February 28, 2013
Posted by Custom & Craft
One of the most discussed and interesting parts of the traditional haggadah text is the section on the four sons: the wise son, the wicked son, the simple son, and the son who does now know how to ask. Over time, hundreds of thinkers and artists have expounded on the meaning of this fascinating text, and we have nearly 60 different interpretations of this classic part of the Haggadah. Here are some of our favorites:
Artwork
We love these oil paintings from contributor Shoshannah Brombacher. They're reminiscent of Chagall, and have lots to look at and discuss. There's also these long narrow artistic renderings of the four sons, from jewishworldwatch.org. G-dcast brings us a wonderful and fun video, and there's also an excellent drawing activity with Made it Myself Books.
Marginalized Communities
From feminists, to the LGBT community and beyond, we have some great non-traditional readings. The Jewish Woman's Archive brings us a lovely rendering of the Four Daughters, and a contributor named Heather wrote the Four Girls, which explores issues around body image and health. JQ International has a GLBTQ reading of the text, that addresses issues of shame and inclusivity. Finally, we love this reading from the Love and Justice Haggadah, that turns the four children upside down, and uses texts written by children to remind us adults that we have a lot to learn from youth.
Israel
The Congress Of Secular Jewish Organization brings us a fascinating version of the four sons addresses Israel, safety, and compromise. Four More Sons from the Foundation for Family Education looks at Israeli POWs and their fate.
Social Justice/Slavery
he Religious Action Center has some great questions to get a social justice conversation going around the four sons, and Rabbi Gilah Langner from Rabbis for Human Rights brings us four sons' take on slavery. Uri L'Tzedek brings four sons who ask questions about food justice, and American Jewish World Service has four children asking about how and why to pursue justice.
We also have a ballad, a tongue in cheek graduate student version, and many many more. Head over to the clip library and check them out!
May 30, 2012
Posted by Custom & Craft
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May 25, 2012
Posted by Custom & Craft
One of the most significant holidays of the Jewish calendar is this weekend….and it’s not Memorial Day. There aren’t any special gifts to buy or obvious symbols on display at Target. In fact, there really isn’t anything out of the usual in observance commandments for this holiday, which is probably why it is often missed. It’s Shavuot!
The counting of the Omer that began at Passover ends now at the holiday of Shavuot and we celebrate the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. A pretty big deal…after all, where would Judaism be without the Torah? As a result, the holiday is focused on the Torah and studying is encouraged. If you are looking for some book ideas to get started, click here.
It is a pretty widely held tradition to eat dairy foods in celebration of Shavuot. Here are some dairy recipes you might want to check out.
May 03, 2012
Posted by Custom & Craft
Thanks again to all of our wonderful contributors! We had an outpouring of participation this year and we now have a wide range of wonderful work on the site. In case you missed these, here are some highlights, but only a very small piece of the growing library:
Mi Chamocha by Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik
Exodus/Eclipse by Anna Fine Foer
let my people go by Ken Goldman
Chocolate Seder How-To by OurJewishCommunity.org
Exodus Story Drawing Activity - Made It Myself Books
Pass The Cup by House of Lions
Contributions are made to the site all year long, so be sure to check back for new material and/or clips you might have missed. You can build your Haggadah any time during the year, so avoid the pre-Passover stressful panic and start working on it now! We hope that your Haggadah will continue to evolve and become a unique part of your Passover tradition.
April 25, 2012
Posted by Custom & Craft
Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day, falls on Thursday of this week (April 26th). Many of us will celebrate this holiday, even though we are not Israeli. This brings up an interesting question: What does Israel mean to Jews living in the Diaspora (regions outside of Israel)?
This question sparks a wide range of responses – some very passionate. One thing that is easy to agree on, however, is that Israel is a remarkable nation. In 1948, Israel was a Zionist state of 600,000 Jews looking for a political refuge. Today, Israel’s Jewish population is close to 5,500,000 and has had an impressive number of accomplishments – from the endless list of technology innovations to its vast number of democratic humanitarian efforts. We may not agree with every aspect of its government or policies, but there is a feeling of pride and joy that Israel exists. So this weekend hundreds of thousands of Jews will join together in wishing a Happy Birthday to Israel!
Hatikva - The Hope [Israel’s National Anthem]
Kol ode balevav P'nimah
Nefesh Yehudi homiyah
Ulfa'atey mizrach kadimah
Ayin l'tzion tzofiyah.
Ode lo avdah tikvatenu
Hatikvah bat shnot alpayim,
L'hiyot am chofshi b'artzenu
Eretz Tzion Yerushalayim
In the Jewish heart
A Jewish spirit still sings,
And the eyes look east
Toward Zion
Our hope is not lost,
Our hope of two thousand years,
To be a free nation in our land,
In the land of Zion and Jerusalem
April 18, 2012
Posted by Custom & Craft
Passover 2012 is done, but the counting has just begun…
The second night of Passover starts the counting of the Omer. This period, which lasts 49 days, ends on the holiday of Shavuot. Traditionally, every evening for seven weeks, one stands and says a blessing followed by the Omer counting (the number changes as each day passes).
Omer refers to the recently harvested grains, which in the days of the Temple were brought as an offering. There is a somber tone to the Omer so you may see traditionalists forgoing weddings and joyous events – even passing on haircuts and shaving – during this period.
An interesting aspect of the counting is that it starts with one and goes UP! One way to look at this time is as a chance to ponder and appreciate what we have – counting our blessings, as it were. There can be many meaningful practices that one might incorporate in to counting the Omer, but it is for sure a time for reflection…another good opportunity!
If you are looking for a friendly guide to counting…this one is from Moses.
April 06, 2012
Posted by Custom & Craft
No leaven doesn’t have to mean no taste. Passover is the perfect time to get creative in the kitchen…and who knows, maybe even start a new holiday tradition! Embrace the spirit of Passover and try baking, cooking or mixing one of these great recipes:
Brisket tacos with matzah tortillas
Sweet and crunchy quinoa salad
Coconut macaroons with lemon curd
Chocolate toffee matzah brittle
April 05, 2012
Posted by Custom & Craft
Thanks to the Julie Gruenbaum Fax & the LA Jewish Journal for their coverage of Haggadot.com today! Be sure to pick up a copy if you live in the area. The cover is a seder plate designed by Haggadot.com's creator, Eileen Levinson. And congrats to our contributors, Will Deutsch and Ken Goldman for getting their work featured as well!
http://www.jewishjournal.com/religion/article/diyers_take_on_pesach_20120404/
April 05, 2012
Posted by Custom & Craft
On Haggadot.com you can find the four questions in many languages, from Croatian to French. Contributors have also shared a wide variety of alternative ways in
which the four questions might be asked. Some have even taken it a step further and added a 5th question. This section of the Seder is a great point for some discussion
around the table. Here are a few clips that can help get the conversation going:
Rhyming Haggadah Four Questions
April 05, 2012
Posted by Made It Myself Books
