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​Unique Haggadot to Liven Up Your Seder

By  ISJL Education Fellow Mackenzie Haun

If your family is anything like mine, you have probably been using the same Haggadah for many years, and you may not know what else is out there. There are innumerable incredibly unique haggadot that could be a great addition to your family’s traditions! There are haggadot that span any special interest you can think of—some of which are shown below.
 
The Journey Continues: The Ma'yan Passover Haggadah – Tamara R. Cohen
This haggadah is from Ma’yan: The Jewish Women’s Project. It includes gender-inclusive language both in Hebrew and English as well as many modern, feminist readings. It focuses largely on the role of women in the Passover story and how that role relates to modern feminism, including suggestions for applicable activism. It also includes songs written specifically for this haggadah by Debbie Friedman. This haggadah can be found here.
 
The Open Door: A Passover Haggadah – Illustrated by Ruth Weisberg
Ruth Weisberg is an incredibly talented Jewish artist whose work is featured in this haggadah. Based in Southern California, her art and distinctive style—as well as the unique memories and writings of others—make this haggadah a special addition to your Passover seder. This haggadah can be found here.
 
The New World Haggadah – Ilan Stavans with art by Gloria Abella Ballen
This haggadah brings the unique perspective of an immigrant from Mexico and his family’s specific traditions. Woven throughout the seder are Spanish readings and translations as well as Sephardic traditions. Stories of immigration such as this serve to connect us to our past and inform our relationship with the present. This haggadah can be found here.
 
Our Haggadah: Uniting Traditions for Interfaith Families – Cokie & Steve Roberts
This haggadah is a perfect resource for families of multiple religious backgrounds. Throughout the haggadah, Cokie and Steve include their own familial rituals and traditions as well as the traditions of others. They have a unique retelling of the Exodus story that is perfect for interfaith families. This haggadah can be found here.
 
Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel - Jordan B. Gorfinkel and Erez Zadok
This haggadah is truly one of a kind, being the first graphic novel haggadah to exist (it just came out this year!). Jordan B. Gorfinkel is a comic industry legend (he guided the Batman franchise in the 1990s), and Erez Zadok is a fantastic Israeli artist. The graphic novel pages are presented alongside the unabridged, traditional seder service text, in Hebrew and transliteration, and accompanied by how to instructional cartoons depicting all of the rituals. This haggadah is a great way to include and excite the whole family. This haggadah can be found here.
 
The (Unofficial) Hogwarts Haggadah – Moshe Rosenberg
If you have a Harry Potter fan in your family, this haggadah could be great for you. Connections between Passover and Hogwarts through the concepts of slavery and freedom, a focus on education, and the number four—among other things—are scattered throughout the seder. This unusual haggadah provides the opportunity to bring a little magic into your Jewish practice. This haggadah can be found here.
 
Resources for Creating Your Own Seder/Haggadah
If you and your family are feeling particularly creative, there are a few ways that you can step out of the box and shape your own Passover seder. Creating Lively Passover Seders: A Sourcebook of Engaging Tales, Texts & Activities by David Arnow (found here) is a helpful guide and resource. If you prefer to go the technological route, Haggadot.com has online haggadot available, as well as resources to help you create your own.
 
(Bonus:) The Emoji Haggadah – Martin Bodek
If you (and maybe your Gen Z kids) are looking for a challenge, this haggadah is written entirely in Emojis, down to the page number. If you’d rather decode Emojis than Hebrew, this could be fun for you. Or, it could just be a fun coffee table book. This haggadah can be found here. 

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