Community
Spirituality
DIANA LIEBERMAN
Staff Writer
A
s Haggadot go, the Jewish Parents Institute version is nothing
fancy.
The pages are stapled together and, except for the cover,
there are no illustrations.
But it's the content of the JPI Haggadah that makes it unique. For
most of its 53 years, the Secular Humanist school has used its own, con-
stantly evolving version of the Passover text.
Compiled by JPI members, it includes passages from the traditional
Haggadah, excerpts from other sources and the writings of members
themselves.
And, since so many of those at the seder are children, this Haggadah
has even more songs than usual.
In addition to "Chad Gadyah" and "Dayenu," there's the "Partisan's
Song" from the Warsaw ghetto, sung in Yiddish by a choir of older chil-
dren, and "Pesach is Here Today," featuring the very youngest students.
About 130 people used the Haggadah when they attended the organi-
zation's 2001 model seder held April 1 at the West Bloomfield Jewish
Community Center's Handleman Hall. ❑
4/13
2001
56
Clockwise from top left:
Adrienne Meltzer of Southfield and Haley Mitchell ofWhite Lake, both 13, lead the children's
choir as they sing "Im Tirtzu." The song is taken from Theodore Herzls words: "Ifyou will it, it
is no dream."
Lauren Pennington ofWhite Lake, 13, is the soloist in "Machar," a song of peace for tomorrow
Jordan Allen, 12, and dad Ted Allen ofWhite Lake join in with the singing of "Dayenu."