My People’s Passover Haggadah Traditional Texts, Modern Commentaries In two volumes, this empowering resource for the spiritual revival of our times enables us to find deeper meaning in one of Judaism’s most beloved traditions, the Passover Seder. Rich Haggadah commentary adds layer upon layer of new insight to the age-old celebration of the journey from slavery to freedom—and makes its power accessible to all. This diverse and exciting Passover resource features the traditional Haggadah Hebrew text with a new translation designed to let you know exactly what the Haggadah says. Introductory essays help you understand the historical roots of Passover, the development of the Haggadah, and how to make sense out of texts and customs that evolved from ancient times. Framed with beautifully designed Talmud-style pages, My People’s Passover Haggadah features commentaries by scholars from all denominations of Judaism. You are treated to insights by experts in such fields as the Haggadah’s history; its biblical roots; its confrontation with modernity; and its relationship to rabbinic midrash and Jewish law, feminism, Chasidism, theology, and kabbalah. No other resource provides such a wide-ranging exploration of the Haggadah, a reservoir of inspiration and information for creating meaningful Seders every year. “The Haggadah is a book not just of the Jewish People, but of ordinary Jewish people. It is a book we all own, handle, store at home, and spill wine upon! Pick up a Siddur, and you have the history of our People writ large; pick up a Haggadah, and you have the same—but also the chronicle of Jewish life writ small: the story of families and friends whose Seders have become their very own local cultural legacy.... My People’s Passover Haggadah is for each and every person looking to enrich their annual experience of Passover in their own unique way.”

This empowering resource for the spiritual revival of our times enables us to find deeper meaning in one of Judaism?s most beloved traditions, the Passover Seder. This Haggadah commentary adds layer upon layer of new insight to the age-old celebration of the journey from slavery to freedom?and makes its power accessible to all.It features traditional Hebrew text with a new translation designed to let people know exactly what the Haggadah says. Introductory essays help the reader understand the historical roots of the ancient holiday, the development of the Haggadah and how to make sense out of texts and customs that evolved over more than a thousand years.Framed with beautifully designed Talmud-style pages, My People?s Passover Haggadah features commentaries by scholars from all denominations of Judaism. Readers are treated to insights by experts in such fields as the Haggadah?s history; its biblical roots; its confrontation with modernity; and its relationship to rabbinic midrash and Jewish law, feminism, Chasidism, theology and kabbalah. No other volume provides the English language reader with such wide-ranging understanding of the Haggadah, the key to having the most meaningful Seder ever.Contributors:Dr. David ArnowDr. Carole BalinDr. Marc BrettlerRabbi Neil GillmanDr. Alyssa GrayRabbi Arthur Green Dr. Joel HoffmanRabbi Lawrence A. HoffmanRabbi Lawrence KushnerRabbi Daniel LandesDr. Nehemia PolenDr. Wendy I. Zierler

"The prayer book is our Jewish diary of the centuries, a collection of prayers composed by generations of those who came before us, as they endeavored to express the meaning of their lives and their relationship to God. The prayer book is the essence of the Jewish soul." My People's Prayer Book provides diverse and exciting commentaries to the traditional liturgy, written by some of today's most respected scholars and teachers from all perspectives of the Jewish world. They explore the text from the perspectives of ancient Rabbis and modern theologians, as well as feminist, halakhic, medieval, linguistic, biblical, Chasidic, mystical, and historical perspectives. This stunning work, an empowering entryway to the spiritual revival of our times, enables all of us to claim our connection to the heritage of the traditional Jewish prayer book. It helps rejuvenate Jewish worship in today's world, and makes its power accessible to all. The My People's Prayer Book series belongs on the library shelf of every home, every synagogue—every sanctuary of prayer. Introductions tell the reader what to look for in the prayer service, as well as how to truly use the commentaries, to search for—and find—meaning in the prayer book.

