Pesach Resources to acknowledge oct 7 and beyond
On this page, you will find a collection of Haggadah supplements for your home seders.
My colleage Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz writes, “Creating Haggadah supplements in order to address specific themes is a time-honored tradition in contemporary American Judaism. This is often done to highlight specific causes or concerns: feminism, refugees, or the environment are some of the issues that come to mind. In the wake of the post-10/7 era, many Jewish organizations have rushed to create Haggadah supplements that speak to the moment we are living through and to provide appropriate meaning and guidance for the Seder experience. Many of us will feel conflicted and may struggle to frame this year’s Seder. Our community is diverse in every possible way, including how we view and relate to the current situation in the Middle East.”
Temple HBT, like Rabbi Hugenholtz’s community, is also diverse in every possible way. To continue with the work we have been doing to listen deeply and to learn about one another’s thoughts about this multi-layered conflict, I want to offer a wide variety of resources for you and your loved ones to explore and perhaps use during your seders and throughout the holiday. As Rabbi Hugenholtz says, “As you read through this list, there may be organizations and texts that you disagree with; there may be others you may be able to affirm. This list is offered in a spirit of helping each and every one of us hold space for the tender times we are living through, to find wisdom in our multivocal tradition and meaning in fulfilling the dictum that each of us should imagine exiting Egypt. May these resources be a blessing for your Sedarim, spark deep conversation and bring the presence of holiness and redemption closer to all of us.
May our Pesach mark the bitter but hold onto the sweet - and may we keep our hope for a future of peace.
Chag Pesach sameiach, lifchot malei tikvah - Happy Passover, or at least one full of hope,
Rabbi Noyo
In no particular order:
Articles:
“How to Talk About The Elephant In The Room At This Year’s Seder” – opinion-piece on how to navigate conversations at the Seder table.
https://jweekly.com/.../how-to-talk-about-the-elephant.../
“New Haggadot, Supplemental Readings and Initiatives Look to Bring the Global State of Affairs Into this Year’s Passover Seder” – resource bank from eJewishPhilanthropy.com
https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/new-haggadot.../
“How to Host a Seder when Everyone is Talking Past Each Other and Strongly Disagrees About the War” – article from The Forward
https://forward.com/.../how-to-host-a-passover-seder.../
Supplements:
Rabbi Yael Levy – “A Way In: A Pesach Guide to Honor and Heal our Broken Hearts”
Sari Kopitnikoff – “Let Our People Go”: Prompts and Questions to Remember and Honor the Hostages During Seder
https://www.thatjewishmoment.com/shop/p/letourpeoplego
Women for Reform Judaism – Haggadah insert with prayer for captive women
https://wrj.org/.../WRJ%20Haggadah%20Insert%202024.pdf
Hostages and Missing Families Forum – (Digital) Passover Haggadah (in English)
https://solidarity.bringthemhomenow.net/.../passover...
Gashmius Magazine (neo-Hasidic magazine of Jewish thought) – Haggadah companion:
https://www.gashmiusmagazine.com/.../4941bd...
ARZA (Association of Reform Zionist of America) – Mah Nishtana: A Different Seder in a Post-October 7th World
https://arza.org/mah-nishtanah-a-different-seder-in-a.../
Bayit (Jewish Renewal community) – “This Broken Matzah” Haggadah
https://yourbayit.org/pesach2024/
The Shalom Center – Haggadah notes
https://docs.google.com/.../1d-ZbV1n4L-YvqThR.../edit
Shalom Hartman Institute – In Every Generation: A Haggadah Supplement for 5784
https://www.hartman.org.il/in-every-generation-a.../
CCAR (Central Conference of American Rabbis) – Haggadah Passover Supplement: Prayers, Poems, Songs, and Meditations in Response to October 7th
https://www.ccarnet.org/.../CCAR-Haggadah-Supplement-2024...
T’ruah – The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights – Passover Resources for 2024
https://truah.org/resources/passover-resources-for-2024/
OneTable – Post-October 7 Passover Resources
https://onetable.org/post-oct-7-resources/
Mechon Hadar – Al Pedut Nafsheinu: Internal Redemption, Pesach 5784 Supplement
https://mechonhadar.s3.amazonaws.com/mh.../Pesah5784FC.pdf
HaShmol ha’Emuni (The Faithful Left, Israeli) – Hashta Hachah: a justice-oriented Haggadah reader with contributions with members from The Halakhic Left, All That’s Left, and HaShmol ha’Emuni
https://drive.google.com/.../1kNhiqgFP5NB3CCJaPn9VgA.../view
J Street, the Political Home of Pro-Israel, Pro-Peace, Pro-Democracy Americans – The Fifteen Steps to Freedom: A J Street Haggadah
https://jstreet.org/fifteen-steps-to-freedom/
Kveller (clearing house for Jewish parenting resources) – A New Guide for Families: 7 Ways to Address October 7th at Your Seder
https://www.kveller.com/a-new-guide-for-families-7-ways.../
PJ Library – Downloadable Haggadah and Passover resources
https://pjlibrary.org/passover
Academy for Jewish Religion – Seder Interrupted: A Post October 7th Haggadah Supplement
https://ajr.edu/forms/haggadah-supplement-download/