Posted by Haggadot

Can you believe that it's almost Passover? Some of us have already begun cleaning our houses. Some of us have begun our Passover shopping in anticipation of the holiday. And some us have begun thinking about what will make this year's seder different and more meaningful than last year's.

We can’t help you with your cleaning or shopping, but the seder happens to be our expertise! Check out the new material posted this week on haggadot.com.

-Rabbi Rosenberg from Edison, NJ has posted pieces from his siddur for Holocaust Remembrance day.

-Yoel Benharrouche, of Jerusalem, has shared some of his stunning artwork with us.

-Rabbi Kligfeld of Temple Beth Am in Los Angeles shared his favorite seder tune along with the story of how it became his favorite seder song.

-Jewish Boston has begun posting their newly released Haggadah, which they hope will enable more Jews to participate at the seder.

-The Shalom Center in Philadelphia shared selections from the "Freedom Seder," which puts a modern twist on the issues of freedom and slavery from the Passover story.

-The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in Washington DC uploaded pieces that reflect a contemporary outlook on various sections of the haggadah.

We can't wait to see what great content next week will bring!

Shabbat Shalom.

Posted by Haggadot

Those of us who grew up in the great age of Disney animated feature films (1990s) know movies such as The Little Mermaid and The Lion King to be classics. And they are.  Their story lines are well known, their songs always on the tip of our tongues, and their characters unforgettable.  But what is it really about these movies that made them so successful (other than the cutting-edge animation)? I’d argue that we could all see ourselves in the characters. Okay, maybe none of us are as evil as Ursella and her eels. But there is a part of each and every one of us that thinks the grass is greener on the other side, that wants to be a part of something we view as fascinating and intriguing, and feels trapped by the world we’re in.

Disney, though they are creative geniuses, did not invent the idea of a narrative with relatable characters and universal themes. Just take a look at the Bible. Open up to any page. It might not be as obvious to you as the colorful, animated films, but if you think about it, you’ll see yourself reflected in every page.

In light of the upcoming holiday of Purim, I recently started thinking about the connections between the story of Esther and Aladdin.  Even without having seen Aladdin in probably over ten years, some of the parallels with the characters jumped out at me.  Haman, the evil villain of the Purim narrative, is manipulative, wants to kill Mordechai, and is a power-hungry advisor to the king. Sound familiar? King Achashverosh, according to many interpretations of the story, is not aware of Haman’s plan, allows himself to be manipulated, and only seems to care about his beautiful wife, Esther, and how others perceive him.  He may even have been in a constant state of paranoia and drunkenness.  Aladdin’s Sultan is literally hypnotized by Jafar and gives Jafar his “ring”, presumably one of the most notable symbols of his power.  Continuing on with the character parallels you can view Esther in Jasmine, Mordechai in Aladdin, Zeresh in Iago, and even God in the Genie.  We’ll leave those deeper analyses for another time.

Once I thought past the character parallels (and saw the movie again), I realized that characters’ struggles are reflective of larger themes.  Aladdin is not only about staying out of trouble, beating the bad guy, and falling in love.  It’s about taking responsibility for your own destiny. It’s about identity. And it’s about freedom.  Each one of these is a major theme in Megillat Esther.

Toward the beginning of the movie, Aladdin falls in love with Jasmine. He believes that he doesn’t have a chance with her because he is not a prince. The law says a princess must marry a prince. At first, Aladdin loses all hope.  Then, after becoming the Genie’s master, he realizes that by becoming a prince, he can win Jasmine’s heart. (Later he’ll realize he just needed to be himself!) When Mordechai hears Haman’s decree to kill the Jews, he mourns. Esther doesn’t seem to think she can take action. When Mordechai reminds her that she is in the perfect position to take action, she does. And guess what, she saves the Jews. She doesn’t allow the authority of the king or a law that prohibits her from showing up unannounced to stop her. At the end of Aladdin, the Sultan tears up the law about only marrying princes just like Haman’s decree was edited to allow the Jews to fight back.