My People’s Passover Haggadah Traditional Texts, Modern Commentaries In two volumes, this empowering resource for the spiritual revival of our times enables us to find deeper meaning in one of Judaism’s most beloved traditions, the Passover Seder. Rich Haggadah commentary adds layer upon layer of new insight to the age-old celebration of the journey from slavery to freedom—and makes its power accessible to all. This diverse and exciting Passover resource features the traditional Haggadah Hebrew text with a new translation designed to let you know exactly what the Haggadah says. Introductory essays help you understand the historical roots of Passover, the development of the Haggadah, and how to make sense out of texts and customs that evolved from ancient times. Framed with beautifully designed Talmud-style pages, My People’s Passover Haggadah features commentaries by scholars from all denominations of Judaism. You are treated to insights by experts in such fields as the Haggadah’s history; its biblical roots; its confrontation with modernity; and its relationship to rabbinic midrash and Jewish law, feminism, Chasidism, theology, and kabbalah. No other resource provides such a wide-ranging exploration of the Haggadah, a reservoir of inspiration and information for creating meaningful Seders every year. “The Haggadah is a book not just of the Jewish People, but of ordinary Jewish people. It is a book we all own, handle, store at home, and spill wine upon! Pick up a Siddur, and you have the history of our People writ large; pick up a Haggadah, and you have the same—but also the chronicle of Jewish life writ small: the story of families and friends whose Seders have become their very own local cultural legacy.... My People’s Passover Haggadah is for each and every person looking to enrich their annual experience of Passover in their own unique way.”

An Intellectually Rich and Challenging Exploration of Modern Jewish Theology "How we deal with revelation determines how we handle the issue of authority in belief and practice. How we understand authority determines how we deal with the claims of the tradition on us; how we deal with those claims determines how we shape our own Judaism. That conclusion opens the gate to a reconsideration of all of Judaism's theology, in particular how we understand God, for God is at the heart of Torah." —from the Introduction With clarity and passion, award-winning teacher, author and theologian Neil Gillman captures the power of Jewish theological claims and reveals extraordinary insights into Jewish identity, the purpose of religion, and our relationship with God. Drawing from Judaism’s sacred texts as well as great thinkers such as Mordecai Kaplan, Abraham Joshua Heschel, and Paul Tillich, Gillman traces his theological journey over four decades of study, beginning with his own understanding of revelation. He explores the role of symbol and myth in our understanding of the nature of God and covenant. He examines the importance of community in both determining authority and sanctifying sacred space. By charting the development of his own personal theology, Gillman explores the evolution of Jewish thought and its implications for modern Jewish religious identity today and in the future.

At this critical moment in our nation?s-and the world?s-history, we are called sharply but lovingly to think in new ways about our moral and political behavior by Harold Schulweis, one of America?s great spiritual leaders. Like the biblical prophets, he speaks to people of all faiths, all backgrounds in this call for renewal of conscience.?The urgent challenge for religion is to provide religious groups with the resources needed to resist immoral authority. Religion is morally obligated to instill the sanctity of conscience that may balance the culture of obedience with the culture of moral disobedience?. Organized religion appears unable to envision the interdependent coexistence of obedience and disobedience, a time to obey and a time to disobey.?A provocative book, it examines the idea of conscience and the role conscience plays in our relationship to law, ethics, religion, human nature and God-and to each other. From Abraham to Abu Ghraib, from the dissenting prophets to Darfur, he probes history, the Bible and the works of contemporary thinkers for ideas about both critical disobedience and uncritical obedience, illuminating the potential for evil and the potential for good that rests within us as individuals and as a society.

The book you hold before you is no ordinary Haggadah. If you’ve ever suffered through a Seder, you’re well aware of the fact that the entire evening can last as long as the exodus from Egypt itself. There are countless stories, dozens of blessings, and far too many handwashings while the meal turns cold. Now prepare to be entertained by another version of the book that’s responsible for this interminable tradition. With this hilarious parody Haggadah from the comedic minds of Dave Barry, Alan Zweibel, and Adam Mansbach, good Jews everywhere will no longer have to sit (and sleep) through a lengthy and boring Seder. In For This We Left Egypt?, the authors will be take you through every step of the Seder, from getting rid of all the chametz in your home by setting it on fire with a kosher blowtorch to a retelling of the Passover story starring Pharaoh Schmuck and a burning bush that sounds kind of like Morgan Freeman, set against the backdrop of the Promised Land—which turned out not to be a land of milk and honey but rather one of rocks and venomous scorpions the size of Yorkshire terriers. You then eat a celebratory brisket and wrap up the whole evening by taking at least forty-five minutes to say good-bye to everyone. So gather all the Jews in your life (even the few who don’t appear to be long-suffering) and settle in for a fun way to pass the time while waiting for Elijah to show up.

