March 29,2023

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Meet Your Haggadot.com Team

Posted by Haggadot

Haggadot.com is growing! Our staff is dedicated to providing you with diverse and easy-to-use resources that allow you to create your own home-based rituals. Get to know our team, read about the contributions we each bring, and see our suggestions for new seder ideas, including a unique Passover cocktail!

 

Eileen Levinson, she/her

Founder and Executive Director
London

 

My contribution at Haggadot.com: I created it! And now I have the most fun job of all: I get to watch our incredible team bring it life. I’m also excited to lead this incredible platform into new areas later this year…watch for more information soon! 

 

Something I’m looking forward to this Passover: We are going to host a seder with some of our new friends here in the UK, some of whom have never celebrated Passover before. We have a very international guest list with people who are very curious about Judaism and rituals, and I can’t wait to share this amazing evening with them. 

 

My Passover memory, contribution or tradition: A few years back we invented a new Passover cocktail–mix together Sabra liqueur, tequila, soda, and lime, and voila! You have a Sabraquila. It’s the most delicious chocolatey-orangey drink, and the perfect addition to any Passover seder. 

 

Allen F, he/him

Director of Product
California

 

My contribution at Haggadot.com: I work with an amazing team to create, design, and build meaningful yet engaging ritual experiences. 

 

Something I’m looking forward to this Passover: I’m looking forward to spending time with family and friends this year.

 

My favorite Passover memory, contribution or tradition: I’m excited to start to build new traditions this Passover!

 

Amanda Gross, she/her

Administrative Assistant
New York / Maryland

 

My contribution at Haggadot.com: I try to be like a swiss army knife for the leadership team, keeping track of priorities and pitching in wherever needed. My focus is on Eileen's needs, making sure she's all set to have productive work days and ensuring the small details are taken care of.

 

Something I’m looking forward to this Passover: My grandfather is 98 and has always led our family Seder. I'm looking forward to his joy in getting to celebrate one of his favorite holidays with our family gathered together.

 

My Passover memory, contribution or tradition: I'm going to show my family the Schitt's Creek Haggadah because they love that show, and also the Beyonceder clips!

 

Lisa Klinman, she/her

Foundations Relations Manager
Pennsylvania

 

My contribution at Haggadot.com: I research opportunities for foundational funding, develop and build relationships with philanthropic groups and other charitable foundations invested in the Jewish creative ecosystem, and apply for grants.

 

Something I’m looking forward to this Passover: I always spend Passover with my sisters, and I’m really looking forward to being together with them (and their dogs!)

 

My favorite Passover memory, contribution, or tradition: I do the majority of the cooking for Passover- mixing the charoset, grinding the maror, ensuring the dogs don’t devour the lamb bone before the meal starts. This year, for the first time, I am going to attempt my grandmother's brisket recipe!  

 

Rebecca Missel, she/her

Director of Partnerships and Content 
New Jersey

 

My contribution at Haggadot.com: I set the vision and strategy for the ritual-making content that appears on our sites, including on Haggadot.com for Passover. 

 

Something I’m looking forward to this Passover: This Passover, I'm looking forward to a very low-key, small seder on the first night with two neighbors. Then, a more raucous seder on Friday. I love that Passover gives us so many opportunities to gather and celebrate our freedom.

 

My Passover memory, contribution or tradition: In 2022, my friends and I gathered in-person, at my home, for the first time since 2019. We're an irreverent bunch, with people from a range of faith traditions, so we combined the Schitt's Creek and Golden Girls Haggadahs from Haggadot.com. And at the end of the seder, instead of singing Chad Gadya or another traditional song, we put our arms around each other and sang "Thank You for Being a Friend," the theme song from Golden Girls. I can't wait to make this an annual tradition this year! 

 

Sydney Schwartz, she/her

Director of Operations
New York

 

My contribution at Haggadot.com: All things operations - Human Resources, IT, Finance, Legal, Compliance, organizational project management. I get to do a little bit of everything that supports our team, helps the organization move forward in the day-to-day and creates a solid foundation for our work. 

 

Something I’m looking forward to this Passover: Spending time with my Grandparents and extended family in Florida. Also, I love charoset.

 

My favorite Passover memory, contribution or tradition: I am forever the family Four Questions asker. Somehow I have always been the youngest at the table and this year is looking the same so I'm brushing up on my Ma Nishtana.

 

Ryn Silverstein, they/them

Community Manager
Maine

 

My contribution at Haggadot.com: I work with both our partners and the folks who use Haggadot.com to curate the best Passover, holiday, and ritual content out there, for you to enjoy!

 

Something I’m looking forward to this Passover: Participating in my local social-justice themed second-night community Seder, and for once, I'm not leading anything! Sometimes it's nice to just relax. 

