Welcome to the Seder: A Passover Haggadah for Everyone

Author:

Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky

Illustrator:

Rinat Gilboa

Celebrate Passover with traditional seder texts as well as poems, readings, and stories that acknowledge, value, and include the diverse backgrounds of seder participants today.

Available

SKU:

1974

ISBN:

9780874419740

Format:

Paperback

Grade Level:

FAM

Pages:

$8.95

Description

"A fresh take on the traditional ritual . . ."

--RON WOLFSON,

Fingerhut Professor of Education, American Jewish University

"Beautiful, spiritually inclusive yet easy to follow . . ."

--JODI BROMBERG,

CEO of Interfaith Families

"A beautiful and accessible addition to our Passover library."

--ABIGAIL POGREBIN,

Author of My Jewish Year: 18 Holidays, One Wondering Jew

"A smart, updated haggadah that ordinary humans can navigate . . ."

--JAY MICHAELSON

The Best New Haggadot and the Best of All Time, The Forward, April 2019

This Passover welcome lively conversation, welcome personal meaning, welcome a new kind of Seder.

This haggadah is ideal for those who wish to include multicultural, interfaith, and unafilliated familes and their friends of all backgrounds in a joyous and inclusive celebration of Passover.

Welcome to the Seder includes core Passover texts, as well as poems, readings, and stories that acknowledge, value, and embrace the wide range of backgrounds of seder participants today as it inspires us with the universal message of freedom.

CONTENT

All the essentials for a 45-60 minute, PLUS:

Thought-provoking quotes
Stories and poems
Diverse perspectives
A look at other traditions
Photos and eye-catching collage illustration

A FEW DETAILS

64 color pages
An overall aesthetic of acceptance of others
Gender-neutral language throughout
Includes list of items for the seder and seder plate, with suggestions for unususal additions to acknowledge the benefits of including underrepresented groups, and interfaith families
Blessings, The Four Questions, the list of plagues presented in Hebrew, translation, and transliteration to invite full participation regardless of level or Hebrew proficiency
A Blessing over Miriram's Cup
The Serenity Prayer provided as an option in English and in Hebrew transliteration
Description of water rituals from other cultures, including ritual washing in Islam
Recipes provided for two kinds of non-Ashkenazi charoset and also directions for making your own matzah

SONGS INCLUDED

Dayeinu: Three provided in transliteration; full lyrics in translation along with discussion prompts

Adir Hu: God is Mighty -- full lyrics in transliteration and translation

Orah Hi: She is Light -- feminist version of Adir Hu, provided in transliteration and translation.

Echa Mi Yodea: Who Knows One: -- full lyrics in transliteration and translation

Chad Gadya: One Little Goat -- full lyrics in transliteration and translation.

Go Down Moses -- full lyrics

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rabbi Kerry Olitzky is the former executive director of Big Tent judaism. He has been named one of the 50 leading Rabbis in North America by Newsweek Magazine.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Israeli artist Rinat Gilboa has illustrated several children's books, including Sing Along Alef Bet. Her work has also been featured on postage stamps for the State of Israel

How to Choose a Haggadah

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? You can do it on your mobile device with iMahNishtanah. Download from the App Store.

Reviews

"If you are searching for an inclusive, beautiful, and easy-to-use, creative haggadah for Passover, look no further than Welcome to the Seder: A Passover Haggadah for Everyone. Rabbi Kerry Olitzky offers a fresh take on the traditional ritural, and Rinat Gilboa's artwork is beautiful. A great choice for your seder table! --Dr. Ron Wolfson, Fingerhut Professor of Education, American Jewish University and author of Relational Judaism.

"Need a beautiful, spiritually inclusive, yet easy-to-follow haggadah? You'll find exactly that when you open the pages of Welcome to the Seder: A Passover Haggadah for Everyone. It's the perfect guide to your family's Passover celebration. --Jodi Bromberg, CEO of InterfaithFamily

"Whether you have been leading seders for generations or hope to lead one for the first time, this is a haggadah to inspire, educate, and enliven your table. Rabbi Kerry Olitzky and illustrator Rinat Gilboa have created a beautiful and accessible addition to our Passover library." --Abigail Pogrebin, author of My Jewish Year: 18 Holidays, One Wondering Jew.

"This Passover haggadah introduces the seder to families in a welcoming, educational manner easily understood by all ages. It includes quotes by famous people, poetry, traditional and modern customs, ideas for adapting the seder so that it feels personal and unique, and both translations and transliterations of the included blessings. This book has all the elements needed to explain this home-based holiday service to those who may be intimidated by heavier or more foreign versions, yet wish to come away with a substantive experience in which they deeply feel the holiday's overarching theme of freedom.

The seder, as presented here, is greatly abridged but leaves plenty of room for additional discussion, perfect for those who are exploring new ways to celebrate the holiday or are trying out this observance for the first time. Explanations throughout are simply and clearly stated. Parallel ideas from other religions are contrasted.

The accompanying color art is lively and appealing, showing Jews of all colors (including blue) sitting around a seder table, spring themes, and vignettes from Jewish history, fancifully imagined, which seem to make the Jews' escape from slavery in Egypt come alive with meaning.

Some recipes, including one for matzah, are included. Recommended for families and groups of friends of all ages." --Michal Malen, Jewish Book Council

"If you are searching for an inclusive, beautiful, and easy-to-use creative haggadah for Passover, look no further than Welcome to the Seder: A Passover Haggadah for Everyone. Rabbi Kerry Olitzky offers a fresh take on the traditional ritual, and Rinat Gilboa's artwork is delightful. A great choice for your seder table!" --Dr. Ron Wolfson, Fingerhut Professor of Education, American Jewish University

"The Haggadah is like a multihued tapestry because it contains material from many eras and places. Rabbi Olitzky has created a version of the Haggadah that includes some traditional elements such as Kiddush, the four questions, and the hallel, and he has added many new and interesting modern elements. These include an interpretive translation, directions, and marginal commentaries. Discussion topics are provided in question form to encourage everyone to participate.

While this version is shorter than most traditional Haggadot, some of the additional blessings provided here are far lengthier than in the standard text; for example, the motzi matzah and marror span over four pages. Nevertheless, I learned many new ideas from this Haggadah that will even influence my own approach to editing a Haggadah. This book is recommended for all libraries. --Daniel D. Stuhlman, City Colleges of Chicago for the Association of Jewish Libraries