Podcast Summary: A Hollywood Midrash: The Making of The Prince of Egypt

Podcast: Identity/Crisis
Host: Yehuda Kurtzer (President, Shalom Hartman Institute)
Guest: Rabbi Professor Bert V. Vassotsky (Appleman Professor Emeritus of Midrash, JTS; Consultant for The Prince of Egypt)
Release Date: March 31, 2026
Episode Context: As Passover approaches, Yehuda Kurtzer and Bert Vassotsky explore the making and enduring legacy of The Prince of Egypt, examining its Jewishness, midrashic dimensions, and interpretive choices that shaped how new generations experience the Exodus narrative.

Episode Overview

This episode delves into what makes art—and particularly The Prince of Egypt—“Jewish,” exploring themes of identification, cultural adaptation, and the transformation of biblical narrative through Hollywood. With unique insider insights from Rabbi Bert Vassotsky, consultant to the filmmakers, the journey explores the film’s foundational decisions, its reception in Jewish and broader cultural contexts, and how it has come to be revered as both an American and a Jewish touchstone.

Main Discussion Points

Defining "Jewish Art" and the Prince of Egypt’s Jewishness

• Jewish art isn’t defined by its creators alone, nor by exclusive Jewish consumption or overt themes ([02:00]).
• Jewishness in art can be fluid, reflecting assimilation, universalism, and the American multicultural tapestry (references to "Seinfeld," etc.).
• The Prince of Egypt was made by Jews, authentically represents the Torah and midrashim, but was not created specifically for Jews ([05:30]).
• The film’s Jewish "feel" emerges from its approach to storytelling about the Exodus, evoking memory, trauma, prayer, and performance, especially relevant for Passover.

“I don't know if Prince of Egypt is Jewish, but I think it is ours.” – Yehuda Kurtzer ([05:54])

The Backstory: Rabbi Vassotsky’s Role and the Bible in Hollywood

How Vassotsky Became a Consultant ([07:59])

• Originated from years leading a study group at JTS, moving to a televised series on Genesis with Bill Moyers.
• During the airing, Vassotsky was approached by Jeffrey Katzenberg (DreamWorks SKG) to consult on a new animated feature about Exodus, aiming to tie the Jewish story to the broader American ethos.
• Recalls memorable anecdotes, such as being flown first class to LA to ensure secrecy and learning never to call it a "cartoon" ("It's an animated feature.")[11:21].

Cultural and Artistic Decisions

• DreamWorks sought liberation from Disney conventions, including diversifying depictions: “At Disney, everything was white... the Hebrews in Egypt were people of color.” ([11:46])
• The goal was significant, authentic entertainment, but the film could not be "too Jewish" for a mainstream audience.

“It's not midrash. This is Hollywood, Bert. We are doing entertainment… but it's not midrash.” – (as quoted on Katzenberg’s stance) ([15:11])

Interfaith and Cross-Cultural Consciousness

Balancing Traditions ([16:27])

• Katzenberg was keen to avoid the mistakes of Aladdin (stereotyping), hiring Jewish and non-Jewish consultants and being careful with depictions of Egypt and biblical characters.
• Muslim tradition was consulted regarding Pharaoh’s wife finding Moses, making the story more inclusive and fitting a "buddy movie" Hollywood trope ([26:16]).

Interpretive Choices Examined

Use of Hebrew and Israeli Collaboration ([22:12])

• The film features actual Hebrew and Israeli singer Ofra Haza as Yocheved, adding authenticity and emotional resonance.
• Songs refer to biblical phrases and prayers ("Micha Mocha" at the sea).

Gender and God, Gospel Influences

• The use of “Deliver Us” reflects the confluence of biblical language, gospel traditions, and musical universality ([24:54]).
• The gendered characterization of God wasn’t foregrounded at the time: “It was not quite as burning an issue in those days.” ([24:21])

Family Drama and Emotional Depth

• The gravitas of the Moses-Pharaoh relationship is amplified for Hollywood effect, turning it into a story of brothers, reflecting both Genesis and Exodus motifs ([27:23]).
• Moses’ dual identity crisis and journey to self-discovery mirrors American-modern narratives.

“In good Hollywood form that becomes inflated as self discovery. You can't be more American and modern than a person who finally identifies with who they really are...” – Yehuda Kurtzer ([29:45])

Theological and Midrashic Layers

The Burning Bush and the Voice of God ([31:04])

• Hollywood struggled with how to represent God's voice.
• Ultimately, Val Kilmer (the voice of Moses) voices God too, paralleling midrashic traditions where God’s voice is familiar, even paternal ([32:07]):

“The midrash suggests that the voice that Moses heard had to be appealing to him, not frightening, and that it was, in fact, a voice that sounded like his father.” – Rabbi Vassotsky ([33:06])

• Raises theological questions about the human-divine relationship and Moses’s doubt.

