The Unorthodox Haggadah

The Unorthodox Haggadah is a way to enjoy the strange and wonderful world of religion, while skipping the boring parts. Ritual is at the core of every culture, but people are no longer into dogma. This book offers the ritual with a hilarious, irreverent twist. It is genuinely funny, fun to flip through, and a riot to use at the seder. Make sure everyone around your table has a copy for the next Passover. Sample text: Let's begin by drinking the blood of a virgin lamb off the tip of a flaming golden scimitar. In the event that you've de-virginized your lamb or misplaced your scimitar, use wine. Now, we toast the Israelites for rolling out of Egypt in time and generally being clever. Here are a few things they've invented since 1901: Jeans, lipstick, Hollywood, the fax machine, psychoanalysis, and the weekend. Thanks for getting us out of Egypt before shit got too real. Drink the second cup of wine while leaning to the left. “…light up your seder.” -Huffington Post "A cool, creative affront to Jewish grandmothers." -MediaBistro “Redefine Bitter Herbs…slightly insane.” -Tablet Magazine "It’s the Passover you never knew you always wanted...While there are many (many!) different Haggadah versions out there, this one is hands down our favorite (sorry Maxwell house). Genuinely funny, which puts it head and shoulders above 99.9% of the treacly crap people foist on unsuspecting seder guests to try to fool them into thinking they’re actually enjoying themselves.” -Heeb Magazine­

The Unorthodox Haggadah is a way to enjoy the strange and wonderful world of religion, while skipping the boring parts. Ritual is at the core of every culture, but people are no longer into dogma. This book offers the ritual with a hilarious, irreverent twist. It is genuinely funny, fun to flip through, and a riot to use at the seder. Make sure everyone around your table has a copy for the next Passover. Sample text: Let's begin by drinking the blood of a virgin lamb off the tip of a flaming golden scimitar. In the event that you've de-virginized your lamb or misplaced your scimitar, use wine. Now, we toast the Israelites for rolling out of Egypt in time and generally being clever. Here are a few things they've invented since 1901: Jeans, lipstick, Hollywood, the fax machine, psychoanalysis, and the weekend. Thanks for getting us out of Egypt before shit got too real. Drink the second cup of wine while leaning to the left. “…light up your seder.” -Huffington Post "A cool, creative affront to Jewish grandmothers." -MediaBistro “Redefine Bitter Herbs…slightly insane.” -Tablet Magazine "It’s the Passover you never knew you always wanted...While there are many (many!) different Haggadah versions out there, this one is hands down our favorite (sorry Maxwell house). Genuinely funny, which puts it head and shoulders above 99.9% of the treacly crap people foist on unsuspecting seder guests to try to fool them into thinking they’re actually enjoying themselves.” -Heeb Magazine­

Each generation is called to perform a Passover Seder, a ritual designed to help us imagine personally experiencing the exodus from Egypt. But how can we do this together, when today our tables include people of different backgrounds, knowledge, and beliefs? Let this Passover Haggadah be your guide. Both proudly traditional and blazingly modern, it is a perfect blueprint for remembering the past, living in our present, and imagining the future. Here you’ll find the entirety of the Seder text for those who don’t want to miss a thing—including Hebrew, English, and a newly developed transliteration that makes the Hebrew surprisingly accessible. And, alongside, contemporary questions, illustrations, and meditations on freedom, community, destiny, and other topics that will engage the whole group in a lively and memorable discussion, especially once you’ve started in on those obligatory four cups of wine.

"This telling of the life of the Haggadah, probably the most beloved of books that Jews own, chronicles its recalibrations over time. It moves from its early sources in the Bible and rabbinic literature; to the years it was a handwritten manuscript; to its life as an illuminated book in the middle ages; to its emergence as mass-produced printed book and later, as an artist's book; to its iterations in the twentieth century in America and Israel, including those using emerging technologies of our day. It is the story of a liturgical text came about to fulfill a biblical injunction to fathers to tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt to their children (literally, to their sons): "And you shall tell your son on that day, 'It is because of what the Lord did for me when I went free from Egypt'" (Exodus 13:8). Despite significant flaws in the text that have occasioned thousands of revisions, it remains well and alive because it allows its users to transmit the story of Exodus as if it happened to them. With a Haggadah in hand at a Passover seder meal, the text kindles the memory of belonging to a people who knew slavery and then liberation and enlivens empathy. An engagement with the Haggadah, inevitable leaves one feeling responsible for helping others to achieve their own liberation".

