The Heroes Haggadah

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