Passover Resources

Dear Friends at Congregation Har HaShem:

It is hard to believe that Passover is approaching. Frankly, I am excited! At a time when the world filled with chaos and we are bound to our homes, I welcome the opportunity to bring ritual, storytelling, and joy into my life. But most of all, Passover’s unyielding message of hope and liberation is exactly what we need to confront these difficult days.

I am receiving an incredible amount of messages asking how to manage a seder if we can’t travel to our loved ones homes and I have no haggadot of my own. Or what can I do for my family.

I understand if you don’t want to order new books and bring them into your house. If you want to, there is still time. But there are other resources that are online now and free downloads.

Here is a very quick, brief list of resources to explore…digital haggadot, Spotify playlists, even a downloadable Haggadah to color!

This isn’t a complete list of resources that are “out there” by any means. But it is a good start to get you thinking about how to make this year’s seder meaningful and enjoyable, whether you are at home by yourself and connecting to others via Zoom, WhatsApp, Facetime or Facebook Live… or if you are connecting with others in your home… or even the Har HaShem Virutal Seder.

Take a look at these resources. We are glad to help in any way we can.

Congregation Har HaShem’s Virtual Seder Rabbi Deborah Bronstein, our Rabbi Emerita, will be leading an online seder with the tech support of our Youth Director, Ethan Stone.

The seder (including meal) will last approximately 2-2.5 hours. All are welcome, young and old, newcomers and veterans. Crafts for the young and stories for those older will evoke and re-imagine our traditions. RSVP Here Topic: Community Second Seder Time: Apr 9, 2020 05:30 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://harhashem.zoom.us/j/320419577 Meeting ID: 320 419 577 Dial by your location +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Find your local number: https://harhashem.zoom.us/u/ab5zAScQpD

Haggadot from the Reform Movement’s Central Conference of American Rabbis: PRINT BOOKS (on sale, use code: PASSOVER30) • Sharing the Journey Haggadah • A Passover Haggadah (Baskin) • A Children's Haggadah • The Open Door Haggadah • The New Union Haggadah, Revised Edition FREE FLIP BOOKS: • Sharing the Journey Haggadah • New Union Haggadah (this is the old style, Classical Reform Haggadah) EBOOKS: The New Union Haggadah: • Amazon Kindle Sharing the Journey: • Amazon Kindle • Apple Books • Google Play

Other Haggadot for Download or ordering: • The Haggadah Store is making several Haggadot available for free online, including A Different Night and A Night to Remember. They're trusting us to use these without payment for this year only, which is an amazingly kind thing for them to do! http://haggadahsrus.com/?fbclid=IwAR2MbktXJom2utDRoHhz9W97TvRSl7iP 5fFzeptqPJMhi1v8jeTrvyamQYs • Two newer haggadot that I love are: o The Ayeka Haggadah: Hearing Your Own Voice o Welcome to the Seder: A Passover Haggadah for Everyone • The HIAS Haggadah. HIAS was the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, now known just as HIAS. It is the leading organization to provide support and advocacy on behalf of refugees and asylum seekers from the Jewish community. Their Haggadah is refugee-themed, free and can be downloaded. • Resources from MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, are also available. They include readings and a Hunger Haggadah to download. • American Jewish World Service has created a Global Justice Haggadah and other supplements on their website. • Jewbelong.com offers a very hip, very free, very downloadable haggadah. Access it here. • For something simple and fun, check out this Coloring Book Haggadah, • If you are the creative type, you can MAKE YOUR OWN! Go to www.haggadot.com, an open source Haggadah-making website. You can download it or share it with your own guests! • PJ Library has a Haggadah to download for families with young children. Go to their website and scroll down for “Passover Essentials for Families.”

Additional readings / Haggadah Supplements • Rabbi Avi Weiss, a modern Orthodox rabbi and leader in the “Open Orthodoxy” community has created a seder supplement in the age of coronavirus. • AJC Haggadah Supplement for Coronavirus Passover • The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous has a Haggadah Supplement every year. JFR recognizes the gifts of Righteous Gentiles of all backgrounds who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. • Passover Resources from the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.

FOOD! Support our congregants and supporters of the JCC. A Spice of Life Uprooted Personal Catering River and Woods offering seder meals if ordered by April 4 The Village Nosh is selling Passover macaroons

Resources for LEADING an online seder ar here! • How to Make Your Virtual Seder Lively, Engaging, and Meaningful by ReformJudaism.org • How to Hold a Passover Seder in the Year of Coronavirus • ReformJudaism.org resources on Passover, including activities and blog posts for Virtual Seders • www.seder2020.org

Just MORE! • The URJ has created some great Spotify Passover playlists you can listen to here. • The Passover Story in 10 Scenes (and only 4 minutes) courtesy PJLibrary. • There are lots of video Passover parodies and how-tos. Here are some favorites: o The Maccabeats’ multi-genre twist on . o ’s A Lion King Passover o Bimbam’s great video content on the four sons, the four questions and more. • The Union for Reform Judaism has created some great Spotify Passover playlists you can listen to here.

We will still be having our Passover services in the mornings. The links can be found at on the Calendar at www.harhashem.org: • Online Passover First Day Service, Thursday, April 9 at 9:00 am. • Online Passover Seventh Day Service with Yizkor, Wednesday, April 15 at 9:00am

May this Passover bring you hope, strength, and the message of liberation.

At the end of the seder, we conclude with singing the Hebrew for Next Year in , a concluding message of Hope for a better time. Next Year in Jerualem, together, celebrating in person!

Shalom, Rabbi Fred Greene