"Families looking for a new take on celebrating the Passover seder will be delighted by this Haggadah..." -Association of Jewish Libraries
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.
More than any other Jewish book, the traditional haggadah is continually renewed and rewritten. In this haggadah, each traditional section is also connected to a particular theme, such as commitment, sustainability, hope, activism, perseverance, gratitude, and rejuvenation. Each theme is reflected in the profile of a modern hero as well as in quotes and interpretive English translations of traditional Hebrew blessings, capturing how human heroes partner with God to better our world.
Profiles include: Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; Israeli activist Anat Hoffman, one of the founders of Women of the Wall; Polish resistance fighter Tuvia Bielsk; Regina Jonas, first woman to be ordained as a rabbi; Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, first Asian American Cantor and Rabbi: Helen Suzman, for years the sole member of the South African Parliament to stand against apartheid; Eliezar Ben-Yehuda, champion of the rebirth of Hebrew as a spoke language; Pnina Tamano-Shata, first Ethiopian-born woman to serve in Israel's Knesset; Gershom Sizomu, the first native-born Black rabbi of the Abayudaya community in Uganda; Black Jewish rapper Daveed Diggs, and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. 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. Songs included are Dayeinu, Eliahu Hanavi, Echad Mi Yodea (Who Knows One), Chad Gadya, and Adir Hu, all presented in English, Hebrew, and transliterated Hebrew. A seder planning guide is provided, along with seven recipes, including a Ugandan Charoset from the Sizomu family, a West African Brisket and a Caribbean Compote, both from cookbook author Michael Twitty, and Groucho Marks' Matzah Balls.
"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 (from The Heroes Haggadah)
Industry Reviews
Families looking for a new take on celebrating the Passover seder will be delighted by this Haggadah that "highlights the various Jewish heroes in history and the values they exhibit as they relate to the Passover story." Suitable for anyone in grade school and above, the text is authored by two prominent rabbis who interpret the traditional Passover Haggadah in a modern way - adding other noteworthy individuals throughout history (other than solely Biblical personages), who have contributed to the liberation of the Jewish people. For instance, prior to candle lighting, the text includes "A Word of Welcome" for the participants to read aloud: "Heroes are not born as heroes. Everyone has the potential to become a hero. When an opportunity to make a difference presents itself and one acts. That is when an everyday person can become a hero. When a person does the right thing or advocates for change, she can become a hero. When a person stands up for others, he can become a hero...Everyone seated around our table has the potential to be a hero..."
The order and Hebrew prayers retain the traditional structure of a typical Haggadah, with interesting additions of short tales of heroic acts by a variety of people, both known and obscure. For instance, after dipping the karpas (parsley), we learn about Simcha Blass, a kibbutznik from the early 20th century who developed the system of drip irrigation, changing the lives of populations living in arid conditions around the world. Another example of appropriate "hero" placement is set prior to the asking of the four questions, where a quote from Kesha Ram Hinsdale, a state representative in Vermont, is included, saying, "This idea that you could question everything feels particularly based in my Jewish faith."
The illustrations by co-author Deborah Boden Cohen are lovely watercolors that complement the text beautifully. Hebrew, English, and transliterations are included on all pages. Tempting international recipes for Seder meals are included at the back, in addition to the index of 46 heroes, which includes names such as Helen Suzman, Naomi Shemer, Michael Twitty, Yigael Yadin, Ruth Messinger, Debbie Friedman, Eliezer Ben-Yehuda and Leonard Bernstein. For those who may question any of the choices, the introduction also states "We have to remember that heroes are imperfect. Yet we can still honor their achievements even, in some cases, they didn't live a fully exemplary life." This new Haggadah is highly recommended for families who are looking to enliven the traditional seder and for libraries that collect different Haggadah versions. Lisa Silverman, Association of Jewish Libraries
