93 books like A Family Haggadah I

By Shoshana Silberman, Katherine Janus Kahn (illustrator),

Here are 93 books that A Family Haggadah I fans have personally recommended if you like A Family Haggadah I. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of A Different Night, The Family Participation Haggadah

Ron Isaacs Author Of Seder in Motion: A Haggadah to Move Body and Soul

From my list on Haggadahs for a meaningful Passover Seder.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a Conservative Rabbi who served Temple Sholom in Bridgewater NJ from 1975-2015. I'm currently the Rabbi of Beth Judah Temple in Wildwood New Jersey. I've always been intrigued with the Haggadah and its origins, and for almost 50 years I've hosted the Passover seders at my home. I always wanted to search for just the right Haggadah that I could use to make the experience fun and participatory for all. Because of my passion for wanting to give participants at my seder a positive experience, I decided to write my own Haggadah, I've written several including Seder in Motion: A Haggadah to Move Body and Soul coauthored with my wife Leora Isaacs.

Ron's book list on Haggadahs for a meaningful Passover Seder

Ron Isaacs Why did Ron love this book?

I love this Haggadah and have used it for many of my family seders (especially with there are both adults and children. I especially like the offering of stories, readings, as well as commentaries, and activities that have fueled my dynamic seders with storytelling and discussion, dramatics, and singing. The many illustrations drawn from medieval and modern artists serve as visual commentaries that evoke discussion. One example that allows for discussion is an artistic portrayal of the Four Children in a variety of Haggadahs that helps to encourage comparison and debate. This Haggadah is inclusive, pluralistic, and includes transliterations and contemporary translations that make the traditional Hebrew accessible to all. 

By Noam Zion, David Dishon,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Different Night, The Family Participation Haggadah as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This is the haggadah that has changed the American seder. First published in 1997, it's a full traditional seder, but with large amounts of art and commentaries, and discussion starters -- all in a user-friendly format that makes it easy to customize your seder. The Four Children section (with 20 representations going back to 1526) is already a classic. Easy-to-follow instructions make this book accessible to even a novice seder leader; and the many short commentaries will enrich anyone's Passover. Now in a new edition, with an added 32 pages of Passover stories.


Book cover of Passover Haggadah: The Feast of Freedom

Ron Isaacs Author Of Seder in Motion: A Haggadah to Move Body and Soul

From my list on Haggadahs for a meaningful Passover Seder.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a Conservative Rabbi who served Temple Sholom in Bridgewater NJ from 1975-2015. I'm currently the Rabbi of Beth Judah Temple in Wildwood New Jersey. I've always been intrigued with the Haggadah and its origins, and for almost 50 years I've hosted the Passover seders at my home. I always wanted to search for just the right Haggadah that I could use to make the experience fun and participatory for all. Because of my passion for wanting to give participants at my seder a positive experience, I decided to write my own Haggadah, I've written several including Seder in Motion: A Haggadah to Move Body and Soul coauthored with my wife Leora Isaacs.

Ron's book list on Haggadahs for a meaningful Passover Seder

Ron Isaacs Why did Ron love this book?

This Haggadah is a product of the Rabbinical Assembly of America, the Union of Conservative Rabbis of which I am a proud member. We have used this Haggadah when our participants at our seder included more adults than children. The Haggadah includes a guide to the requisite rituals, detailing how and why each ritual is performed. There is also ample commentary on the text, explaining passages and provoking questions, in order to engage participants, Finally, alternative readings are included to replace or augment the text. 

By Rachel Anne Rabbinowicz,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Passover Haggadah as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This bestselling Passover haggadah has been a user-friendly favorite at seders for a generation. Provocative and stimulating commentary, clear instructions, and bold artwork grace the pages of this contemporary American classic. Full-color artwork by Dan Reisinger.


