free people. Despite the heavy oppression and abuse by the Egyptians, she creates bricks with joy as though they are works of art.
Rena is a visionary. She sees a beautiful world beyond Egypt, where trees change color in the fall, mountains reach to the sky, white snow covers the earth, and huge waters appear to stretch forever.
When Moses returns to Egypt after many years of absence, the people are told, “God has seen your pain. God has remembered you. God will take you out of this place.”
In the middle of the night when all the firstborn of Egypt are dying, Moses’ sister Miriam tells the character telling the story it is time to leave Egypt. “I know you don’t think you’re ready, but you are,” she says. After they eat the Passover meal, they go.
The Israelites begin to flee. Ahead of them they see the waves of the Red Sea churning; behind them they hear the galloping of horses and see a cloud of dust approaching.
Rina watches Nachshon, the leader of the tribe of Judah, step into the sea. The wind begins to rattle the instruments Rena has carried with her. Nachshon looks at Rena, smiles, and steps into the water.
Others follow Nachshon into the water. Not until it covers his face does the water fall away to either side, creating a path for them to escape.
“Rena made instruments because she believed we would be free,” the storyteller states. “Remember, for our people there will always be a reason to celebrate.”
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