Seder in Motion: A Haggadah to Move Body and Soul

A moving Passover experience using body and mind.

This family-friendly traditional Haggadah engages all five senses and weaves in activities to promote a full-body connection to the Passover story and rituals, all in 48 clear, concise, yet beautiful pages.

Mindfulness Moments throughout the haggadah encourage participants to pause and take in the full experience, from the taste, aroma, and feel of the wine in our mouths, to using a mirror to help visualize oneself as a slave in ancient Egypt. 

This first-of-its-kind Haggadah can be used with model seders and intergenerational groups in a community celebration and at home, and includes tips and techniques for engaging those who may be attending remotely, including specific "Connection" opportunites through the haggadah. Gender-neutral language is used throughout, and the directions accommodate participants of all physical abilities.

Participation is further engouraged by the use of translation and transliteration of the Hebrew prayers, blessings, and songs, including Dayeinu, Echad Mi Yodea (Who Knows One), and Chad Gadya (One Little Goat). 

Clear directions for putting together a seder plate include options such as making vegan/vegetarian substitutions, and including an orange to symbolize how fruitful it is to include those marginalized in our society.

Throughout the haggadah, motion icons encourage participants to experience the elements of the seder as physical manifestations as well as intellectual ideals.

Sidebar notes explain practices such as why we lean left while eating or drinking during the seder, why Maimonides instructed parents to allow mischievous behavior like snatching the matzah during the seder, and non-Ashkenazic Passover practices like the Moroccan practice of passing the matzah over the head of the participants.

The Four Children are expresed as people with different learning styles, each of which benefits from a parituclar kind of response, including the advice to remind a defiant child that they will share in the joy of freedom if they include themselves in the celebration.

The Plagues are included, and offered in Hebrew, translation, and transliteration, along with the practice of dipping out a drop of wine with a finger or a spoon as each plague is recited to recall that the plagues caused ancient Egyyptians to suffer, and so lessens our joy.

The clean, uncluttered presentation and colorful layout of the steps of the seder help participants find and keep their places effortlessly.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Rabbi Ron Isaacs, Ed.D

Rabbi Ron Isaacs is the rabbi of Beth Judah Temple in Wildwood New Jersey and the Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Sholom in Bridgewater New Jersey.  He also serves  as a bedside musician for Stein Hospice. Author of more than 100 books, he was the recipient of the United Synagogue’s Keter Torah award for lifetime achievement and rabbinical excellence. His ordination is from the Jewish Theological Seminary and he holds a doctorate in education from Columbia University’s Teacher’s College.  Known as the teaching rabbi, he has taught at the Graduate Rabbinical School of the Jewish Theological Seminary and at the Graduate Theological Seminary of Drew University, and has lectured throughout the United States. 

Leora W. Isaacs, Ph.D.

Leora Isaacs has over four decades of experience as an educational practitioner, program developer and administrator, researcher and evaluator, and organizational and community consultant.  After significant research and academic appointments, Leora was on the senior staff of the Jewish Education Service of North America for nearly three decades.  Throughout her career she has gained a reputation as a master teacher at all levels of Jewish and secular education from early childhood through University graduate school, in virtually all forms and settings.  Leora holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from CUNY Graduate Center and a BA in Psychology from the University of Michigan.  She is accredited by the International Coach Federation as a Holistic Executive and Life Coach.  Her firm, Isaacs Consulting LLC currently works with individuals, communities, national and local organizations and foundations throughout North America.

Rabbi Ron and Leora are nationally recognized as field leaders in Jewish Family Education and teen Jewish education, and have co-authored several seminal books and publications.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Martin Wickstrom

Martin Wickstrom has worked in commercial arts since 2003, mainly in publishing, with a focus on children’s illustration and vintage-styled travel posters in recent years. From 2013 to 2015 he worked as an in-house illustrator for the award-winning early literacy app Learn with Homer. https://www.wickillustration.com/

A seder is a joyful experience. In this haggadah, we invite you to fully engage yourself--body, mind, and soul-- in the miracle of redemption and freedom that is Passover.

Using this haggadah, we will connect with familiar rituals in a new way. By moving our bodies, expanding our minds, engaging our senses, and connecting with our spirits, we will feel the transition from slavery to freedom. We will explore traditions from around the world, from the Moroccan custom of passing a platter of matzah overhead to symbolize the "passing over," to the Bukharian reenactment of the flight from Egypt. We will consider how the familiar words and rituals of the seder resonate with the struggles of today's world.

We invite you to customize Seder in Motion to match participants' ages, comfort levels, and physical abilities. Challenge participants to be creative and come up with their own movements. Every year you may want to focus on different aspects of the seder, preserving what you most enjoy and experimenting with new ideas.

Your seder may include people who are physically distant, participating by phone or video link. Engage those participants by using the ideas from page 46, and look for the CONNECTION feature located at key points throughout the books.

Through activie participation Seder in Motion encourages all of us to feel a personal connection to the story of Exodus and the flight from slavery to freedom. We hope that through this haggadah you will experience the seder's eternal message of freedom and joy, and pass on this feeling from generation to generation.

Wishing you all the joys of freedom and redemption!

Ron and Leora Isaacs

Seder in Motion: A Haggadah to Move Body and Soul by Rabbi Ron Isaacs and Dr. Leora Isaacs Perfect for: Multigenerational and model 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, paperback 45-60 minute seder English text with blessings in Hebrew and transliteration Covers all key seder elements Sidebar instructions for adding mindfulness moments, incorporating motion, and increasing a sense of inclusion Full text of several popular seder songs Special Features: Mindfulness exercises Creative, active ideas for engaging all participants Line art to demonstrate motions Tips and techniques for engaging those who may be attending remotely
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 First-time seder participants Description: 40 color pages, paperback 30-45 minute seder English text with blessings in Hebrew and transliteration Covers all the basics Special Features: Seder checklist Discussion questions 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, illustrated by Galia Goodman Perfect for: Seders with ecological focus Teens, young adults, adults Intergenerational seders Description: 96 color pages in a paperback edition 60-90 minute seder English text with blessings in Hebrew and transliteration Special Features: Themes of nature and the land throughout the text Discussion questions Beautiful nature-themed artwork 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 ___________________________________________

 Want to practice the Four Questions before Passover?  Practice here.