 

My favorite Passover memory, contribution or tradition: While I'm not leading anything this Passover, I'd love to share my favorite Passover readiness tip: you already have exactly what you need to make this Passover incredibly special. You don't need to go all-out and host the most lavish seder imaginable—unless you want to! Ask yourself how you'd most like to feel this Passover. Now, what can you do to cultivate that feeling? 

 

Marissa Stein, she/her

Senior Marketing Manager
California

 

My contribution at Haggadot.com: I get to spread the word about the incredible tools and resources at Haggadot.com! 

 

Something I’m looking forward to this Passover: I’m excited to spend time in the *hopefully* warmer southern California weather and have a seder with my whole extended family for the first time in nearly a decade!  

 

My favorite Passover memory, contribution or tradition: When I was in college, I started a tradition of hosting a costume seder for all my friends–both Jewish and not. My favorite year was the year that G-d showed up in sparkly bike shorts! Now that my kids are old enough, I look forward to reviving that tradition.

 

Janna Trevers, she/her

Donor Engagement Manager
New York

 

My contribution at Haggadot.com: I love working with people and with data, and thankfully I get to do both at Haggadot.com! I dig deep into understanding how our users and donors feel about our organization, and what motivates them to keep coming back.

 

Something I’m looking forward to this Passover: At our seder table, we have many dietary restrictions. I always look forward to the new recipes. 

 

My favorite Passover memory, contribution or tradition: As a cantorial soloist who has grown up with women leading on the bima, I believe the addition of the orange is extremely important. My family has included an orange on the seder plate for gender equality for well over 25 years. We also have potato peelings on the plate to symbolize the only food prisoners ate during the Holocaust. More recently, we've added a coconut which symbolizes individuals who are locked inside their shells, afraid to reveal their true selves. With enough gentle patience and time, we can get to the sweet and inviting core. Do not be afraid to modernize, add, or take away from your tradition, as it can become better and more intrinsic to you if you take that chance.
 

 

Check Out Our Partners' Passover Events

Posted by Haggadot

Online Community Seder 
Sunday, April 2 at 2pm Eastern online
Join Secular Synagogue’s online community seder on April 2 at 2:00 pm ET. Perfect for secular/cultural Jews and their loved ones. Learn more at: secularsynagogue.com

"Dancing In-Between" Haggadah Showcase

Tuesday, April 4 at 5:30 PT on zoom 

Join us for a virtual presentation of DANCING IN-BETWEEN, The LUNAR Collective's 5783 Haggadah. Created by a committee of 17 Asian Jews, this new Haggadah celebrates being both Asian and Jewish amidst Passover rituals. This year’s Haggadah will include, for the first time: A LUNAR Niggun, Queer Asian Jewish reflections on the Maggid, Passover Through Miriam’s Eyes, new Asian Jewish Passover illustrations, and Dayenu for Asian Jews.

Freedom Feast: Multifaith Liberation Seder with Lab/Shul
Wednesday, April 5 at 5:30pm ET, in-person in New York City and online 

Freedom Feast is an interactive and embodied Multi-Faith Passover Seder led by faith leaders, artists and activists, inspired by ancient shared narratives and commitment to justice, liberation, and dignity for all. In celebration of Passover and spring, during Holy Week and the month of Ramadan,  we gather for a communal ritual feast, fused with contemplation, conversation, sacred stories, secrets and songs.

Dream Seder with Kohenet 
Wednesday, April 5 at 7pm ET, online 

The Exodus is like a collective dream: frogs rising out of rivers, walking through the sea at midnight. And our dreams are often like an Exodus: we find in our dreams moments of redemption, terror, freedom, and miracle. During this online Seder, we’ll conduct traditional Passover rituals and sing the Seder songs and, at intervals throughout the Seder, we’ll listen to participants’ sleeping and waking dreams of liberation, in order to weave new prophecies needed in our own time.  Bring your own dreams, Seder plate, and meal. We’ll do the rest!  Led by R. Jill Hammer (Ye'ilah), Shoshana Jedwab (Batshemesh) and the Kohenet Community. 

ReCollect/Yizkor: A Kaddish Gathering with Lab/Shul
Wednesday, April 12 at 6pm ET in-person and 6:15pm online

ReCollect/Yizkor gatherings offer grief support for those in active mourning, experiencing loss and/or observing a yahrzeit. Whether experiencing a recent loss, remembering a loved one who passed away long ago, or showing up to support the community. As we prepare for the upcoming Passover holiday, a time when the pain of loss may be more on the surface as we anticipate holidays without our loved ones, we will be gathering both IN PERSON in NYC (at 6pm ET) and VIRTUALLY (at 6:15pm ET) online.