Aladdin, the street-rat, dreams of being in the palace. Jasmine, trapped inside the palace walls, dreams of venturing outside. They both struggle with their identity. They both try to hide their identity. They both eventually are forced to tell the truth. And they both live happily ever after. Following Mordechai’s instruction, Esther does not reveal her Jewish identity in the palace. It is almost as if she is living in a parallel universe, hidden behind the palace walls with her new identity. Interestingly, it is Mordechai again who convinces her to reveal herself to save the Jewish people. And guess what? When the king finally learns her real identity, he doesn’t kick her out! He grants her all her wishes, and Mordechai becomes an even more important figure in the government.

When Aladdin learns that he can make 3 wishes, he promises Genie that on his third wish, he will set him free. Ever wonder what those bracelet-type things on Genie’s wrist are? They’re shackles, symbolizing his bondage. That’s kind of how the Jews were for most of the Esther story. They were destined to be thrown around, bullied, and even killed. And at the end, they were saved, able to defend themselves, and took over Haman’s post. Still, it’s not just the Genie who is released from bondage. Both the Sultan and Jasmine are released from the strict rule of law about her impending marriage. The Sultan is released from Jafar’s spell. Aladdin is saved from a life of poverty and thievery. In this same way, the heroes of Purim are freed from themselves and from hiding behind the facade they had create for themselves.

So you see, Aladdin can teach us a lot, but Esther taught us about these things way before Aladdin came out in theaters almost twenty years ago.  Purim isn’t just about the Jews being saved. It’s about us, today.

Don’t just continue on the course life is taking you because that’s where you’ve always been. It is up to us to take action for what we truly believe. We need to be ourselves and not try to be or wish we were someone else. Who we are is so much better than the person we sometimes pretend to be.  And, finally, let us value the freedom that we are fortunate to have in this world. Let us not allow ourselves to become slaves to our cell phones, our favorite TV shows, our emails, and our stomachs. Let us learn to listen to our hearts and our brains so that we can be ourselves instead of hiding from ourselves. 

Posted by Haggadot

Somehow, in the last 20 or so years, the Tu Bishvat seder has become an increasingly popular Tu Bishvat ritual. Tu Bishvat seders, modeled after the Passover seder and created by 16th century Kabbalists, have become an important way of marking this date in the Jewish calendar, especially in the green age of environmentalism. I have very early memories of attending Tu Bishvat seders. Actually, I dreaded these seders because they were all about eating the fruit of the land of Israel, and I don’t eat fruit! The only parts of the seder I ever partook in were eating crackers and drinking grape juice. One of the great things about a Tu Bishvat seder, even for the most observant Jew, is that the texts and readings are flexible. In creating your own seder, you may choose to read excerpts from The Giving Tree or Hebrew poetry about the land of Israel or commentaries on Biblical imagery that relates to nature. Many of the already compiled seder texts relate to Kabbalah, spirituality, and meditation. One thing is certain if you are preparing a Tu Bishvat seder—you will need LOTS of fruit! The following blessing for eating fruit might come in handy: Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam Borei peri ha-etz Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe Who creates fruit of trees. Here are some helpful resources for preparing your very own Tu Bishvat seder. Good luck! Hillel’s Tu Bishvat Seder and Helpful Information http://www.hillel.org/jewish/holidays/tubshevat/default.htm Ritual Well’s Tu Bishvat Seder http://www.ritualwell.org/holidays/tubshvat/PrimaryObject.2005-04-23.4355 Jewcology Tu Bishvat resources: http://www.jewcology.com/resources MyJewishLearning.com’s Tu Bishvat resources: http://www.myjewishlearning.com/holidays/Jewish_Holidays/Tu_Bishvat.shtml

Posted by Haggadot

Mean Girls Parody: On Passover We Wear Pink
https://www.haggadot.com/clip/passover-we-wear-pink

Pharoah and Moses Go to a Conflit Counselor

Story of the Exodos by JewBelong

Reverse Story Of Exodus Script (JewBelong's Script Adapted by Moishe House London)
https://www.haggadot.com/clip/reverse-story-exodus-script

Ten Minute Script for All Ages

 "A Not-So-Serious Passover Play for the Classroom or the Dining Room" posted by Smith College Jewish Community
https://www.haggadot.com/clip/our-shpiel

#TheExodus posted by Kenny Leibowitz
https://www.haggadot.com/clip/theexodus-skit