by Rabbi Jill Maderer
Pesach is around the corner and the time has come to make plans for Seder, and to prepare to tell the story of the Israelites’ redemption from slavery to freedom! In the last week, I have received many emails with Pesach questions.
Q: Does Rodeph Shalom have a congregation seder I can attend? A: Yes! Please rsvp to our RS Multi-generational Second Night Seder!
Q: What Haggadah should I use at my own seder at home? A: Although no one Haggadah is right for every table, what follows are 5 Haggadot I can suggest for different needs. Remember: never feel like you need to recite the whole Haggadah! If you are the seder leader, flip through ahead of time and mark your book with post-its or notes—it’s all about pre-selection!
“A Different Night: The Family Participation Haggadah,” Noam Zion and David Dishon ed., Shalom Hartman Institute publ.: An exciting resource and collection of commentary, artwork, and creative ideas for all ages. Includes transliteration for some of the Hebrew. Requires more preparation than some others, but it’s worth it.
“The Open Door: A Passover Haggadah,” Sue Levi Elwell ed., CCAR publ.: An in-depth Haggadah whose rich commentaries explore spiritual, political and ethical aspects of the seder. Inspired artword by Ruth Weisberg. Full transliteration for the Hebrew and feminine Hebrew included. Requires more preparation than some others; adults will especially appreciate it.
“A Family Haggadah: In Every Generation,” Shoshana Silberman ed., Kar-Ben publ.: A simple, basic Haggadah that’s user-friendly and includes transliteration for the Hebrew. Light on commentary but still includes a few nuggets. Requires little preparation time.
“A Children’s Haggadah,” Howard Bogot and Robert Orklan ed., CCAR publ.: A simple, illustrated Haggadah that includes music and transliteration for Hebrew. Designed for young children. Requires little preparation time.
“A Passover Haggadah,” Herbert Bronstein ed., CCAR publ.: A classic in the Reform Movement with beautiful artwork by Leonard Baskin. Includes music. Some transliteration. Requires some preparation.
Have a zissen Pesach!
