Ratner Media & Technology Center
Pesah 2015
The Jewish Education Center Of Cleveland
2030 South Taylor Road  Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
Phone (216) 371-0446  Fax (216) 371-2523  Web Site: www.jecc.org
Pesah Resources
I Left with Moses. http://iLeftWithMoses.weebly.com.
Built around one of the big ideas of the Haggadah – that in every generation we have to
see ourselves as if we left Egypt – the site develops understanding and seder skills for
middle grade students, and includes an adult-level page for parents, as well. Website
visitors join Moses on the journey out of Egypt by clicking on what interests them - short
readings, short videos and some items that ask for their thoughts. (For grades 4 – 7).
Juvenile Literature
Adler, David. The Story of Passover. Illus. by Jill Weber. New York: Holiday House,
2014.
This is a straight-forward re-telling of how Moses was saved as an infant and then grew
up to lead the Jewish people out of slavery. The illustrations are boldly colored acrylic
paintings. (For kindergarten – grade 2).
Balsley, Tilda. Let My People Go! Illus. by Ilene Richard. Minneapolis: Kar-Ben, 2011.
A rhyming story that describes the Ten Plagues and the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt.
The story is in script format and can be performed as a play. (For preschool – grade 2).
PJ Library offering.
Barash, Chris. Is It Passover Yet? Illus. by Alessandra Psacharopulo. Park Ridge, Il:
Albert Whitman, 2015.
A family prepare for Pesah by getting rid of hametz (bread products) and setting the seder
table. (For preschool – grade 2). PJ Library Offering.
Cohen, Deborah Bodin. Engineer Ari and the Passover Rush. Illus.by Shahar Kober.
Minneapolis: Kar-Ben, 2015.
In 1893, Engineer Ari is in a rush to get his train to Jerusalem and back before Pesah.
However, he still needs many foods for his seder plate. (Preschool – grade 2).
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Cohen, Deborah Bodin. Nachshon, Who is Afraid to Swim: A Passover Story. Illus.
by Jago. Minneapolis: Kar-Ben, 2009.
This is the story of Nachson ben Aminadav. He was a slave under Pharaoh’s rule and
was very brave except for his fear of the water. Moses told him that one has to conquer
fears to be truly free. When Moses led the Israelites to freedom, Nachson faced his fear
and crossed the Red Sea. (For grades 1 – 4). PJ Library Offering.
Edwards, Michelle. Max Makes a Cake. Illus. by Charles Santoso. New York: Random
House, 2014.
Without the help of adults, Max bakes a birthday cake for his mom that is kosher for
Pesah. (For preschool - grade 2). PJ Library Offering.
Fireside, Bryna J. Private Joel and the Sewell Mountain Seder. Minneapolis: Kar-Ben,
2008.
A chapter book inspired by a true Civil War story. At the time of Pesah, a Jewish soldier
and his company, along with three former slaves, improvised a seder. (For grades 3 – 6).
PJ Library offering.
Gehl, Laura. And Then Another Sheep Turned Up. Illus. by Amy Adele. Minneapolis:
Kar-Ben, 2015.
Rhyming text describes a family of sheep whose seder keeps being interrupted by the
arrival of many additional relatives. (For preschool – grade 1). PJ Library offering.
Glazer, Linda. Stone Soup with Matzoh Balls: A Passover Tale in Chelm. Illus.
Maryam Tabatabaei. New York: Albert Whitman & Company, 2014.
A version of Stone Soup, where a man gets the townspeople to contribute to and prepare
unknowingly a seder feast for all to share. (For grades 1 – 4). PJ Library Offering.
Goetz, Bracha. On Pesach. What do You See? New York: Judaica Press, 2007.
A board book that teaches toddlers about the symbols and customs of Pesah. It features
photographs of babies and toddlers. (For preschool).
Greengard, Alison. Illus. by Crol Racklin-Siegal. Oakland, CA: EKS.
Written in Hebrew and English, the text is excerpted from the Book of Exodus. (For
grades 1 – 6).
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The Brave Women Who Saved Moses. 2009.
Tells the story of the women who insured Moses' survival: Puach and Shifrah the midwives, Jocheved his mother, Miriam, and Pharaoh's daughter.
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Let My People Go! 2011.
Moses witnesses an Egyptian’s cruelty to a Jewish slave, has an
encounter with G-d and leads his people from slavery.