Book cover of We Tell It to Our Children: The Story of Passover

Ron Isaacs Author Of Seder in Motion: A Haggadah to Move Body and Soul

From my list on Haggadahs for a meaningful Passover Seder.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a Conservative Rabbi who served Temple Sholom in Bridgewater NJ from 1975-2015. I'm currently the Rabbi of Beth Judah Temple in Wildwood New Jersey. I've always been intrigued with the Haggadah and its origins, and for almost 50 years I've hosted the Passover seders at my home. I always wanted to search for just the right Haggadah that I could use to make the experience fun and participatory for all. Because of my passion for wanting to give participants at my seder a positive experience, I decided to write my own Haggadah, I've written several including Seder in Motion: A Haggadah to Move Body and Soul coauthored with my wife Leora Isaacs.

Ron's book list on Haggadahs for a meaningful Passover Seder

Ron Isaacs Why did Ron love this book?

This Haggadah is a Haggadah that is ideal when there are younger children at the seder. What makes the Haggadah unique are its puppets (included with the book) which need to be prepared and assembled prior to the seder. Many parts of the seder are set up as a script of a play, where parts can be given out to read. There are also original fun songs to sing. When my children were younger, I used this Haggadah with enormous success, and still have the puppets which I hope to use now with my grandchildren!

By Mary Ann Wark,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked We Tell It to Our Children as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Book by Wark, Mary Ann


Book cover of Simply Seder: A Haggadah and Passover Planner

Ron Isaacs Author Of Seder in Motion: A Haggadah to Move Body and Soul

From my list on Haggadahs for a meaningful Passover Seder.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a Conservative Rabbi who served Temple Sholom in Bridgewater NJ from 1975-2015. I'm currently the Rabbi of Beth Judah Temple in Wildwood New Jersey. I've always been intrigued with the Haggadah and its origins, and for almost 50 years I've hosted the Passover seders at my home. I always wanted to search for just the right Haggadah that I could use to make the experience fun and participatory for all. Because of my passion for wanting to give participants at my seder a positive experience, I decided to write my own Haggadah, I've written several including Seder in Motion: A Haggadah to Move Body and Soul coauthored with my wife Leora Isaacs.

Ron's book list on Haggadahs for a meaningful Passover Seder

Ron Isaacs Why did Ron love this book?

This Haggadah is perfect for families that want to include all of the traditional sections of the seder without spending a lot of time in discussion and study of text. Nicely illustrated and fully transliterated, the Haggadah also includes interesting facts as well as thought questions throughout. For example, the Haggadah explains that in the Ha Lachma anya section (let all who are hungry eat) early in the seder that the language of Aramaic is used. This is a reminder that when we welcome the stranger, we invite our guest in the language he or she will understand  

By Behrman House,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Simply Seder as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Hosting your first seder? This haggadah and planning guide will help you every step of the way. Everything you need for a meaningful yet concise seder perfect for families of all ages.


Book cover of Tools for Tantra

Swami Saradananda Author Of Sitting Comfortably: Preparing the Mind and Body for Peaceful Meditation

From my list on serious yogis and meditators.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was born in New York, live in London, have an Indian name, and a Polish grandmother. I’ve lived and worked worldwide, running yoga centers in New York, London, New Delhi, and the Himalayas; I’ve also worked as a spice merchant, magazine editor, and pilgrimage leader. My incentive in writing is to inspire people to practise yoga and meditation – and my books tend to be practical as well as theoretical. In addition to teaching and writing, I’ve spent extensive time doing personal practice in the Himalayas, and I hold an MA degree in Traditions of Yoga and Meditation from SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), University of London.

Swami's book list on serious yogis and meditators

Swami Saradananda Why did Swami love this book?

I have a special interest in yantras, and this book is the best and clearest explanation I’ve found. It inspired me to include yantras in a Teach Meditation course that I give to yoga teachers – and also to write my Master’s dissertation on the Sri Yantra.

In case readers are unfamiliar with the term ‘yantra’, it refers to precise geometric constructions that have been used by yoga practitioners for centuries as visual tools for the attainment of inner peace. Johari explains their forms, associated practices, and spiritual applications. Until he wrote this book, this information was mostly unavailable to modern practitioners.

By Harish Johari,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Tools for Tantra as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Tantric yantras are precise geometric forms that have been used for centuries as tools for self-realization and the attainment of mystical powers. In Tools for Tantra, Tantric practitioner and scholar Harish Johari has re-created the exact colors and proportions of the primordial yantras along with step-by-step instructions for their accurate construction, coloring, and use.


