The Freedom of Mobility
Movement is more than a basic, bodily function, it is a celebration of our bodies’ freedom.
Deborah Herr Richter is the Atlanta Jewish Times' creative & media director. A recent Atlanta transplant, Deborah previously worked in Manhattan as the marketing design & communications manager for Innovant. She established a freelance design and writing business, Deb Herr Creative, before joining the AJT and is now proud to serve the local Jewish community.
The bitter taste of maror on our tongues is an echo of the slavery our ancestors endured. Today, the ripples of oppression are still felt by many in a variety of ways.
Like the Israelites who fled Egypt, I also uprooted my life in search of a new home. Unlike a people feeling persecution, I had the resources, the means and the previous experience of living in an unfamiliar place to help facilitate my move. For too many of us, however, the freedom of mobility is an accident of birth.
Beyond this freedom to pass state lines or cross a country’s borders, I have the fundamental ability of movement. Throughout the slog of daily life, it is easy to overlook the basic gift of motion. When I do, I remember the elevator bank signage at the Tate museum in London: “Celebrate your ability to use the stairs and please give priority to those who need to use the lifts.”
I am able to run, walk and even dance. Movement is more than a basic, bodily function, it is a celebration of our bodies’ freedom.
Deborah Herr Richter is the creative and media director.
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