Howland, Naomi. The Matzah Man. New York: Clarion, 2002.
A well-illustrated and designed version of the Gingerbread Boy. It is also available in
Hebrew. (For preschool and kindergarten).
Jules, Jacqueline. Miriam in the Desert. Illus. by Natascia Ugliano. Minneapolis: KarBen, 2010.
Bezalel, supposedly Miriam's grandson who was the artist chosen to build the Holy Ark,
describes how Miriam comforted the escaped slaves in the desert. (For grades 1 – 3).
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Kimmel, Eric A. Scarlett and Sam: Escape from Egypt. Illus. by Ivica Stevanovic.
Minneapolis: Kar-Ben, 2015.
A chapter book in which the twins Scarlett and Sam travel back in time to Egypt in the
time of Moses. They come to understand that every Jew left Egypt with Moses and the
Israelites. (For grades 3 – 5). PJ Library offering.
Kimmelman, Leslie. The Little Red Hen and the Passover Matzah. Illus. by Paul
Meisel. New York: Holiday House, 2010.
A Yiddish-inflected retelling of “The Little Red Hen” features a balabusta (good
homemaker) who kvetches her no-goodnick friends will not help her make matzah from
wheat. When they show up for seder, the hen scolds them, “What chutzpah!” Ultimately,
they repent and the hen forgives them, because she is a mensch. (For preschool – grade
2) PJ Library offering.
Latimer, Miriam. Dayenu! A Favorite Passover Song. NY: Cartwheel Books, 2012.
A board book that combines the melody of the Pesah song with a recounting of the Jews'
exodus from Egypt to Israel. (For preschool and kindergarten). PJ Library offering.
Marshall. Linda Ellowitz. The Passover Lamb. Illus. by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. New York:
Random House, 2013.
Miriam’s family is about to leave their farm to attend a seder when a sheep gives birth to
triplets. Since the mother sheep lacks interest in one of her offspring, it’s up to Miriam to
think of a way to rescue both the baby lamb and her family's Pesah. (For kindergarten –
grade 3). PJ Library Offering.
Medoff, Francine. The Mouse in the Matzah Factory. Rev. Ed. Minneapolis:
Kar-Ben, 2003.
A new version of this classic story with color illustrations. Shows in story form how
sh’mura matzah (the strictly “watched matzah”) is made. (For preschool – grade 2).
Newman, Leslâea. A Sweet Passover. Illus. by David Slonim. New York: Abrams
Books for Young Readers, 2012.
Miriam learns the meaning of Passover when her grandfather makes a special matzah
dish. Includes recipe for matzah brei (similar to French toast, but with unleavened bread),
and a glossary of Hebrew and Yiddish words used in the text. (For kindergarten – grade
3). PJ Library Offering.
O'Connell, Rebecca. Penina Levine is a Hard-Boiled Egg. New Milford, CT:
Roaring Book Press, 2007.
When they are preparing for the Pesah seder, Penina Levine’s grandmother calls her a
"hard-boiled egg," because she gets tougher when the heat is turned on. The humorous
illustrations by Majella Lue Sue complement the story. (For grades 3 – 6).
Portnoy, Mindy Avra. Tale of Two Seders. Minneapolis: Kar-Ben, 2010.
After her parent’s divorce, a little girl attends a seder at each of their homes and she
comments on the charoset. At the conclusion, her mother compares families to charoset some sweeter than others, some stickier, but each tasty in its own way. Four charoset
recipes follow the story, which is colorfully illustrated. (For grades 1 – 4).
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Sasso, Sandy Eisenberg. Abuelita's Secret Matzahs. Cincinnati: Emmis Books, 2005.
During Pesah, a little boy learning that his family, now Catholic, is descended from
Spanish Jews. With appealing illustrations and a sincere text, this will serve as an
unusual supplement to more traditional Pesah stories. (For grades 2 – 4).
Snyder, Laurel. The Longest Night: A Passover Story. Illus. by Catia Chien. New
York: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2013.
Rhyming text. A child in Egypt tells what the Jews are experiencing in the days leading up
to their flight from Egyptian slavery. Winner of 2014 Sydney Taylor Award for Younger
Readers. (For grades 1 – 3). PJ Library Offering.
Sper, Emily. The Passover Seder: Touch Turn, Open and Learn! New York:
Scholastic/Raintree, 2003.
