Notes from the Lampert Library
When it comes to Passover even before we get to the four official questions, there are lots of other questions to ask.
How do I make a seder? Is it possible to keep a balance between ritual and antsy guests? How can I make the seder meaningful not only for my Jewish guests but also for the strangers at my table who may not even be Jewish? How does that decadent chocolate dessert become acceptable for Passover? How can I make sure that Cousin Lily and Cousin Sue don’t fight?
The Lampert Library has answers to most of these questions. For shalom bayit, family peace, you’re on your own.
Many of the following books are suitable for younger readers as well as adult readers looking for basic information. In fact, I often find that books for young readers have exactly the right amount of information for me – not too heavy, not too light – just like the best matzoh balls.
J indicates books for younger readers
J243.2 Ask Another Question does just that in a straightforward explanation of the holiday and its rituals.
243.2 Creating Lively Passover Seders is filled with resources for seder leaders. Everyone will find something suitable in this book. An index is handy for finding homing in on the right topic.
J243.2 The Kids’ Catalog of Passover includes customs, crafts, recipes, stories, songs and more for the whole family.
243.2 Leading the Passover Journey is a step-by-step guide which includes much of the Hebrew text.
J243.2 The Passover Journey is a seder companion that tells the story as a storyteller might. The rest of the book takes the reader through fourteen steps of the seder with explanations
J243.2 Pearls’ Passover is a charmingly illustrated guide to holiday preparation and celebration including story, recipes, crafts.
243.2 Pesach for the Rest of Us , a highly personalized guide by the well-known writer Marge Piercy, includes not only items to read at the seder but also personal reflections and recipes.
J243.2 Wonders and Miracles, organized around the seder’s fourteen steps, is filled with stories and songs to complement each. Illustrated with reproductions of art spanning three thousand years.
262.5 Go forth and Learn comes in two parts: the traditional text with a line by line commentary and a section of eight essays and related Biblical texts.
262.5 My People’s Haggadah, an exhaustive 2 volume commentary on the haggadah, draws on both the traditional text and modern commentaries.
262.5 The Szyk Haggadah is one of the most beautiful. Szyk uses gorgeous vibrant colors. Written in 1936, it has a distinctly European look. It’s worth looking at for the art alone.
262.5 The Women’s Seder Sourcebook brings modern women’s voices to the various parts of the seder and can easily be adapted for any seder.
How-tos, of course, include cookbooks. Almost every Jewish cookbook includes at least a few recipes suitable for Passover. There are also specialized Passover cookbooks. Joan Nathan’s recipes always turn out well. Check out one of the excellent cookbooks in our collection. Look for the numbers 641.5 on the spine of the book. Bitayavon!
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