Book cover of For the Life of the World

Barron Ryan Author Of Honey, If It Wasn't for You

From my list on finding your voice.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a musician with a singular mission: to discover and present the beauty I’m uniquely positioned for. You may not expect a concert pianist to co-write a song with a man he would never meet, much less write an illustrated storybook about it. But given how I’ve learned to use my voice, I didn’t hesitate to become a first-time author with an illustrated storybook. May these recommendations help you find your voice as well.

Barron's book list on finding your voice

Barron Ryan Why did Barron love this book?

‘What good is your voice, and what’s the use in finding it?’ Those are tough questions for anyone to answer, but especially for an artist. At first, I just loved making music and saw that others did too, but couldn’t give a compelling reason why it was worthwhile. For the Life of the World finally equipped me to articulate that reason.

“Beauty is never ‘necessary,’ ‘functional,’ or ‘useful,’” Fr Schmemann writes. “And when, expecting someone whom we love, we put a beautiful tablecloth on the table and decorate it with candles and flowers, we do all this not out of necessity, but out of love.”

Your voice exists to beautify the world—to show those who hear it that someone cares for them. I can scarcely think of anything more worthwhile.

By Alexander Schmemann,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked For the Life of the World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In For the Life of the World Alexander Schmemann suggests an approach to the world and life within it, which stems from the liturgical experience of the Orthodox Church. He understands issues such as secularism and Christian culture from the perspective of the unbroken experience of the Church, as revealed and communicated in her worship, in her liturgy the sacrament of the world, the sacrament of the Kingdom. Of what life do we speak, what life do we preach, proclaim, and announce when, as Christians, we confess that Christ died for the life of the world? In For the Life…


Book cover of The Book of Creation

Liz Conor Author Of Skin Deep: Settler Impressions of Aboriginal Women

From my list on climate change and race.

Why am I passionate about this?

I became a climate activist and later a researcher after my sister and her family lost their home in the Black Saturday fires of 2009 in Victoria. Their bravery and survival is a daily reminder for me, that climate change is upon us, and we are fighting for our lives as well as our children and future generations. Because my research has been focused on colonialism and race their story has opened many questions for me around the history of colonialism and whether it was coal-fired. I’m thinking about what it means for settlers to lose their homes on stolen land, and whether this recognition could prompt us to rethink land ownership, custodianship, and coexistence.

Liz's book list on climate change and race

Liz Conor Why did Liz love this book?

This compilation, describing the founding of a new religion that is queer, science-fiction, and climate justice is a mindblowing assemblage of collage artworks by Deborah Kelly, liturgies by author S. J. Norman, poetry and essays.

It features interviews with Kelly and collaborators, photography of the workshops and portraits of followers, regalia, exhibitions, dances, and processions. For those despairing about climate change, this collection is a provocation, an exhortation, and a diversion.

It has been a salve to have by my side as I daily absorb the unfolding climate catastrophe and try and understand and respond to the deepening exclusions and marginalisations and discriminations it entrenches. 

By Deborah Kelly,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Book of Creation as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of Dissident Daughters: Feminist Liturgies in Global Context

Lisa McClain Author Of Divided Loyalties? Pushing the Boundaries of Gender and Lay Roles in the Catholic Church, 1534-1829

From my list on how we got so confused about women, gender, and Christianity.

Why am I passionate about this?

I do what I do for completely self-interested reasons. I am a woman, wife, and mother; a history professor specializing in the Catholic Church and gender; and a Christian (Episcopalian). I used to compartmentalize those roles. I was a Christian at church, a secular scholar at work, etc. It was exhausting. I was frustrated by conflicting messages about gender and faith from my family, profession, and religion. I wanted to be true to all aspects of my identity in all situations, but how? History is full of people who’ve questioned and adapted at the intersections of gender and religion. I learn from their journeys and add another piece of the puzzle.

Lisa's book list on how we got so confused about women, gender, and Christianity

Lisa McClain Why did Lisa love this book?

In this inspiring collection, Catholic and Protestant women from nations such as Peru, Korea, South Africa, Australia, and Iceland reveal how women are already leading in a variety of Christian denominations worldwide.

