Customer Reviews

The Inter-Faith Family Seder Book

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

 

 

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.

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.

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.

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 accessible and comprehensible to the non-Jew, does not fall into the trap of "Christianizing" the seder. It has such practicial 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.

No holiday is as well kept and as beloved by Jews as the Passover. In continual observance for over 3,500 years, Passover is a holiday that celebrates the first freedom flight, the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. The highpoint of the Passover is its Seder Supper, as treasured by Jewish families as the Christmas tree is by Christian families. Finally, 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. This book makes it possible to observe this tradition without having a formal Hebrew education. Christians will find in it the beginning of some of their own observances. (Churches can use it to recreate a Last Supper.) All will enjoy this authentic haggadah that is on-point for the Jewish-American family of the 90's. Bet this book would make a great wedding gift for the inter-faith couple, who could treasure the fact that at the Passover Seder Supper, the two religions were still one and the same.