Customer Reviews

The Concise Family Seder

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Concise Family Seder by Rabbi Alfred J. Kolatch is an excellent guide for your first Passover observance or for anyone who is looking for a short, straight-forward, Passover Haggadah. That is the view of this conversion candidate.

It is relatively brief, comprising less than 50 pages. It guides you through the ritual with helpful explanatory commentary and weaves the story of the Jewish people from Abraham to Moses and from slavery to triumph. I particularly appreciated the author's kindness in including English transliteration and English translation with virtually every Hebrew language passage.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a simple, yet deeply meaningful, Passover Seder.

Shalom, Rod

This is 48 pages instead of Kolatch's more traditional 100 pages. Its good for an Abbreviated seder. English readings with a smattering of Hebrew text, reserved for the blessings. The FOUR QUESTIONS are in Hebrew text with English translation and English transliteration. Also the FOUR QUESTIONS are in the form of a responsive reading. Dayenu is in abbreviated form and transliterated, too. The Grace After Meals is abbreviated. Includes Chad Gadya and Echad Mi Yodeah (Who Knows One)

I chose this haggaddah over some other abridged versions because it actually opens and reads right to left, as any good Hebrew book should. It helped accomplish my goal of a short but meaningful seder. It would have been more enjoyable and more child or non-Jewish guest friendly with some traditional Passover legends we read every year as kids. The price was right at Amazon, especially since I ordered 12 books, which were shipped very promptly.

Great Family Seder. Explains the Passover, but does not run for hours and hours! Printed in English and Hebrew.
This is not an Easter book, there are no Bunnies or Sun Rise Service. Only the Rememberance that we are told to observe from generation to generation by the G-d of Abraham.

The concise Family Seder is exactly what it says - I have been using it for years and it has the right amount of tradition without making the seder too long for children and gentiles. There is also the right amount of Hebrew mixed in with English. It would be nice to have a little more transliteration but it still works.

I am involved in preparing a Seder for approximately 20 seniors in a senior apartment complex in Seattle. Yesterday, a dozen or so of us met to discuss the logistics for next week's Seder, as you can imagine it was a noisy fun meeting. The one thing everyone agreed upon immediately was that the Haggadah was perfect, and that all who attend should have their own copy. So now I anxiously await the receipt of more Haggadahs before next Monday.

The original shipment sold so well I no longer have one of my own.

I read the Seder as part of a Christian Theology Course and learned a lot about the traditional passover celebration. It is a great guide if you want to try it out once! Definitely recommend it!

The Concise Family Seder is an excellent haggadah to have stashed away (in multiple copies) just in case, for some reason, you're not able to spend four hours or more on a leisurely detailed seder.

How could that happen? Well, if you have a 91 year old attending who is unable to stay up very late, or, if you have toddlers at the table. Just two instances I have encountered for our second night seders.

In taking your time to enjoy the journey through the 'Concise Family Seder" you're singing the last songs at 2 1/2 hrs into the evening. All the necessary elements have been covered (including the meal) and while it feels a bit strange to end the evening so early, it's nice to be able to accomodate guests so they're comfortable. Be sure to let other invited guests know you are doing a 'concise seder' so they won't expect the longer version and be disappointed. I have yet to have anyone complain or protest.

That being said, I don't know if I could use this for a first night seder, just because of the tradition expected the first night with the full version of the haggadah. After all, we have waited all year for this!

I highly recommend getting multiple copies of The Concise Family Seder and having them on hand, just in case...

As our extended family grows we need more Haggadahs so for our seder of 45 this year we bought more of our favorites.

I purchased this Haggadah after attending a Sedar in which we used this book. We had a great time and made Passover interesting for all ages.