Choosing a haggadah, the book I'll use to lead my family in Passover seder, was an interesting process. Hannah and I have settled on Elie Wiesel's A Passover Haggadah.
Something I like about my version of judaism, even as one who firmly knows there is no such a thing as God, is our holidays. I look at Judaism culturally and our holidays are all pretty much this: "They tried to kill us. We lived. Lets eat!" Passover is a giant family dinner and a Jewish analogue for Thanksgiving; celebrating freedom from slavery. At dinner the story of Passover is retold, so the children may know what to do the next time we're all enslaved. Evidently the answer is to make flavorless crackers into balls and float them in chicken soup.
Elie Wiesel's A Passover Haggadah, like all haggadah, tells the story of the Jewish exodus from Egypt. In black text is the standard Passover story and in red is Elie Wiesel's commentary. Wiesel shares remembrances from pre-WWII seders in Europe, thoughts on the importance of remembering events for future generations and how tradition can effectively impart that information. His insights are a welcome addition to the traditional story. Wiesel also provides an interesting backdrop against which to discuss the ideas and differences between Israel and jews globally.
The illustrations, by Mark Podwal, are lovely and tasteful.
A Passover Haggadah: As Commented Upon by Elie Wiesel and Illustrated by Mark Podwal