How to Host a Zoom Seder

Posted by Haggadot

Gathering virtually this year? Follow these tips for hosting an engaging, interactive, and worry-free virtual seder on Zoom.

1. Share Your Haggadah on Zoom.

To ensure everyone can follow along, share your Haggadah on Zoom. To do this, you’ll first want to use our interactive tool to create your free Haggadah. Then you’ll want to download it as a Portrait PDF and share your screen in Zoom. For more instructions on how to do this, check out our post here. 

2. Incorporate Videos.

Take advantage of the virtual environment by incorporating videos into your Haggadah. For a grown-up crowd, we recommend starting with the DIY Seder by the Jewish Emergent Network to inspire, spark discussion, and bring meaning to your virtual seder. For kid-friendly videos, check out the PJ Library video seder.

3. Don’t Skip the Afikomen!

While it may be harder to do a virtual afikomen hunt, it’s not impossible. Check out our post with some fun creative ideas, including a scavenger hunt, Afikomen Bingo, and more. 

4. Celebrate Computers.

You’re already hosting a computer-based seder, why not take it one step further and use a Haggadah supplement that was written by a computer? Check out our Chat GPT Haggadah supplement for silly and creative additions to your seder this year. 

5. Mix it up a little bit!

Don’t be afraid to shirk the traditional, and incorporate some fun into your seder. Consider using Mission From Moses, which transforms the afikoman hunt into a role-playing game, or the One Piece Haggadah which adapts a popular manga series. 

6. Make it inclusive.

Be sure to design a seder that welcomes all by taking advantage of the accessibility features within Zoom, like closed captions and the ability to mute participants who may be making a lot of background noise. You can explore some of our inclusive Haggadot to find clips that welcome and honor guests of all backgrounds and experiences, like our Liberal Haggadah, the JQ International GLBT Haggadah, the Mizrahi and Sephardic Passover Guide, the #BlackLivesMatter Haggadah, and the Haggadah for Justice.
 

For more seder ideas, be sure to sign up for our email list and follow us on social media. Happy Passover!

5 Tips for Hosting a Kid-Friendly Seder

Posted by Haggadot

Whether you're a grandparent, parent, or friend who’s hosting kids this year, here are five ways to plan a kid-friendly seder and ensure the children at your seder love Passover as much as you do. 

 

1. Keep Your Seder Short

If you have younger kids coming to your Passover seder, they’re likely to have shorter attention spans. Consider using one of our condensed seders, like the 2-Minute Haggadah, or a seder full of activities for kids like the Seder For Young Children.

 

2. Create an Interactive Seder

To hold the attention spans of your youngest guests, consider printing out copies of our popular Coloring Book Haggadah to keep kids entertained, and incorporating some videos from the PJ Library video seder. For older kids, check out Our Favorites for Families to find activities like a scripted play, a crossword puzzle, and more. 

 

3. Use One of Our Haggadot for Teenagers

For a teen-friendly seder, we recommend the Global Teenagers’ Haggadah Supplement by the Milken Community Schools, the Heroes Haggadah inspired by superheroes and larger-than-life characters, and the FriendSeder Haggadah from our partners at The Well in Detroit. 

 

4. Mix Your Seder Up a Little Bit!

Don’t be afraid to shirk the traditional, and incorporate some fun into your seder. Consider using Mission From Moses, which transforms the afikoman hunt into a role-playing game, or the One Piece Haggadah which adapts a popular manga series. 

 

5. Make a Haggadah That's Fun and Inclusive

Add in some fun with the skits and jokes from Rabbi Daniel Brenner. For children with disabilities, the Inclusion Haggadah by Matan includes visual storytelling with all the key Haggadah elements. 

 

For more seder ideas, be sure to sign up for our email list and follow us on social media. Happy Passover!

 

Secular Synagogue Webinar

Posted by Haggadot

Join Secular Synagogue and Haggadot.com for a workshop on creating your own secular/culturally Jewish seder with options for interfaith/intercultural/diverse families, folks from intersectional/diverse backgrounds/identities, and anyone who wants to make Passover meaningful and fun! Register on the Secular Synagogue website. 

Recommendations for family-friendly seders

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Want the children at your seder to love Passover as much as you do?

We can help! If you’re short on time, or looking to host a quicker seder for kids, we recommend the Coloring Book Haggadah, the Step-By-Step Video Haggadah, and the 10-Minute Dayenu Seder by the Jewish Grandparents Network.  
Want to create something customized?  Our Favorites For Families and Seder For Young Children are a great place to start, with lots of activities, games, skits and jokes for your Haggadah. And for children with disabilities, the Inclusion Haggadah by Matan includes visual storytelling with all the key Haggadah elements. 

