Seder Stories: Passover Thoughts on Food, Family, and Freedom

By Nancy Rips

Book Overview

Passover is the Festival of Freedom in the Jewish community worldwide. More than any other holiday, it symbolizes what it means to be Jewish: family, food, and fun coupled with an obligation to pass on their story to future generations. 'Seder Stories' contains the memories of childhood Seders from 101 Jewish people. Some of them are famous, like Rabbi Harold Kushner and attorney Alan Dershowitz. Others are famous only within their circle of friends and family. Some of the stories are funny, some poignant, some thought provoking and worth reading. All of them are charming.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1581826435
• ISBN13: 9781581826432
• Release Date: March 2008
• Publisher: Sourcebooks, Incorporated
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Learn about, and celebrate, Passover

Reviewed by Karrie Grobben for RebeccasReads (6/08) From its opening quote: "They tried to kill us, we won, let's eat," to its description of a Passover spent with Marlon Brando, Seder Stories by Nancy Rips is a remarkable, joyful, funny and sometimes poignant celebration of the Festival of Freedom. Passover is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the Jews' freedom from slavery in Egypt but the spirit of the holiday encompasses so much more. It gives thanks for the presence of family and friends. It celebrates the individual's right to freedom from persecution. Most of all, it is a way for the painful yet triumphant history of a people to be passed on to future generations so that it will never be forgotten. Though presented as a collection of short stories, author Rips actually offers us over one hundred memories of Passover from the perspectives of Jews from every walk of life. The stories in the book vary widely in length (some encompassing a mere few lines, others the length of a traditional short story) and theme (some focus on family dynamics and others on the holiday's historical significance) but they all have an impact on the reader. One woman comments that she never found alcohol to be any kind of temptation as a teenager, having grown up celebrating Passover. Another describes a playfully-themed chocolate Passover, in which all the traditional foods were replaced with different kinds of chocolate. Though there were a few heartbreaking stories, what struck me the most about this collection was its very lack of gloominess. Because, in essence, what Seder Stories shows, overall, is how Jews all over the world remain connected, despite differences in age and situation, through a holiday that, above all other holidays, really does symbolize to Jews what it means to be Jewish. I recommend this book for all readers, either to learn about this holiday or to celebrate it.

Passover short stories

Reviewed by Norma Freimark for Reader Views (5/08) "Seder Stories" by Nancy Rips is a square-shaped book. It is a great book to read and it also makes a great Passover hostess gift if you are going to a Seder. It is filled with 101 wonderful delightful short stories about Passover, preparing for Passover, and Passover Seders on 187 pages from actors, actresses, comedians, Rabbi's, famous Jewish people and everyday people that celebrate Passover in a variety of ways. The stories in "Seder Stories" represent a lot of different cultures and Passover Seders celebrated around the world. These stories were written by young, middle-aged and senior citizens. The stories include memoirs of how people celebrated Passover stories, who they celebrated Passover with, the history of the Jewish people, and a few suggestions on how to celebrate for a Passover Seder. Some of the stories are funny, while there are stories that are very thoughtful and touching. There are stories from Seders in the army, Seders in jail, Seders on cruises, and Seders in homes. The famous quote "They tried to kill us. We won. Let's eat." - Anonymous, begins the book and sets the mood of the fantastic short Passover stories. The last three pages of the book include a glossary of the Jewish terms that someone not familiar with Jewish vocabulary will find very helpful. The glossary defines common Jewish words such as bubbe: Grandmother, afikomen: hidden piece of matzah, and matzah balls: balls made out matzah meal and eggs and served in chicken soup to words that might be unfamiliar words such as mazon: charity to help people who are hungry, Pirkeh Avot: collection of Rabbinical sayings and proverbs, tovu vavohu: disorder, chaos. The stories ranged from being, funny, touching, and sincere. "Seder Stories" is written for adults of all ages and interests. As someone who has celebrated Passover for many years, I thought this book was easy to read and very enjoyable. I could relate with many of the stories, even if they were written from someone in a difficult country or culture. The stories represented that Passover, although celebrated around the world and is celebrated by different cultures and levels of observant Jewish people, is actually all celebrated the same--teaching the Passover story, sharing the table with Jewish people and non-Jewish people and that most people have a relative that they think special about during Passover. Of course, everyone has a special Passover story that they would like to share and reading the stories from "Seder Stories" truly represents that. Future publications could include asking readers from this story to send in their Passover stories. As a reader, of "Seder Stories" I would send in my story and definitely purchase the second book. Thank you Nancy Rips for collecting all these Passover stories.

Filled with 101 'memories' in the form of stories, anecdotes, blurbs, and more

Passover is the annual celebration to celebrate Jewish Freedom, and by far one of the most important days on the Jewish calendar. "Seder Stories: Passover Thoughts on Food, Family, & Freedom" is filled with 101 'memories' in the form of stories, anecdotes, blurbs, and more, broken into four segments representing a broad theme related to the Jewish celebration of freedom for each. Focusing on every part of the celebration, "Seder Stories: Passover Thoughts on Food, Family, & Freedom" is highly recommended for community library Judaic studies collections and for any non-specialist general reader who would want a greater understanding of the celebration.

Something for all ages and all branches of Judaism

I love this book!! What makes it special is the variety of memories shared by a variety of people from all walks of Judaism, and folks of all ages, which makes this a book that has something for all ages. Love the size of the book, and its layout, and for someone who is a bibliophile I loved the font (print) used which makes the book easy to read. Am so happy to have the book in my home library.

After reading this book I appreciate the similar differences between Jews and every other ethnic and

Not being Jewish, I was unaware of most of the tradition associated with the rite of Passover. I certainly knew it to be the celebration of the migration of the Jewish tribes out of the slavery of Egypt to the land now known almost universally as the Holy Land. However, the symbolic reaffirmation of tradition and Jewish roots so inherent in the holiday was not part of my knowledge. Reading this book certainly changed that and it also refreshed by belief in the universality of humans and their customs. So many of the actions described by these people when they engaged in their Seder celebrations could be slightly altered and they would describe Christians or even atheists celebrating the holiday of Christmas. Yet, deep within the ceremony there is a long history of tradition, the food that is consumed, the reading of the stories and the reminders that the history of the Jews is a long one. A deep, tragic and convoluted history that must be passed from one generation to the next so that all future generations will know what it means to be a Jew. It is most unlikely that I will ever be personally involved in a Seder, but now I can appreciate the ceremony, what it means and how it reaffirms that there are similar differences between the Jews and every other ethnic and religious group.