An interactive introduction to the seder with colorful graphics. Important vocabulary and
concepts are written in Hebrew, transliteration, and English. (For preschool – grade 2).
Strauss, Linda Leopold. The Elijah Door: A Passover Tale. Illus. by Alexi Natchey. NY:
Holiday House, 2011.
For years the Galinskys and Lippas have shared seder. But no more! Mama Lippa shuts
her windows tight against the Galinsky voices. Papa Galinsky cuts a new side door to
avoid seeing the Lippas. But David Lippa and Rachel Galinsky love each other, and
fortunately, they have a trick up their sleeves. (For grades 2 – 4).
Weber, Elka. The Yankee at the Seder. Illus. by Adam Gustavson. Berkeley: Tricycle
Press, 2009.
Soon after the Civil War, Corporal Myer Samuel Levy, a Union soldier, stops at a Jewish
home in Virginia and spends seder with the family. (For grades 3-6). PJ Library offering.
Werner, Osher. Pharaoh and the Fabulous Frog Invasion. New York: The Judaica
Press, 2007.
A fun "frog's-eye" view of how the stubborn king Pharaoh and the wicked Egyptians got
just what they deserved for being so mean to the Jews. (For preschool – grade 2).
Ziefert, Harriet. Passover: Celebrating Now Remembering Then. Maplewood, NJ:
Blue Apple Books, 2010.
An excellent book that describes the order of the seder with explanations of the symbols
and customs. Each explanation is accompanied by a fold out page with folk-inspired
illustrations by Karla Gudeon. (For preschool – grade 4).
Non-Fiction
Ansh, Tamar. Let My Children Cook!: A Passover Cookbook for Kids. New York:
Judaica Press, 2014.
The book is divided into a dozen categories including: very important recipes for Pesah,
fun finger foods, munch and brunch, soups, fish, meats, chicken, veggies, desserts, and
fun arts & crafts. (For grades 3 – 10).
Boxer, Michael, ed. Seder Songs. NY: URJ/Transcontinental Music, 2011.
Features 22 Pesah songs from both Ashkenazi and Sephardi traditions and songs from
Peter and Ellen Allard, Noah Budin, Max Chaiken, Eric Komar, Steven Sher and Peri
Smilow. Two audio CDs accompany the song book.
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Gevirtz, Gila. Celebrating Passover: For the Family. Springfield, NJ: Behrman House,
2009.
The waterproof booklet is a guide to a family-friendly seder. It contains the blessings,
instructions, explanations and photographs of the different components of the seder.
(For grades 5 - adults).
Hantman, Shoshana. Passover Parodies: Short Plays for the Seder Table. Katonah,
NY: Rabbi Shoshana Hantman, 2014.
Pesah plays for the seder with different themes including: the Marx Brothers, Harry Potter,
William Shakespeare, Alfred Hitchcock, Sherlock Holmes, etc. (For grades 3 – adult).
Haggadah Shel Pesach. TaLAM-Hebrew and Heritage Curriculum. Quebec, Canada:
TaLAM/Avi Chai, 2010.
A Hebrew language workbook that examines the Haggadah. (For grades 3 – 6).
Heiligman, Deborah. Celebrate Passover with Matzah, Maror, and Memories.
Holidays around the World Series. Washington, DC: National Geographic, 2007.
Uganda, Yemen, Morocco, Hungary, Israel, the United States, and Canada are some of
the places photographed celebrating Pesah in this book. Rabbi Shir Stern's informative
note provides parents and teachers with an historical and cultural background of the
celebration. (For kindergarten – grade 4).
JECC. Fingerprints: Discovering Jewish Life. Cleveland, OH: Project Curriculum
Renewal, 2014.
The third edition of the early childhood curriculum is integrated with the Ohio Early
Learning and Development Standards (OELDS). (For preschool.)
JECC. Me and You: Jew & Jew. Cleveland: JECC, 2010.
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A Curriculum for Pre-kindergarten in a One-day-week Setting.
A curriculum for supplementary school pre-kindergarten classes that teaches
about the holidays through the lens of Jewish texts. The Pesah section focuses
on how Moses partnered with God to free the Jews from slavery. Therefore, the
seder reminds us of the Talmudic saying "Kol Yisrael areivim zeh lazeh." "All
Jews are mutually responsible for one another.”
