The Inter-Faith Family Seder Book [Spiral-bound]

Nan Meyer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1998

No holiday is as well kept and as beloved by Jews as the Passover. In continual observance for over 3,500 years, it is a holiday that celebrates the first freedom flight, the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. Here is a book that demystifies the Passover Seder Supper, yet retains the wonderful imagery and splendor of this ritual meal that Christians call the Last Supper.

Editorial Reviews

Review

GREAT! Must write to thank the author for this wonderful book. I never thought I would be able to be at a seder again after I married out of my faith. Imagine my astonishment when my beloved Christian wife surprised me with a seder in my own home. My children could see what a happy party a seder is. The author has explained the do's and don'ts of a seder so that anyone can produce one. My children could have the fun of asking questions that have been asked for thousands of years. I could have the pride of answering them. Can't wait till my next Jewish friend marries a Christian so I can give them a set of these books as a wedding gift. -- Joe from New Brunswick, New Jersey

ORAL TRADITION AT ITS FINEST! This book tells how to have the communion mean (the Seder Supper) and tell the story of the flight of the Jews from Egypt in biblical times. With it in hand, anyone and everyone -- every age, Jew or Christian -- can understand and participate. More, it tells the story so it's fun to hear. It's meaningful. It's short. Preparing this communion meal is usually something learned from mother to daughter. But what if you didn't grow up Jewish? Then rush out and get this book. It even has a suggested menu of what to serve and where to find the supplies and recipes. -- Karen of Webster, NY

THE TITLE SAYS IT ALL THE INTER-FAITH FAMILY SEDER BOOK: How to Celebrate a Jewish Passover Supper with Christian In-Laws and Non-Jewish Friends by Nan Meyer (1998), says it all. This is a delightful, easy-to-use haggadah that while making the prayers, songs and ritual accessable and comprehensible to the non-Jew, does not fall into the trap of "Christianizing: the seder. It has such practical pointers as suggesting white rather than purple grape juice for the children because purple stains, "and there may not be much time to get their holiday finery cleaned for Easter Sunday." Then there are sensitive interpretations, such as that for the ten plagues visited on the Egyptians: "When people do evil and bring suffering upon themselves ... (but) we cannot rejoice over their pain." Traditional songs like "Chad Gadya" are paired with universalist English (only the blessings are in Hebrew in this user-friendly ritual) paraphrase of "Eliyahu ha-Navi" set to the tune of "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing.! " This reviewer suggests you take advantage of this book for your family seders. -- Dovetail from Boston, Kentucky

From the Publisher

If Passover is the most popular Jewish holiday, its Seder Supper is its high point, and is as beloved by Jewish families as the Christmas tree is by Christians family. This book makes it possible to observe this tradition without having a formal Hebrew education. Jews will delight in it as a modern day telling of the biblical story of the Exodus. Christians will find in it the beginning of some of their observances. (Churches can use it to recreate a Last Supper.) All will enjoy this authentic haggadah that's so right for the Jewish-American family of the 90's. (It's even gender-sensitive.) The book makes an ideal wedding gift for the inter-faith couple, who may treasure the fact that at the Passover Seder Supper, the two religions were still one and the same.

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Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 40 pages
• Publisher: Heritage (March 1, 1998)
• ISBN-10: 0966330501
• ISBN-13: 978-0966330502
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 7.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,285,091 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Nice try, but could be MUCH better, May 10, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (NY-metro area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Inter-Faith Family Seder Book (Spiral-bound)

This is an easy to understand version of the Passover Haggadah, and the author adds some clever songs and poems. The Passover Seder is indeed the ideal opportunity to include people of other faiths, cultures, etc., and its message is universal. However, Ms. Meyer doesn't really take advantage of the opportunity she has, and I find some of her choices problematic.

Why, for example, does she have "two young women" bring around the pitcher of water for the ritual washing of hands, and the "four SONS" explore the questions of Judaism? It would seem to me that this would be an ideal time to do away with gender biases.

Ms. Meyer's ideas of what is "necessary" is also curious. Why is it necessary for the youngest child to recite the four questions, but not necessary to repeat some of the important points made in the Haggadah?

And why bother to call this an inter-faith seder if she limits the Exodus experience to Judaism? Any simple exploration of Passover symbolism would reveal that Mitzrayim, the Hebrew word for Egypt, translates to "the narrow place" - everyone (Jewish or otherwise) has had experience with escaping oppression of one kind or another, and the Haggadah could easily be a means by which to discuss the past and current oppressions that surround us all.

At our Seder, we discussed everything from media exploitation, to the Kosovar refugees, to the women of Afghanistan, to the Holocaust. We didn't limit the discussion to the Jewish experience, and therefore the non-Jewish participants were as integral to the goings-on as the Jewish ones.

As every group is different, I would ideally recommend writing your own service, and Ira Steingroot has written an amazing book entitled KEEPING PASSOVER that can help you do so.

For a good, basic, egalitarian Haggadah, I liked BECAUSE WE WERE SLAVES: A CONCISE HAGGADAH FOR ALL OF US by Claire E. Gorfinkel and Charles Davis. Another beautiful one is GATES OF FREEDOM by Chaim Stern, with a focus on issues of peace.

While I agree that there is a strong need for an inclusive Haggadah for Interfaith families, I'm afraid that this one is not it.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great!, September 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Inter-Faith Family Seder Book (Spiral-bound)

Must write to thank the author for this wonderful book. I never thought I would be able to be at a seder again after I married out of my faith. Imagine my astonishment when my Christian wife surprised me with a seder in my own home. My children could see what a happy party a seder is. The author has explained the do's and don'ts of a seder so that anyone can produce one. My children could have the fun of asking questions that have been asked for thousands of years. I could have the pride of answering them. Can't wait till my next Jewish friend marries a Christian so I can give them a set of these books as a wedding gift.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a need being served!, January 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Inter-Faith Family Seder Book (Spiral-bound)

Nan Meyer is to be congratulated! She has written a Haggadah with which Jewish families can welcome their non-Jewish friends and relatives to the Seder table. But in the process she has produced a Seder book that many Jews who have lost touch with but wish to return to their culture will find inviting to use. The Inter-Faith Family Seder Book is not only entirely user-friendly, it also provides practical suggestions for preparation and conduction of the Seder, and it gives the Seder service in a step-by-step, easy to follow sequence. In an era where Jews are becoming increasingly assimilated into the population, through both intermarriage and simple acculturation, it's easy to lose touch with their heritage. Getting back in touch with it can be difficult. However, this Haggadah can ease the retunr. It is very comfortable to use. It is in no way intimidating, the Hebrew that is used appropriately is also used sparingly, but in ways that are familiar. It is as appropriate to the ex-patriot Jews who wish to return as it is to non-Jews. Nan Meyer has made an important social contribution with her Haggadah. I would love to see more publications of this nature.