This fascinating guide to the inner journey offered by the Passover Seder evening incorporates a holistic approach to Judaism, which activates the four worlds of the individual: the world of action, the world of emotion, the world of intellect, and the world of spirit. It weaves a beautiful tapestry, illuminating the treasures available to believers within Passover and the yearly festival cycle.

The Open Door includes traditional and innovative blessings, extensive commentaries and supplemental readings, contemporary additions like Miriam's Cup, women's and men's voices in gender inclusive language, more than 40 pages of traditional and newly commissioned music, and magnificent full color art.

This volume brings together a diverse collection of studies related to the cycle of Jewish holy days. Each chapter illustrates in a different way the interplay between the received teachings of the Torah and the vital impact of interpretations by diverse types of personalities, ideologies, historical events and communal dynamics. The articles are written from a sympathetic, but non-dogmatic perspective by an expert in the academic study of the Jewish religion. They were originally published as newspaper columns, and are designed to entertain as much as to educate the intelligent non-specialist.

UPDATED: Now with Hebrew characters and gender-neutral phrasing! A Haggadah you can read from cover to cover. No decisions! No skipping! No guilt! A Haggadah long enough to cover everything, yet short enough to conquer boredom. A Haggadah that's easy to follow, even for those who have never led or attended a Seder before. A Haggadah that encourages everyone to participate, without any confusion as to who says what. A Haggadah that celebrates freedom. A Haggadah that highlights traditional Jewish values alongside modern American ideals. A Haggadah that explains everything! _____ This e-book version is for those participants who prefer to read on their ereaders, smartphones, or tablets. Printed paperback copies and other digital formats are also available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, and Kobo. _____ PRAISE FROM REVIEWERS… “My family and guests loved it. First time we went back to Haggadah to finish the Seder after the meal.” “Thank you for a wonderful Haggadah. It honors our traditions and makes them relevant for today. Even my 13 and 15 year olds were inspired to participate!” “My family and I used this for our first Passover Seder tonight. We had a beautiful experience together. Everything was easy to follow and understand.” “The subtitle—a "simple" version—is not really true. We all felt the text was clear and thorough. This group of long-time Passover observers all learned things.” “We went through the whole Haggadah, the story was told nicely with both English and some Hebrew (and transliterations). We loved it!” “…a clear path to a lovely Passover dinner. Sharing this with newcomers puts them at ease to share in this beautiful tradition.” “Easy to follow, covered everything in a clear way for people unfamiliar with Passover. Appreciate the modern, liberal, inclusive tone. Highly recommended!” “I'm very glad we used "The New American Haggadah" last night and we'll continue to use it in years to come.” “Easy to use. Covers all the basics and tells a great story.” “Fantastic Haggadah. It is the perfect length. Tells the story without being too redundant. I highly recommend this to every family.” “Just right! It captured the traditional story—and not too long nor too short.” “We had a very "mixed" group at our Passover seder this year, ranging from extremely religious to extremely nonreligious, together with devout guests from other religions, and I feel like this book made for an enjoyable and accessible Seder experience for everybody involved.” “This combines all the favorite and traditional aspects of your grandpa's Haggadah while serving the needs of Jews in America today who want a modern explanation. Everyone contributes and there is no confusion at all about what the order is, what part is next, no frantic turning pages back and forth, stage whispering of "what page are we on?" and it has finally quashed the heckling from the Seder table crowd. You'll love this as our family did.” “I was pleased that the updates on concern for minorities was handled well, and the broader philosophies were not "preachy" but rather are thought-provoking and appropriate. The traditional Hebrew prayers are in there, and a comprehensive story of the Exodus is most informative to even those who go through it every year.” “Just finished a Seder guided by the New American Haggadah. We had a group of 23 participants. Everyone got involved in a story that is a cornerstone of the Jewish faith. It is a great read for today's insightful and intelligent Jewish family who has a rational understanding of Jewish history.” _____ You might enjoy this Haggadah if you like: short, simple, and fun Passover dinners; easy Seder meals; events with children and family; or Reform Jewish holidays.