Haggadah supplement brings modern day issues in Israel to the seder table
Fellows from the New Israel Fund Australia have written a Haggadah supplement, “The Other Haggadah”, for the Passover seder addressing modern-day challenges including refugees, religious freedom, Bedouins and those living in the periphery as well as the economic margins of Israeli society.
“By focusing on the more vulnerable parts of Israeli society we hope you’ll get a deeper understanding of some of the challenges Israel is facing and what’s being done to make Israel more democratic and socially just,” said Dana Klas, a Melbourne-based participant in the Naomi Chazan Fellowship program.
The Other Haggadah covers a range of topics including:
- ● REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS examines the plight of Sudanese and Eritrean refugees fleeing to Israel toescape persecution.
- ● DEVELOPING THE DESERT shows how innovative programming is developing the desert, where the Israeliteswandered for 40 years, as a resource.
- ● BEDOUIN culture is historically based on a nomadic lifestyle, like the Jews wandering in the desert. Israel’sBedouins today face unique challenges as one of the most economically and politically disadvantaged groups
in the country.
- ● PUBLIC HOUSING is becoming increasingly inaccessible to those in need in Israel. Every year we sing“Dayenu” but this topic looks at what it means to survive for those on the economic margins.
- ● RELIGIOUS FREEDOM lies at the crux of the Passover story. This section highlights how in Israel todaynon-Orthodox Jewish religious groups are battling increasingly stringent religious interpretations of how to practice their religion.
The Other Haggadah is designed to allow conversation segways during the seder and modern-day connections to the ancient themes of freedom and slavery. In addition to an overview of each topic, each section includes interactive discussion ideas, as well as a fact box and opportunities for further information for those who want to explore the ideas raised further.
“The seder is a wonderful opportunity to bring everyone together around the table to discuss things. We hope that with the help of The Other Haggadah conversations can be informed and updated about the modern day challenges in Israel today,” said NIF Australia Executive Director Liam Getreu.
He continued: “Last year, we had hundreds of people taking part in seders across Australia who used The Other Haggadah supplement in their homes, to bring interesting and thoughtful discussions about social justice issues in Israel.”
The Other Haggadah is available free online at www.theotherhaggadah.org – both as an online resource and a printable PDF.
I have just read through the Pdf of this “Hagaddah”. It is sickening. A complete distortion of everything Judaism stands for. It is sacrilegious and blasphemous. Not content with bringing down Israel and endangering Jewish lives, this insidious NIF sets out to demean and rewrite the story of Pesach to fit their warped narrative and sick worldview.