NYC Gazette

Yeshiva University has unveiled a collection of new Haggadot and Pesach-related publications for Passover 2024, created by YU faculty and students.

Dr. Rona Novick, dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, described the focus of their yearly Haggadah companion, stating, "For preschoolers, the activities provide focus on journeys, the roadblocks that may delay us and the help we can depend on from G-d. For elementary school learners, there are games and prompts to explore how we deal with difficulty and how chesed [acts of kindness] can help. For tweens and teens, we explore the idea of covenants, promises, and how the journey of Passover relates to promises to the Jewish people and our responsibilities to do our part."

Dr. Erica Brown, Vice Provost and Director of the Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership, introduced a new 4-page insert linking the Haggadah to the current situation in Israel, emphasizing the importance of keeping the Israeli situation in mind during the Seder.

Max Hollander, a semicha student at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, highlighted the significance of the #QuietingTheSilence Haggadah, which incorporates Passover themes with mental health awareness. Hollander stated, "Telling stories of people living with mental illness helps de-stigmatize conversations about mental illness and helps others feel less alone in their mental health journeys."

The Batei Yosef Pesach Volume 1, Inyanei Chametz, a highly anticipated publication sponsored in memory of Rabbi Mark Karasick z”l, aims to bring the Torah scholarship of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik to the world, providing new insights and approaches to the laws of chametz.

Other notable publications include the Haggadot Shel Pesach by Rabbi Eli Baruch Shulman, Rabbi Mordechai Willig, and Rabbi Dr. Stuart Halpern, each offering unique insights and analyses on the Passover seder and related topics.

These new publications from Yeshiva University promise to enrich the Passover experience for individuals and families, offering a blend of tradition, scholarship, and contemporary relevance.