Authors explain their religious communities’ history, ministries, and understandings of gender and religion. Then each shares a religious rite created by the women of their Christian community. The diverse rituals reflect Christianity’s ability to adapt to the needs of believers, meeting them “where they are.”

Examples include the incorporation of indigenous elements in worship; use of the body through dance/artistry; and attention to gendered concerns such as domestic violence, poverty, and reproductive rights. These women’s leadership and rituals are not separate from mainstream Christianity. They are part of it.

A great idea book for people looking to incorporate gender more inclusively into worship.

By Teresa Berger (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dissident Daughters as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

With its focus on narratives, its attention to contextual and material realities, and its collection of women-identified liturgies in global context, Dissident Daughters claims prominence within the growing literature on women's ways of worship. This book not only introduces liturgical texts, but focuses on the communities that create and celebrate these liturgies. Dissident Daughters gives voice to the women activists in these communities who show how their communities came into being; how social, cultural, and political realities shaped them and their liturgies; and how they envision their lives in and as communities of faith. In drawing the different narratives together,…


Book cover of Passover Haggadah

Stuart Leven Author Of The Passover Story Haggadah: A New Narrative for a Modern Seder

From my list on Passover Haggadahs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have led many seders using a traditional Haggadah. We would just recite the Haggadah at the seder and put the books away until Passover of the following year. And then one year, after Passover, I read the Haggadah in earnest. I realized that the traditional Haggadah didn’t tell the Passover story very well, that big chunks of the story were missing, that much of the time we had no understanding of what we were reading, and that, for literally decades, we had been doing a rote recitation with little meaning. It was because of that realization that I decided to write my Haggadah.

Stuart's book list on Passover Haggadahs

Stuart Leven Why did Stuart love this book?

The venerable Goldberg Haggadah is a wonderful example of a traditional Haggadah. I led seders using it for many years. The translation is very accessible, easy for all participants to read. The book has a great cover, both front and back, which normally wouldn’t be important in a book recommendation, but there is something almost magical about this cover – it just gives the feeling that you’re going to have a wonderful seder. The interior is nicely designed, with clear delineation of paragraphs, lots of white space, attractive fonts in Hebrew and English, and simple but expressive illustrations, all of which are important for a book that will be recited out loud.

By Rabbi Nathan Goldberg,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Passover Haggadah as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Passover Haggadah: A New English Translation and Instructions for the Seder, New Revised Edition It includes the full text and translation, plus instructions, notes and an introduction. Convenient and ideal for groups.


Book cover of Passover Haggada

Stuart Leven Author Of The Passover Story Haggadah: A New Narrative for a Modern Seder

From my list on Passover Haggadahs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have led many seders using a traditional Haggadah. We would just recite the Haggadah at the seder and put the books away until Passover of the following year. And then one year, after Passover, I read the Haggadah in earnest. I realized that the traditional Haggadah didn’t tell the Passover story very well, that big chunks of the story were missing, that much of the time we had no understanding of what we were reading, and that, for literally decades, we had been doing a rote recitation with little meaning. It was because of that realization that I decided to write my Haggadah.

Stuart's book list on Passover Haggadahs

Stuart Leven Why did Stuart love this book?

The Steinsaltz Haggadah is a traditional Haggadah with a traditional translation, but what makes it shine are the explanations. The traditional Haggadah is in many respects a difficult book – much of it is hard to understand as is. Rabbi Steinsaltz provides explanations that bring some degree of clarity to these difficult passages. In addition, Rabbi Steinsaltz provides marvelous explanations of the Psalms of Praise recited at the seder and on Jewish holidays. I’ve recited these psalms many times over many years, and Rabbi Steinsaltz explains them in a way that I’ve never seen. When I study Talmud, I use the Steinsaltz translation, because in both the Talmud and the Haggadah, the explanations are spectacularly clear.

By Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Passover Haggada as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this user-friendly Haggada, Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz employs his renowned pedagogical skill and insight to explain the texts and rituals of the Seder night, their background and inner meaning. Divided into a clear, concise commentary and thought-provoking expansions, this is a Seder user's manual you have been waiting for.


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