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A Curriculum for Kindergarten in a One-day-week Setting.
A curriculum for a supplementary school kindergarten class that teaches the
holidays through the lens of Jewish text. The Pesah section explores the idea that
when Moses stood up to Pharaoh and asked for the Jewish slaves to be
released, he fulfilled the mitzvah V’ahavta l’rei-aha kamoha, Love your neighbor
as yourself, from Leviticus 19:18.
Kimmel, Eric. Wonders and Miracles: A Passover Companion. New York:
Scholastic, 2004.
An outstanding book that follows the traditional order of the seder while explaining each
part with stories, colorful illustrations and songs. (For grades 3 – 8).
customs and recipes from around the world. (For grades 3 – 6). PJ Library Offering.
Korngold, Jamie S. Seder in the Desert. Phot. by Jeff Finkelstein. Minneapolis: KarBen, 2014.
A photo journal of a hike and a seder in the Moab Desert in Utah. (For grades 1 – 4).
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Steinberg, Paul. Celebrating the Jewish Year: The Spring and Summer Holidays.
Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 2011.
Primary sources, poems, prayers, rituals and stories about Pesah, The Omer, Shavuot
and Tisha b’Av. (For adults).
Haggadot
Berg, Melissa. Pop Haggadah. Melissa Berg, 2014.
A Haggadah that has the commentary in the graphics and pop illustrations. (For adults).
Bronfman, Edgar M. The Bronfman Haggadah. Illus. by Jan Aronson. New York:
Rizzoli, 2012.
A Haggadah interwoven that draws from philanthropist Edgar Bronfman's own Jewish
experience. Illustrated with beautiful watercolor paintings. (For adults).
Foer, Jonathan Safran and Englander, Nathan. New American Haggadah. Illus. by
Oded Ezer. NY: Little Brown and Company, 2012.
The Haggadah features a new translation of the traditional text by Nathan Englander and
provocative commentary by major Jewish writers including Jeffrey Goldberg, Lemony
Snicket, Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, and Nathaniel Deutsch. (For adults).
Foster, Nellie et al. Sixty-Minute Seder: Preserving the Essence of the Passover
Haggadah (Sixty-Minute Collection). Chandler, AZ: Six Points Press, 2014.
In this Haggadah, a Conservative Jewish couple has condensed the seder
to under an hour. An easy-to-follow guide that explains how to prepare for Pesah. (For
adults).
Goldscheider, Aaron. The Night That Unites Passover Haggadah: Teachings,
Stories, and Questions from Rabbi Kook, Rabbi Soloveitchik, and Rabbi
Carlebach. Israel: Urim Publications, 2014.
This book is the first Haggadah that brings together the teachings of Rabbi Kook, Rabbi
Shlomo Carlebach, and Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik. Also, it offers a special section of
contemporary readings and stories related to the Land of Israel and the Holocaust. (For
adults).
Goldman, Ari and Telushkin, Joseph. Every Generation: The JDC Haggadah. New
York: Urim Publishing, 2010.
A traditional Haggadah that portrays the age-old Pesah story through modern-day images
of deliverance and social responsibility in action. For the making of this Haggadah, the
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, JDC, opened its vast archives of
photographs, letters and documents. (For adults).
Grishaver, Joel Lurie. We Were Slaves: An Interactive Haggadah. Los Angeles: Torah
Aura, 2011.
An abbreviated Haggadah that can be used for model or family sederim. Includes
reflective questions, role modeling and questions from the “My Exodus." (For grades 1 6).
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Levi, John and Tippett, Naomi. Season of Renewal: A Family Haggadah. Springfield,
NJ: Behrman House, 2010.
A Haggadah with modern traditions such as Miriam's Cup and family filling Elijah's Cup.
Redner, Rebecca. The Gateways Haggadah: A Seder for the Whole Family.
Springfield: NJ, 2014.
An inclusive Haggadah for participants with diverse learning styles that features over 150
picture communication symbols developed by Mayer-Johnson.™ (For all ages).
Silber, David. A Passover Haggadah: Go Forth and Learn. Philadelphia: JPS, 2011.
Two books in one: the Haggadah in English and Hebrew with Rabbi David Silber's seder
commentary and a collection of essays by Rachel Furst that provide close readings of the
classic biblical and rabbinic texts that inform seder-night ritual and narration. (For adults).
