Progressive Judaism: Desert Island Texts No. 31
Q: If you were cast away on a desert island with just one Jewish text for company, which would it be?
This week, Rabbi Paul Freedman of Radlett & Bushey Reform Synagogue chooses the Haggadah
I’ve always had to restrain myself in interviews, the moment I’m asked a question of the “what-would-you-do-if?” kind, I have more questions than answers.
It would depend, wouldn’t it? And by ‘Jewish text’, do you mean just a verse, a short passage, or could I get away with the entire Talmud? That would certainly keep me occupied. Mind you, how long can I expect to be there? Perhaps just the week? Is that just a seven-day week or is this island in the diaspora, making it eight days for some?
So if you’re asking me today, this week in the Jewish calendar, I guess I’d be stranded on my desert island with the Haggadah that I had been using at my Pesach seder on board, just before being shipwrecked.
Any Haggadah would be great – I love the ritualisation of questioning that it represents – but I’d actually want to make sure it was Haggadateinu, the new Haggadah published by the Movement for Reform Judaism.
It contains the familiar text (with modern, gender-inclusive translations and even transliterated Hebrew for any matzah-eating islanders who find that easier to read than the Hebrew). ‘Let all who are hungry come and eat!’
Additionally, it has masses of extra readings and explanations, as well as really beautiful, original paper-cut illustrations. If I were feeling lonely leafing through the pages of Haggadateinu, I would be reminded of family and friends with whom I have enjoyed celebrating a seder using this first ever UK Reform Haggadah, but also of the numerous colleagues who contributed to its content.
The Haggadah is not just the ancient story of our captivity; it tells of our hopes for the future, the continuing struggle for freedom from slaveries in every age.
I would very soon be doing all I could to liberate myself from the island.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
