How to Choose a Haggadah

While it seems like Passover centers primarily around food (the kinds we eat and those we don't), the Seder, our festive meal held during the first two evenings of Passover, could not happen without a haggadah. The Haggadah, from the Hebrew verb "to tell," is the book containing the passages dealing with the theme of the Exodus recited at the Passover seder; it is your guide through the traditional (and sometimes not-so-traditional) readings of the holiday, as well as through the various tasks we participate in during the seder itself. The reading of the Haggadah is based on the verse, "You shall tell your son on that day: it is because of what the Lord did for me when I came forth out of Egypt" (Exodus 13:8). Even though the main purpose of the haggadah is the same regardless of which copy your family uses, no two haggadahs are alike - how then do you choose which to use?

For many families, it is tradition (and, perhaps, law?) to use the perennial favorite, the Passover Haggadah, brought to you by the Maxwell House Family of Coffees. There is nothing wrong with this choice - it is straightforward and has all of the required elements necessary for your seder table.

And if the Maxwell House seder isn't for you? Maybe you want something a little... more modern or innovative? Here are a number of newer haggadot that might help you to help enliven your seder experience. Note: when getting ready to lead any seder, take a look through yourhaggadah first to decide what you want to include and what to omit - many seder leaders even supplement from outside sources if not pleased 100% with the haggadah you have in hand - no one resource is perfect or complete in itself.

The Family Haggadah by Shoshana Silberman is a great basic haggadah - it includes all of the seder highlights, while also making available a number of interesting readings and open-ended questions that are sure to involve your family and friends. There is also a second version (entitled the Family Haggadah II) that has many additional offerings for that tough crowd, the teenage sect.

Other good haggadot to consider are Elie Wiesel's Passover Haggadah and the

Family Haggadah : A Seder for All Generations by Elie M. Gindi - both contain all of the necessary elements of a seder while including interesting and thought-provoking readings and questions.

If you want a great resource of materials with which to supplement your haggadah, one fantastic option is Night to Remember: The Haggadah of Contemporary Voices by Noam and Mishael Zion (who also wrote A Different Night: The Family Participation Haggadah, as well as some other great holiday resources). While Night to Remember is a haggadah in its own right, it tends to be a rather cumbersome book - it's larger than most haggadot, and it is so full of wonderful readings, poems, meditations, and thought-provoking questions, that the essential elements of the seder can get lost. This book is very contemporary in its look and quite colorful as well - a discerning seder leader can find some great additions to a standard haggadah here. While you can find this haggadah on any of the major book-selling websites, they are currently out of stock. You can order one directly from their publishing website at www.haggadahsrus.com.

Another possible resource for haggadah supplements - check out this article on My Jewish Learning - it includes links to a number of different supplements already put together. Maybe one fits your needs!

If you're not quite ready to embark on your own seder quite yet, but perhaps are willing to consider it for next year, one brand new option comes to us courtesy of Behrman House Publishers. Through their interactive website (found here), you can customize your very own family's version of the aforementioned Family Haggadah : A Seder for All Generations by Elie M. Gindi by including your own family photos and memories. The publishing window has closed on this opportunity for Pesach 5770, but this can be a very nice and meaningful option for Pesach 5771.

Whether you are hosting your own seder or visiting another home for this festival holiday tradition, may your Pesach this year be meaningful.