Lead the Way to Freedom: The Heroes Haggadah

“The idea that it’s possible to move from slavery to freedom and from darkness to light and from despair to hope—that is the greatest Jewish story ever told.” —SHARON BROUS, FOUNDING RABBI OF IKAR  

In The Heroes Haggadah: Lead the Way to Freedom, the traditional texts and songs of a 30-45 minute Passover Seder are paired with profiles of 46 influential and diverse Jewish people in fields ranging from pop culture to science, art, and political activism,  whose biographies add to the heroic and enduring story of freedom that began with the ancient Exodus.Short biographies of all those profiled are included in an index at the back of the haggadah. Space among the profiles is reserved for participants to include a hero from their own family or community.

The haggadah is welcoming of participants from any background and presents all prayers and blessings in Hebrew, transliteration, and English translation.  A seder planning guide is provided, along with seven celebrity recipes.

https://tinyurl.com/w3dkfx7v

 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. Illustrated by Rinat Gilboa. Published by Behrman House. 

https://tinyurl.com/2u7vzek5

A collection of stories that convey the meaning and the value of pivotal events that occur in the journey of life, beginning with the creation of man and including circumcision, maturation, love, marriage, conversion, old age, and death. Gathered material from traditional sources such as the Bible, Talmud, and Midrash, as well as modern sources.
The editors have also included stories inspired by actual events in people's lives, thus creating a true-to-life volume that will prove useful for rabbis and others who are looking for the perfect story to share at a particular event in their congregant's or family's life. Written with Ron Isaacs. Distributed by Rowman and Littlefield. 

https://tinyurl.com/2p96448m

 A guide through the preparations for Passover, defining the observance not only as a religious and social ritual but also a spiritual journey, one that is repeated and refined through the course of our lives.  Published by the Jewish Publication Society.

https://tinyurl.com/5hxvtmyf 

This encyclopedia presents historical accounts of Jewish rituals, the meaning behind their development, and descriptions of how the rituals are practiced among different Jewish communities. Entries discuss how the rituals evolved over time and what they are designed to symbolize. Whether practiced in the personal or public realm, the rituals included in this volume are generally acknowledged as such by the Jewish community, even if they are not practiced by large segments of the community. Comparisons are drawn among rituals as they are practiced by Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Orthodox Jews. This volume brings together a wealth of information about the often complicated rituals practiced in Jewish communities throughout North America.

Readers desiring to learn more about Jewish rituals will appreciate the mix of historical and practical concerns each entry details. Specific information is readily accessible in the encyclopedic format. Entries are cross-referenced throughout, and each concludes with references for further research. An index is included. Published by Greenwood Press. 

https://tinyurl.com/e5h9k4x8

  Provides families with a way of letting their Hanukkah celebrations affirm not only their Jewish identity, but the very Jewish values they wish to transmit to their children. Judah and his brothers and those who fought with them had the kind of courage that it seems like we can only read about in history books. Perhaps that is what draws us to the Hanukkah festival each year. A small group of untrained men and presumably women entered into guerrilla-type warfare with the entire Assyrian-Greek army. Working in small ambush attack units, they succeeded in toppling a military giant. Through their persistence and determination, they regained control of the land of Israel. Their victory was incredible, even by the standards of modern warfare. Yet, it seems incomplete. There had to be more to their triumph than just a display of military prowess. That would seem to be insufficient to establish a festival in the middle of winter. The rabbis agree. They wanted to steer the Jewish community clear of what was becoming a clear emphasis on the military victory of the Maccabees. Thus, the rabbis introduced the notion of spiritual strength into the celebration of Hanukkah. Listen to the well-known words of Zechariah (from the Haftarah for Shabbat Hanukkah) that they chose as their theme: Not by might and not by power, but by My spirit, says Adonai (Zechariah 4:6). This is the kind of faith that the Maccabees also possessed. Perhaps it was this inner strength that really drove them to victory They won because they believed that they could win. And then they acted on that belief. We may think that Judah and the Maccabee's heroism is unparalleled and it may be. But there is Maccabee strength in each one of us. We are all children of the Maccabees. As modemn Jews, living with one foot each in both the Jewish and the secular world, the challenge we face is to retap that reservoir of courage that lies hidden. Published by Torah Aura Productions. 

https://tinyurl.com/yckt3awx

  Jewish tradition encourages study as a way of honoring the memory of those who are no longer among us. Grief in Our Seasons offers a comforting link between study and the tradition of saying Kaddish, helping those who are mourning to heal at their own pace and to cherish the memory of their loved ones each and every day.Each section of Grief in Our Seasons is devoted to a stage of mourning, providing daily readings from sacred Jewish texts and words of inspiration, comfort and understanding. "Meditations Before Saying Kaddish" share the insights of others who have faced the challenges of mourning, and tell how they found solace during the process. Published by Jewish Lights Publishing.  

https://tinyurl.com/bncef728

 Take a journey with Rabbis Ron Isaacs and Kerry Olitzky to discover the best seder ever! Traditional Hebrew text, accessible transliterations, and modern translations guide families through the story and practice of Pesach. Every part of the seder is introduced with WHY and HOW TO, so everyone can understand and participate. The Discovery Haggadah is great for the classroom, too! 80 full-color pages loaded with games, activities, and interesting facts. 

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers / United Synagogue Of Conservative Judaism 

https://tinyurl.com/3ver8yne