Resources

Adelman, Penina. "A Drink from Miriam's Cup: Invention of Tradition among Jewish Women,” in Active Voices: Women in Jewish Culture. Ed. Maurie Sacks. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1995.
Focuses on the process of how American Jewish women created the ritual of Miriam’s Cup. Analyzes the various elements of the ritual (Miriam as a symbol, the well, the water, the cup) and shows how the creation of a new ritual allowed women who felt excluded from Jewish tradition to create a space for themselves within Judaism.

Anisfeld, Sharon Cohen, Tara Mohr, and Catherine Spector. The Women’s Passover Companion: Women’s Reflections on the Festival of Freedom. Jewish Lights Publishing, 2003.
A wide range of essays by an impressive array of Jewish women, reflecting on themes of exile and slavery, redemption and liberation. Offers insights into the text and traditions of Passover through women’s personal reflections, textual commentaries, and political analysis.

Anisfeld, Sharon Cohen, Tara Mohr, and Catherine Spector. The Women’s Seder Sourcebook: Rituals and Readings for Use at the Passover Seder. Jewish Lights Publishing, 2003.
Contemporary introductions to and selections for every element of Haggadah for use both in women’s seders and at home seder tables, mostly solicited from prominent Jewish women—rabbis, scholars, and public figures (for example, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and feminist theologian Judith Plaskow). Includes an appendix on how to plan a women’s seder.

Bach, Alice. "With a Song in Her Heart: Listening to Scholars Listening for Miriam,” in Women in the Hebrew Bible: A Reader. Ed. Alice Bach. Routledge, 1999.
A brief review of contemporary feminist biblical scholarship on Miriam; includes the author's midrash on Miriam's song at the parting of the Red Sea.

Broner, E.M. The Telling. Harper San Francisco, 1993.
A chronicle of one of the first and longest-running feminist seders in North America; includes The Women's Haggadah (below).

Broner, Esther, with Naomi Nimrod. The Women's Haggadah. Harper San Francisco, 1994.
One of the first feminist haggadot, originally published in Ms. Magazine, this updated text includes poetic adaptations of many readings from the traditional aggadah. These new readings, in English, Hebrew, and transliteration, speak to the struggles and joys in the lives of biblical, rabbinic and contemporary women. God is referred to as "She" or "Shekhinah” (the Divine Presence, associated with the feminine).

Cantor, Aviva. An Egalitarian Haggadah. Lilith Publications, 1987.
The traditional text of the haggadah, but with Miriam and the midwives Shifra and Puah added to the Maggid section (which tells the Exodus story). Focuses on liberation from slavery, with examples primarily from the Holocaust and Zionism. Alternates male and female "Four Children."

Cohen, Tamara, Ed. The Journey Continues: The Ma'yan Passover Haggadah. New York: Ma'yan: The Jewish Women's Project of the JCC on the Upper West Side, 2000.
Weaves together songs, poetry and readings that are both traditional and new; includes gender-inclusive English blessings, and traditional and feminine Hebrew blessings which are transliterated; also includes suggestions for tzedakah and activism. Music written specifically for The Journey Continues by acclaimed composer and singer Debbie Friedman is included.

Cohen, Jeffrey M. 1001 Questions and Answers on Pesach. Jason Aronson, 1996.
Almost encyclopedic in scope, this volume has succinct information on the history of Passover, its laws and liturgy, commentaries on the haggadah, and customs of Jews from around the world.

Elwell, Sue Levi. The Open Door: A Passover Haggadah. Central Conference of American Rabbis Press, 2002.
Published by the Reform movement, this new haggadah includes the contributions of many female rabbis and Passover customs from Jewish communities all over the world.

Goodman, Philip. The Passover Anthology. Jewish Publication Society, 1993.
A collection of traditions, observances, songs, laws, prayers, food, games, and art associated with Passover and the seder.

Isaacs, Ronald H. Every Person’s Guide to Passover. Jason Aronson, 2001.

Kamin, Ben. Thinking Passover: A Rabbi's Book of Holiday Values. New York: Dutton, 1997.
Shows how Passover can inspire reflection on Jewish values in the family and in the larger world. Organized thematically, contemporary topics covered range from parental love to theology in the face of the Holocaust, to the passage to freedom of the American Civil Rights movement.

Levitt, Rabbi Joy, and Rabbi Michael Strassfeld. A Night of Questions: A Passover Haggadah. Elkins Park, PA: The Reconstructionist Press, 2000.
Miriam’s Cup features prominently in this Haggadah, which also contains instructions for having seders with different emphases (e.g. feminism). Blessings are rendered in both the traditional formula and feminist versions. Includes a biblio-drama, a play, biblical passages that recount the Exodus, and a section in which participants can add stories of personal continuing Jewish journeys from oppression to liberation. Sidebars offer commentaries from a number of Jewish educators and activists.

Moise, Elaine and Rebecca Schwartz. The Dancing with Miriam Haggadah: A Jewish Women's Celebration of Passover. Rikudei Miriam: 1997.
Contains original prayers, commentary, poetry, music and art. The traditional Passover symbols appear, but they are experienced and interpreted with a feminist understanding of life, history and the earth.

Schnur, Susan. "Gaiac Healer, Goddess, Ecstatic Rock n' Roll Mama? The Cult of Miriam.” Lilith. Spring 1992.
Explores the role of Miriam in the biblical text as a leader, singer and drummer, her connection with water and birth, and how to integrate her into the seder through the ritual of Miriam's Cup. Includes references to other studies on Miriam.

Solomon, Maida E. "Claiming Our Questions: Feminism and Judaism in Women's Haggadot," in Talking Back: Images of Jewish Women in American Popular Culture. Ed. Joyce Antler. Brandeis University Press/University Press of New England, 1998.
Reviews themes in feminist haggadot (both published and unpublished) from the 1970s to the 1990s, interwoven with the author's reminiscences about her experiences at feminist seders.

Steingroot, Ira. Keeping Passover: Everything You Need to Know to Bring the Ancient Tradition to Life and Create Your Own Passover Celebration. Harper San Francisco, 1995.
In a friendly and accessible tone, explores the meaning of the Passover symbols, ways to involve children, includes recipes and cookbook listings, and a guide to choosing the right haggadah.

Wolfson, Dr. Ron, with Joel Lurie Grishaver. The Passover Seder (The Art of Jewish Living Series). Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs, 1988.
A step-by-step guide on how to conduct a Passover seder, including creative ways to celebrating the Seder, and a guide to the concepts of the seder and how to connect them to the central ethics of Judaism

Zion, Noam and David Dishon. A Different Night: The Family Participation Haggadah. Shalom Hartman Institute, 1997.
An imaginative contemporary haggadah that engages people at all levels and of all ages; an exciting range of materials, discussion triggers, and activities.

Zones, Jane Sprague, Ed. San Diego Women's Haggadah, 2nd edition. Women's Institute for Continuing Jewish Education, 1986.
Mostly in English, the text contains standard blessings with male God language and some changed to female gender. Includes women's poetry, Jewish women's songs, and readings on the plagues of women, the Four Daughters, and biblical and historical foremothers who answer the Four Questions.