How to Choose Your Haggadah

Planning a seder? Start by considering your guest list. Who’s coming largely dictates what kind of haggadah to use. Using the right haggadah makes a big difference in how participants experience the seder.

Other factors to consider: The length of the seder you want and its tone (solemn, inquisitive, or with a touch of whimsy). This guide will help lead you in the right direction.

Hosting some remote seder participant? Here are tips for engaging remote guests.

Contact us today at customersupport@behrmanhouse.com to learn about quantity discounts for any of our haggadot.

Seder in Motion: A Haggadah to Move Body and Soul

By Rabbi Ron and Dr. Leora Isaacs

Perfect for:

  • Multi-generational seders
  • Those looking for an 'active' seder
  • Guests eager to try new things
  • Those who want to go a little beyond the text 

Description:

  • 48 color pages
  • 45-60 minute seder
  • English text with blessings in Hebrew, transliteration and translation
  • All key elements of the seder included
  • Sidebar instructions for adding mindfulness moments, incorporating motion, and increasing a sense of inclusion
  • Full text of several popular seder songs
Seder in Motion cover

The Essential Seder: A Contemporary Haggadah

by Deborah Gross-Zuchman

Perfect for:

  • People hosting a seder for the first time
  • Families with children of all ages
  • Guests from a variety of backgrounds
  • Guests who have never attended a seder before

Description:

  • 40 color pages, paperback
  • 30-45-minute seder
  • English text with blessings in Hebrew and transliteration
  • A traditional seder that covers all the essentials

Special features:

  • Seder checklist
  • Clear directions for leaders and participants
  • Concise descriptions of the Passover story
  • Vibrant collage art
  • A sensitive portrayal of the Four Children

The Promise of the Land: A Passover Haggadah

by Rabbi Ellen Bernstein

Perfect for:

  • Seders with an ecological focus
  • Intergenerational seders
  • Teens, young adults, adults

Description:

  • 96 color pages, paperback 
  • 60-90 minute seder
  • English text with blessings in Hebrew and transliteration

Special features:

  • Environmental themes throughout the text
  • Collage art that captures the beauty of nature
  • Questions for discussion
  • Reflective passages from rabbis, academics, environmental advocates, and more

Welcome to the Seder

by Rabbi Kerry Olitzky

Perfect for:

  • An inclusive, welcoming seder
  • Guests from a variety of backgrounds and experiences
  • Guests who have never attended a seder before

Description:

  • 64 color pages in a paperback edition
  • 60-minute seder
  • English text with blessings in Hebrew and transliteration

Special features:

  • Seder checklist
  • Explanations of unusual additions to the seder plate
  • Clear directions for leaders and participants
  • Vibrant, inspirational, and mindful artwork
  • Multicultural connections throughout the text
  • A sensitive portrayal of The Four Children
  • Questions for discussion
  • Reflective passages by a variety of different contributors

The Family (and Frog!) Haggadah

by Karen Rostoker-Gruber and Rabbi Ron Isaacs

Perfect for:

  • Families with young children
  • Multigenerational families
  • People hosting a seder for the first time

Description:

  • 64 color pages in a paperback edition
  • 30-45 minute seder
  • English text with blessings in Hebrew and transliteration

Special Features:

  • A traditional seder, with a new injection of fun to keep children engaged
  • Large format for easy reading
  • Beautiful Passover artwork
  • Gender-sensitive language
  • Lively retelling of the Passover story
  • Oh, and Frog

Simply Seder

by Dena Neusner

Perfect for:
  • Families with children of all ages
  • Intergenerational seders
  • Those new to hosting Passover
Description:
  • 48 color pages
  • 30-60 minute seder
Special Features:
  • Quick and easy to follow
  • Planning guide included
  • Links to additional resources and recipes online
  • Seder transliterated Hebrew encourages participation
  • Hebrew provided for all blessings

The Gateways Haggadah: A Seder for the Whole Family

by Rebecca Redner

Perfect for:
  • Families with children of varying abilities and disabilities
  • Families with children of all ages

Description:

  • More than 70 vibrant photographs of children of all abilities and disabilities participating in seder
  • Presents over 150 picture communication symbols developed by Mayer-Johnson™
  • 30-minute seder

Special Features:

  • Easy to hold
  • Respectful to all participants
  • Mayer-Johnson™ is the leading creator of symbol-adapted special education materials to assist individuals in overcoming their speech, language, and learning challenges

Family Haggadah: A Seder for All Generations

by Elie Gindi

Perfect for:
  • Families with young children
  • Congregational seders
Description:
  • 40 color pages
  • 30-45 minute seder
Special Features:
  • Large format, open layout
  • Quick and easy to follow
  • Plagues illustrated in a light-hearted, child-friendly way
  • Includes The Frog Song and Bang, Bang, Bang
  • Transliteration of all blessings and songs encourages participation
  • Some Hebrew provided

Season of Renewal

A Family Haggadah
by Rabbi Dr. John Levy and Naomi Tippett

Perfect for:
  • Families with elementary school children
  • Model seders
  • Congregational seders
Description:
  • 64 color pages
  • Flexible time commitment --Vary the length of your seder from 30 minutes to 2 hours
Special Features:
  • Illustrated with beautiful collages and flowers created by schoolchildren
  • Annotations explain the rituals to foster understanding
  • Optional discussion questions
  • Hebrew provided throughout
  • Blessings transliterated
  • Ten pages of songs, with Hebrew, English, and transliteration
  • Companion website lets you hear the songs

The New American Haggadah

by Mordecai Kaplan, Eugene Kohn, and Ira Eisenstein

Perfect for:
  • Teens, young adults, adults
  • Youth group, college group seders
  • Interfaith seders
  • Those who prefer a gender-neutral haggadah that includes some modern rituals
Description:
  • 112 black and white pages
  • 90-minute seder

Special Features:

  • Revised and updated version of reconstructionist classic The New Haggadah
  • Broad themes of slavery and freedom in modern as well as biblical times
  • Unique American view of the Passover liberation theme
  • Vignettes of Jews during the Civil War, the Civil Rights movement, and Operation Exodus
  • 20 pages of songs, including Who Knows One
  • Hebrew throughout
  • Some blessings and songs transliterated

 

Gates of Freedom Haggadah

by Chaim Stern

Perfect for:
  • Adults
  • Those who prefer a traditional seder
Description:
  • 128 black and white pages
  • 90+ minute seder
Special Features:
  • Traditional seder
  • Over 130 commentaries, quotes, and anecdotes--with their sources--to foster discussion
  • Clearly marked sections help you shorten the service
  • Music for 16 blessings and songs allow musical accompaniment
  • Hebrew throughout, often matched line-by-line with English translation
  • Songs and selected blessings transliterated

 

 


 

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