The Ten Plagues and Narrative Strategy ([37:41])

• The plagues are depicted in an abbreviated, less horrific way to avoid traumatizing children while still conveying chaos and awe ([39:09]).

“He mixed them into one fairly short scene... He was very careful to make the plagues, if you will, anodyne... in the biblical terms, the plagues were spectacular.” – Rabbi Vassotsky ([39:09])

• The plagues are rearranged narratively to mirror the chaos of experiencing crisis, not just reporting events sequentially ([41:08]).

Pharaoh’s Hardened Heart and Moral Conundrums ([43:16])

• The film gives Pharaoh agency (“let my heart be hardened”), shifting from biblical emphasis on God’s role, opening moral questions.

“I think what God is doing to Pharaoh is removing his free will... It's as though God says, you pretend to be God. I'm going to make you less than human.” – Rabbi Vassotsky ([43:16])

• Discusses Jewish ritual discomfort with themes of anger and revenge, e.g., "Shfoch Chamatcha" at the Seder ([44:48]).

The Red Sea, Miracles, and the Movie’s Emotional Climax

Parting of the Red Sea and "When You Believe" ([46:34])

• The climactic scene blends biblical poetry (Song of the Sea) with new composition.
• Significant lyric change: original draft “You can do miracles if you believe” was changed (due to concern by consultants) to the more theologically faithful “There can be miracles when you believe” ([47:46]).

“The original lyric was, you can do miracles if you believe... We changed it so that it would be more in tune with, I think, the biblical narrative and the point of the story.” – Rabbi Vassotsky ([47:46])

• Emphasizes faith as prerequisite to redemption (drawing on uv'moshe avdo, belief in God precedes belief in Moses).

Pharaoh Survives: Echoes of Midrash ([50:01])

• The film allows Pharaoh to survive as a witness, echoing some midrashic traditions that connect Pharaoh with later biblical antagonists ([50:17]).

“When I think it's Ralph Fiennes says Moses, and you see him just lingering there on the rock, watching all of his troops destroyed.” ([51:06])

• Vassotsky highlights DreamWorks’s attention to even such nuanced interpretive traditions, like tribes having individual paths through the sea and the use of water windows ([51:07]).

Ritual Legacy and Lasting Impact

Passover Rituals and Family Traditions ([52:35])

• The Prince of Egypt has become part of many families’ Passover ritual, watched at or around Seder night.
• Rabbi Vassotsky expresses pride in contributing to a new cultural canon.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [05:54] Yehuda Kurtzer: “I don't know if Prince of Egypt is Jewish, but I think it is ours.”
• [15:11] (as Katzenberg quoted): “It's not midrash. This is Hollywood, Bert. We are doing entertainment… but it's not midrash.”
• [33:06] Rabbi Bert Vassotsky: “The midrash suggests that the voice that Moses heard had to be appealing to him, not frightening, and that it was, in fact, a voice that sounded like his father.”
• [39:09] Rabbi Bert Vassotsky: “He was very careful to make the plagues, if you will, anodyne. Even though in the...midrash...the plagues were spectacular.”
• [47:46] (on lyric change): “We changed it so that it would be more in tune with, I think, the biblical narrative and the point of the story.”

Key Timestamps

• [05:30]-[07:45] — Framing the episode: is Prince of Egypt Jewish?
• [07:59]-[11:21] — Vassotsky’s backstory as a consultant; unusual Hollywood-Jewish intersections.
• [14:39]-[16:27] — The national/American idiom and cross-cultural collaboration.
• [22:12]-[23:42] — Artistic choice: Hebrew and Ofra Haza’s involvement.
• [31:04]-[35:25] — The Burning Bush: voicing God and theological nuances.
• [37:41]-[41:08] — Ten Plagues: emotional strategy and narrative adaptation.
• [43:16]-[45:42] — Pharaoh’s hardened heart and moral readings.
• [46:34]-[49:46] — Crossing the Red Sea, “When You Believe,” and lyric intervention.
• [50:01]-[51:07] — Pharaoh’s fate and echoes in midrash.
• [52:35] — Modern Passover practice and the film’s lasting impact.

Conclusion

This rich conversation demonstrates how The Prince of Egypt serves as both a Hollywood entertainment and a modern midrash, inviting new generations into the enduring Jewish story of Exodus. Through thoughtful negotiation between fidelity, artistry, and universality, the film has entered Jewish ritual and cultural consciousness, reminding listeners that the deepest traditions live on not just in texts, but in the stories we tell—and retell—together.