Jonathan Safran Foer's and Nathan Englander's spectacular Haggadah-now in paperback. Upon hardcover publication, NEW AMERICAN HAGGADAH was praised as a momentous re-envisioning through prayer, song, and ritual of one of our oldest, most timeless, and sacred stories-Moses leading the ancient Israelites out of slavery in Egypt to wander the desert for 40 years before reaching the Promised Land. Featuring a new translation of the traditional text by Nathan Englander and provocative essays by a collection of major Jewish writers and thinkers, it was received not only as a religious document but a magnificent literary and artistic achievement. Now, after two years of patience, those readers who asked for a paperback edition have gotten their wish.

Being Jewish. What does it mean--today--and for the future? Listen in as Jews of all backgrounds reflect, argue, and imagine. When Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was brutally murdered in Pakistan, many Jews were particularly touched by his last words affirming his Jewish identity. Many were moved to reflect on or analyze their feelings toward their lives as Jews. The saying "two Jews, three opinions" well reflects the Jewish community's broad range of views on any topic. I Am Jewish captures this richness of interpretation and inspires Jewish people of all backgrounds to reflect upon and take pride in their identity. Contributions, ranging from major essays to a paragraph or a sentence, come from adults as well as young people in the form of personal feelings, statements of theology, life stories and historical reflections. Despite the diversity, common denominators shine through clearly and distinctly. Contributors include: Ehud Barak - Sylvia Boorstein - Edgar M. Bronfman - Alan Colmes - Alan Dershowitz - Kirk Douglas - Richard Dreyfuss - Kitty Dukakis - Dianne Feinstein - Tovah Feldshuh - Debbie Friedman - Milton Friedman - Thomas L. Friedman - Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Nadine Gordimer - David Hartman - Moshe Katsav - Larry King - Francine Klagsbrun - Harold Kushner - Lawrence Kushner - Shia LaBeouf - Norman Lamm - Norman Lear - Julius Lester - Bernard-Henri L vy - Bernard Lewis - Daniel Libeskind - Joe Lieberman - Deborah E. Lipstadt - Joshua Malina - Michael Medved - Ruth W. Messinger - Amos Oz - Cynthia Ozick - Shimon Peres - Martin Peretz - Dennis Prager - Anne Roiphe - Sandy Eisenberg Sasso - Vidal Sassoon - Zalman M. Schachter-Shalomi - Daniel Schorr - Harold M. Schulweis - Lynn Schusterman - Natan Sharansky - Gary Shteyngart - Sarah Silverman - Michael H. Steinhardt - Kerri Strug - Lawrence H. Summers - Mike Wallace - Elie Wiesel - Leon Wieseltier - Sherwin T. Wine - Ruth R. Wisse - Peter Yarrow - A. B. Yehoshua - Eric H. Yoffie

Synagogues should be effective and relevant centers of Jewish life but too often the focus is on programs not people, on revenue not relationships. The end result is frequently a corporate atmosphere where membership lacks commitment, core leadership and spiritual fulfillment. In this empowering, practical guide, Dr. Ron Wolfson shows you how to transform your synagogue congregation into a sacred community by focusing on strategies for successful change. Using a case-study format for creating an inviting spiritual center, Wolfson defines the welcoming congregation and the fundamental materials that are involved in building one. He addresses the services a welcoming congregation should provide, the themes the congregation should focus on, and the standards that a vital spiritual community should uphold. Tapping into his experiences as co-developer of Synagogue 2000, the transdenominational project designed to envision and implement the ideal synagogue of the spirit for the twenty-first century, Wolfson also provides essential problem-solving tools that you can use to alleviate roadblocks along the way.