Haggadah

The high expectation with which this edition of the Haggadah was awaited was dashed almost immediately on examination of its contents. The English text, quite apart from a considerable licence in the translation, is often grammatically incorrect and sometimes borders on the ludicrous. For example, a sentence such as 'Slaves is what we were - slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt' is tangled nonsense. One hoped for so much when one heard of a great writer such as Foer being associated with the project, and one feels so let down on reading the result. The format, too is clever-clever rather than practical, with pages hopping between a landscape and portrait format and with pointlessly arty decorations that in no way help with the telling of the Passsover story or the illumination of the book. Nice binding, nice paper, but who on earth do the designers, the translators and the commentators expect to be comfortable with this misguided production.

I do not know how this compares to other Haggadahs, but it is a fascinating book for someone of a non- Jewish background. We wanted to know more about Passover, and the lives of the Apostles and so sat and read it at dinner time. It was an instructive and moving experience for us, and one which will become a house tradition.

People with a real interest in the Hebrew Language, ancient history and beautiful bible quotes, will love this book. Well worth the £ 16!

One can't have too many Haggadahs and, just as the one you've been using starts to fade, along comes a 21st Century one to replace it. Love it or hate it, it will certainly stimulate your Seder. Like all good Haggadahs, best read before Seder night to really appreciate.

This is a terrific Haggadah. The translation is engaging; the commentaries stimulating; the design intriguing; and the timeline fascinating. It is not an undemanding Haggadah from any standpoint, but it offers a great deal to stimulate discussion and interest in the traditions and rituals of the Passover seder. I heartily recommend it.Two minor kvetches: 1. There are times when the text--both in English and Hebrew--gets too small for some (particularly more experienced) readers. 2. It is pitched at a high level of literacy and comprehension, meaning it is much more suited for engaged and educated adults than for younger participants and those less familiar with the story. It might do more to reach the 'Artless One' and the 'One Who Doesn't Even Know to Ask'.But all in all a fantastic addition to the ever expanding library of haggadot.