The Jewish holiday cycle deeply explores the experiences of exile and freedom. Fall festival Sukkot recalls Israelites’ desert wandering in booths. Purim commemorates the precariousness of minority life in ancient Persia. Passover marks the Exodus from Egypt, the first step towards redemption and freedom. Literary works like Shulamit Hareven’s “The Miracle Hater” and Orly Castel-Bloom’s “An Egyptian Novel” depict the complexities of exile and its aftermath. Novelist André Aciman’s memoir “Out of Egypt” poignantly captures the personal nature of exile and the irony of Passover preparations amid forced departure. Journalist Tim Judah’s visit to Iraq highlights the remnants of a once-thriving Jewish community and the profound impact of uprooting.