Family Haggadah: A Seder for All Generations

Rating:
Summary: Very Interesting. A Great Learning Experience
Review: This is a wonderful Haggadah that we have been using in my family ever since my dad wrote it. It is easy to understand and it makes the meal so much less boring. I am 11 which is the youngest in my family and we still use it in our seders. I hope that everyone who is young or old loves this book. I sure did!

Rating:
Summary: Very Interesting. A Great Learning Experience
Review: This was our third year using this Haggadah with our children, now 7 and 9 years old, and we will probably use it for at least a few more years. The "Family Haggadah" includes a complete service (i.e., no steps are skipped) with brief, clear English narration and key blessings and verses in Hebrew or Aramaic. The service is traditional with some contemporary additions - the Matzah of Hope; a poem written by a boy imprisoned in a concentration camp; Miriam's Cup; and one of our favorites, the Frog Song. The authors estimate that the service will take 45 minutes before dinner and 15 minutes after; we found it took closer to 55 minutes before dinner. The book is beautifully illustrated and includes discussion topics in boxes alongside the main text ranging from "what is your favorite part of the service" to a more sophisticated consideration of what it means to be enslaved versus free. Because the text is streamlined and simplified, rather than dumbed-down, this is also an ideal Haggadah for first-time seder hosts and seder novices of any age. To keep the service brief, very few traditional Hebrew songs are included. If you like to sing, you will need to supplement the "Family Haggadah" with a more traditional book, such as the Maxwell House version available in supermarkets.

Rating:
Summary: Great for families with preschool and school-age children
Review: This was our third year using this Haggadah with our children, now 7 and 9 years old, and we will probably use it for at least a few more years. The "Family Haggadah" includes a complete service (i.e., no steps are skipped) with brief, clear English narration and key blessings and verses in Hebrew or Aramaic. The service is traditional with some contemporary additions - the Matzah of Hope; a poem written by a boy imprisoned in a concentration camp; Miriam's Cup; and one of our favorites, the Frog Song. The authors estimate that the service will take 45 minutes before dinner and 15 minutes after; we found it took closer to 55 minutes before dinner. The book is beautifully illustrated and includes discussion topics in boxes alongside the main text ranging from "what is your favorite part of the service" to a more sophisticated consideration of what it means to be enslaved versus free. Because the text is streamlined and simplified, rather than dumbed-down, this is also an ideal Haggadah for first-time seder hosts and seder novices of any age. To keep the service brief, very few traditional Hebrew songs are included. If you like to sing, you will need to supplement the "Family Haggadah" with a more traditional book, such as the Maxwell House version available in supermarkets.

Rating:
Summary: From the bookjacket
Review: This wonderful, easy-to-follow Family Haggadah was designed as a guide for the seder experience where young people are present. Elie M. Gindi originally compiled the Haggadah as a tool to teach his children the mysteries and secrets of the holiday, whild maintaining their interest and stimulating their curiosity. Seder participants are provided with easy-to-read instructions for a smooth and traditional ceremony. Special features include text boxes scattered throughout that provide questions and engaging commentary, encouraging thoughtful discussion. Images of ancient and modern illuminated Haggadot and artifacts adorn the text of this unique Haggadah, allowing the reader a chance to view a rarely seen part of Passover history. Seder participants will experience Passover not simply through words, but through a feast of rich and vibrant images.