2023 Passover Office Hours Webinars

Posted by Haggadot

From the creative to the technical and everything in between, we're here to help you make this Passover celebration meaningful and personal. In our recent Office Hours webinars, we showed you how to get the most out of the site and answered a few questions.
 

Watch the recording from March 29th here

Watch the recording from March 22nd here

Find our brand-new Chat GPT Haggadah here!

Check out Chat GPT and Dall E; feel free to email links to any clips you create to [email protected]! 

Do What Brings You Joy This Passover! 🌟🌟🌟

Posted by Haggadot

Happy Adar - Let's Make Room For Joy

We're six weeks out from Passover, and with everything happening in the world, finding joy can feel challenging. But in the month of Adar we're invited to find happiness, even in our darkest moments. We're making time to appreciate the small, special things in our everyday lives.   Our Passover Meditation Guide is a great place to start.

Pre-Passover Tip of The Week: Take Time to Savor

Preparing for Passover can feel stressful, but it can also be joyful. When you take the time to savor, you pause for a moment and just take it all in. Whether you're grateful for reuniting in person, for the sights and smells of the holiday or just for the return of a favorite time of year, savor it.   Download Our Favorites For Savoring Mindfulness For Each Step of the Seder Passover Meditation Guide Embodied Practice  Four Mental Health Questions.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Savor the Season With Ready-To-Print Booklets

Passover Meditation Guide Exhale into these reflective Passover meditations led by Alison Laichter, with illustrations by Jessica Tamar Deutsch.  Minimalist Haggadah Savor simplicity when you download this haggadah that's perfect for the minimalist who also loves connection.  Purim Discovery Kit This printable guide from Jewish Grandparents Network will help you and your family bring Purim to life through play and imagination.  Purim Mask Coloring P​ages There's still two weeks to download these coloring pages and then create the easiest Purim costume! Schitt's Creek Haggadah Who's your favorite character? Reconnect with everyone in the Rose Family with this haggadah. Passover Coloring Book Let out your artistic side with our coloring book, perfect for art fans of all ages. Download & print, then get ready for a beautiful seder.

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It's Almost Valentine's Day 💕 Print Our Yiddish Valentines!

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Be Mine, Valentine!

Tomorrow, February 14, is Valentine's Day! We know it's not a Jewish holiday, but it's always a good time to download and print our Yiddish Valentines! Send to your beloved or share them with your bestie for Galentine's Day?

SHARE THE LOVE

What Do You Love Most About Passover?

With just under two months to go, now's the time to get dreamy and start thinking about what aspects of Passover really resonate with you. Love pop culture? Start with our much-beloved Golden Girls or Schitt's Creek Haggadahs. Want to reconnect with yourself? Check out our Passover Meditation Guide. Curious what we love? Take a look at our 2022 Favorites and keep an eye out for 2023!

START HERE

Beat the Late Winter Blues With Our Faves

Yiddish Valentines Get ready to plan a Valentine's Day treat for your loved ones! Simple Shabbat Blessings All the blessings you need for your Shabbat table: just download and print.  Jewish Home Blessings This winter, you're invited to bring blessing into your home for that extra cozy feeling.  Purim Mask Coloring Pages DIY your Purim celebration with these printable masks for all ages! Healing & Health Poetry, meditations, and blessings on the topics of health and healing.  Heirloom Circle Bring your family together to tell the stories of your heirlooms and family history.

We're supported by users like you!   If you love our work, please help us maintain our free resources. Your donation is tax-deductible!

DONATE HERE

Raise Your Glass to Trees 🌴 Download Our Tu B'Shvat Faves

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Get Ready to Throw a Tree Party!

This Sunday, February 5, we celebrate Tu B'Shvat, a birthday for all the trees. In the 16th Century, Kabbalists created a festive seder where we drink wine and eat different fruits and nuts, to honor our relationship with nature and the beauty of creation.  You can customize your own Tu B'Shvat Seder or download our popular coloring book!

IT'S TREE TIME

8 Weeks Until Passover! Check Out Our Most Popular Booklets

Minimalist Haggadah Comedy Seder Schitt's Creek Haggadah Honoring the People of Ukraine

START HERE

Stay Warm and Cozy With Our Winter Faves!

Yiddish Valentines Get ready to plan a Valentine's Day treat for your loved ones! Tu B'Shvat Seder Fall in love with a tree near you, and bless the fruits they share with us in this spiritual gathering.  Jewish Home Blessings This winter, you're invited to bring blessing into your home for that extra cozy feeling.  Tu Bishvat Coloring Book Download our popular coloring book and find all the activities for a fruit-filled seder!  Hazon Tu B'Shvat Haggadah Celebrate the New Year of the Trees with this future-facing haggadah from Hazon.  Tu B'Shevat Seder For Families Our friends at PJ Library put together this Tu B'Shevat seder that's perfect for kids of all ages.