Szyk, Arthur. The Szyk Haggadah. Trans. and commentary by Byron L. Sherwin with
Irvin Ungar. New York: Abrams, 2008.
Arthur Szyk, a Polish-Jewish artist, created his Haggadah in the mid-1930s at the time
Nazi Germany was rising. This is the first edition widely-available since 1940 made from
Szyk's original art. (For adults).
Audio-Visual Materials
Agent Emes and the Giant Ego 4: The Passover Adventure. Pittsburgh: Reel
Entertainment, 2006.
DVD, 60 min. Dr. Lo-tov is threatening to disrupt Pesah and Tov Me'od headquarters
must enlist the services of renowned rabbi and psychologist, Abraham J. Twerski to find
out what's wrong. (For grades 3 – 8).
The Animated Haggadah. Lambda Publishers, 2004.
DVD, 24 min. This program is beautifully animated with clay figures and good music. It
tells the story of the Jewish exodus from Egypt. There are good segments about the 10
plagues, four sons, slavery in Egypt, idol worship in Abraham's time, and the seder. (For
grades 1 – 4).
The Exodus Decoded: Biblical Folklore or Historical Fact! New York: The History
Channel, 2006.
DVD, 92 min. Simcha Jacobovici hosts this program about the Exodus and the ruling
Egyptian dynasty. It covers events such as the birth of Moses, the ten plagues, and the
parting of the Red Sea. (For grades 11 – adult).
The Gefilte Fish Chronicles. New York: Kai Prod., 2006.
DVD, 60 min. A warm and humorous documentary that features the dynamic Dubroff
family preparing for seder together, which has been a 100 year family tradition. (For
grades 10 – adult).
It’s Passover, Grover! Vol. 7. Israel: SISU/Shalom Sesame, 2010.
DVD, 26 min. Part of the new Shalom Sesame series. It’s almost time to celebrate Pesah,
and there is no horseradish to be found. Grover, Anneliese and Avigail put their heads
together to track it down, but things get tricky when there is an Oofnik involved! Featuring
Anneliese van der Pol and a guest appearance by Jake Gyllenhaal. A “magazine” with
the same title is available (see above, page 6). (For preschool – grade 2).
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Let's Bake Matzos. Rabbi Yosef Goldstein, 1978.
DVD, 29 minutes. Details, step by step, the entire shmura matzah preparation process
from the flour mill where the kernels are ground to the hand baking itself. There are
explanations of the procedures throughout the movie. It is an excellent tool for developing
appreciation with youngsters of the intricacies of matzah making in a way they can
understand. The program includes a special added bonus, the “Art of Kosher Wine
Making.” A teacher's guide is available. (For grades 3 -10).
Out of Egypt. Chicago: Shazak Productions, 2007.
DVD, 92 minutes. The story of the Exodus humorously animated. Also available is a
book of the same titled illustrated by David Sokoloff with comic strips. Quizzes about the
Exodus story are at the end of the book. (For grades 3 – 8).
Passover: Traditions of Freedom. National Center for Jewish Film.
DVD, 50 min. This program is a comprehensive introduction to the culture and traditions
of Pesah, specifically geared for collegiate or adult audiences. Good for adult educational
classes. "Passover" can be viewed at one sitting or split into specific segments. (For
grades 10 – adult).
Prince of Egypt. Dreamworks, 1999.
DVD, 99 min. This animated large scale production is the story of Moses although it does
not follow biblical narrative.
ShirLaLa Pesach! Sing and Dance with Shira Kline. Outrageously Hip Jewish Kiddie
Rock Holiday Series. Josh Nelson, 2006.
Audio CD. Pesah songs performed by Shira Klein. (For kindergarten – grade 3).
Electronic Resources
G-dCast. Holidays. The Passover Seder...With the Four Sons!
http://www.g-dcast.com/pesach
An animated video based on the Haggadah’s story of the Four Sons.
Lookstein Center. Pesach Resources. http://www.lookstein.org/resources/pesach.htm
A list of original Pesah lesson plans, project ideas and articles created by Lookstein
Center staff or contributed to site by Jewish educators.
Interfaith Family. Guide to Passover for Interfaith Families.
http://www.interfaithfamily.com/holidays/passover_and_easter/Guide_To_Passover_For_Interfaith
_Families.shtml
A guide with information about the seder, Pesah customs and how to engage children and
adults.
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