The Schechter Haggadah: Art, History and Commentary
By Joshua Kulp and David Golinkin, Jerusalem, hard cover; 350 pages and over 115 illustrations, $49.50;Special Schechter Price (Through March 15): $33;
Set of 6: $180; Set of 12: $350. In Israel: 132 NIS; Set of 6: 720 NIS; Set of 12: 1,400 NIS..
ALL PRICES INCLUDE SHIPPING.
The Schechter Haggadah: Art, History and Commentary presents a fascinating discussion and analysis of the historical development of each aspect of the Seder, from
the development of the Mah Nishtanah to the use of horseradish as maror, to the larger question of how new seder rituals were established and infused with meaning. Along with the traditional Hebrew text and English commentary, The Schechter Haggadah is adorned with 115 illuminations selected from Haggadot written or printed during the past 700 years.
Dr. Joshua Kulp is a co-founder of the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem, where he has taught Talmud and Halakhah for over a decade. He is also on the faculty of the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies and coordinates
the Mishnah Yomit program for the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. He holds a Ph.D. in Talmudic Studies from Bar-Ilan University and has published numerous articles on the Seder and other subjects in leading academic journals.
Prof. David Golinkin is President and the Jerome and Miriam Katzin Professor of Jewish Law at the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. He has published forty books and almost 200 articles on various aspects
of Jewish Studies. The illuminations for The Schechter Haggadah are taken from his personal collection of
Haggadot as well as from The Frank-Lovell and Morris and Beverly Baker Haggadah Collections in the Schechter Institute Library.
Praise for The Schechter Haggadah
“.... some new haggadot provide unique commentary, others contain innovative liturgy and practice, and still others resort to gimmickry and humor to win adherents. Only rarely does a haggadah appear that is truly remarkable. The Schechter Haggadah: Art, History, and Commentary, by Dr. Joshua Kulp and Rabbi David Golinkin, is indeed a remarkable haggadah…”
Tradition Seforim (online)
“…If you are interested in reading about the historical underpinnings of the major customs of the Seder night and at the same enjoying an astounding collection of Haggada illustrations, then Joshua Kulp's The Schechter Haggadah: Art, History and Commentary is for you…” The Jerusalem Post
“…Alternately poignant and provocative, and sometimes even funny, the art, selected by Schechter Institute President David Golinkin, seems certain to aid
the authors in their goal of reminding readers that "the purpose of the Seder is not simply to speed-read an ancient book and eat a festive meal…” The Forward
“…In addition to insightful explanations of the seder rituals and of each artwork,
the Haggadah offers relevant quotes about each section from Jewish sages, poetry, "reflections" for introspection, and suggestions for creative seder customs…. There is enough here to spur yom tov discussions for several years. 'If the Seder-leader does not have time to study the entire Haggadah,' the authors write, 'a different section or sections can be discussed at every Seder or the leader can assign different children or adults to study a section in advance
and to explain it at the Seder…”' The Jewish Week
Bedikat Hametz. The Yoel ben Shimon Ashkenazi Haggadah, Germany or Northern Italy, ca. 1450 (BL Ms. Add. 14762, fol. 1b). A man dressed in expensive clothes uses a feather and half a bowl to search for hametz in an ornate cupboard. Why would such a wealthy man use half a bowl? Daniel Sperber suggests that he used a broken bowl, because, according to Ashkenazic authorities, the bowl must be burned with the hametz, so why waste a good bowl! (Minhagey Yisrael, Vol. 7, Jerusalem, 2003, Chapter 12).
The Lovell Haggadah
By Matthew Berkowitz, Jerusalem, soft cover, 226 pages, $36; Special Schechter Price: $30; Set of 6: $165; Set of 12: $305. In Israel: 120 NIS; Set of 6: 660 NIS; Set of 12: 1,220 NIS. ALL PRICES INCLUDE SHIPPING.
The Lovell Haggadah, infused with vibrant artwork and lively discussion questions and activities, represents the culmination of a seven-year journey of Jewish learning and art. Comprehensive Hebrew text and contemporary egalitarian translation by author and illustrator Rabbi Matthew L. Berkowitz make the haggadah accessible and inviting.
The Lovell Haggadah will make you want to continue your seder far into the night!
Rabbi Matthew L. Berkowitz is the Senior Rabbinic Fellow in the Jewish Theological Seminary of America's KOLLOT: Voices of Learning program. An accomplished artist and sofer, he was formally trained in Jewish scribal art in Jerusalem. Ordained from JTS in 1999, Rabbi Berkowitz, a Wexner fellow, is a respected Jewish educator with a wide knowledge of practical rabbinics and Jewish sources which he shares with learning communities both in Israel and North America.
Praise for The Lovell Haggadah
“…[Rabbi Berkowitz]… infuses the text with beautiful, bordering on breathtaking symbolic illustrations in color that combine art and Hebrew lettering. Each of the twenty-seven illustrations is an 'archaeological dig, demonstrating the ability of art to interpret sacred text,’ the rabbi writes….” The Forward
“…Though Berkowitz's original works are deeply rooted in traditional sources, the Haggadah is not deaf to contemporary issues. The language is gender neutral… and is written with a ‘questioning consciousness,’ as Berkowitz writes in the introduction. It also reflects modern-day concerns pertaining to the State of Israel…”
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
“...A visual feast. His strong lettering and vibrant images, his sensitive English rendering of the Hebrew text and penetrating commentary appeal to the heart as much as to the mind. The artwork pulsates with landscapes of Israel, insights of midrash, and subtleties of the Hebrew language. Rabbi Berkowitz has praised God with every skill at his disposal…”
Dr. Ismar Schorsch, Rabbi Herman Abramovitz Professor of Jewish History, Chancellor Emeritus, Jewish Theological Seminary of America
“If Rabbi Berkowitz had only written the text of this haggadah, its creativity and insight would have been sufficient-dayenu. Had he only created the illustrations, his artistry would have more than spoken for itself-dayenu. But it is the combination of these two creative arenas, interwoven and inseparable, that makes this haggadah different from any I have encountered. The Lovell Haggadah . . .is truly one of a kind.”
Larry S. Moses President, The Wexner Foundation
Avadim Hayenu, We Were Slaves, Plate 6, The Lovell Haggadah, Copyright 2006, Rabbi Matthew
L. Berkowitz
The Schechter Institutes, Inc. is dedicated to the advancement of pluralistic Jewish education in Israel and Europe. A non-profit organization,it supports four educational institutions based in Jerusalem, Israel:
Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies: A Graduate School for Israeli Educators, where 600 students learn Jewish studies within a pluralistic environment Schechter Rabbinical Seminary which trains Conservative/Masorti rabbis in Israel TALI Education Fund which provides Jewish studies programs for 38,000 Israeli children in 184 state schools and kindergartens Midreshet Yerushalayim which provides Jewish education to Russian immigrants in Israel and Jewish communities in the Ukraine and Hungary.The Schechter Institutes, Inc. Box 3566, PO Box 8500, Philadelphia, PA 19178-3566, phone: 866-830-3321 (toll-free),
email: schechter@ehlconsulting.com
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