42 April 11 • 2019
jn

KERI GUTEN COHEN STORY DEVELOPMENT EDITOR

Telling
The Story

Every year, Haggadahs fi
 nd new ways 
to convey the Jews’
 exodus from slavery.

O

nce again, there are many 
new Haggadot out there to try 
this year. Here’
s a round-up 
of some, including one by Ann Arbor 
resident Carol Bloom Levin.
Levin was on a mission to create a 
child-friendly Haggadah that would 
appeal to her young grandchildren 
Aaron and Julia. What she ended up 
with is a lovely book called Haggadah 
Regatta that features text and colorful, 
playful illustrations by the author. 
She is a self-described “writer and 
an artist and a do-it-yourselfer.” She’
s 
also the great-great-granddaughter of 
Jacob Silberman, the first president 
of Temple Beth El in Bloomfield 
Township. 
Decades ago, she wrote A Rosh 
Hashanah Walk (Kar-Ben Publishers, 
1987). In 2017, she says an idea for a 
new holiday tale sprouted while she 
was kayaking on the Huron River. 
Haggadah Regatta combines 
meaningful ritual text with the tale 
of a matzah raft that only sails if 
all onboard stomp. Two little kids (a 
boy and his goat) lead a crew of shoes 
through the highlights of a traditional 
seder, calling on big kids and grown-
ups to help sail the raft.
Levin created the prototype in two 
weeks and then tested it out on her 
family at their seder. What followed 
was a year of revisions.

The book was published this January 
and had been available at Amazon 
and other online book sellers, but just 
three weeks before the holiday it was 
pulled from those sources because her 
printer in Dexter announced it filed 
for bankruptcy, Levin says. She now 
can only sell them herself or through 
independent bookstores or shops. 
To purchase Haggadah Regatta 
($9.99) in time for the seders, contact 
the author at carol.levin@gmail.com 
or go to Coby’
s Judaica Center at the 
Detroit Jewish Community Center or 
Nicola’
s Books in Ann Arbor.

OTHER INTERESTING HAGGADOT
A hot new Haggadah comes in the 
form of a graphic novel by Jewish 
cartoonist Jordan B. Gorfinkel and 
Israeli illustrator Erez Zadok, with 
translation by David Olivestone. For 
nearly a decade, Gorfinkel was a 
manager for the Batman franchise at 
DC Comics, where his creations serve 
as inspiration for TV, film, games and 
more. 
The Passover Haggadah Graphic 
Novel integrates a new, modern 
translation into sophisticated and 
fun sequential art that brings the 
epic story to life. In an interesting 
twist, the traditional Haggadah pages 
are presented opposite the graphic 
illustrations making for a dynamic mix 

of old and new. How-to instructional 
cartoons depict all the rituals. The 
Haggadah should be appealing to all 
ages.
The hardcover book ($19.95, Koren) 
is available at Amazon and KorenPub.
com ($14.96 at press time).
Tired of your traditional Maxwell 
House Haggadah? Try a new version 
from the company — its limited-
edition Maisel Haggadah, featuring 
illustrations and other shtick based 
on the popular Amazon series The 
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel about an 
aspiring Jewish female comedian and 
her extended family in late 1950s New 
York. 
The Maisel Haggadah is a return 
to an earlier Haggadah Maxwell 
House has offered free in stores 
since 1932. This new version scatters 
Maisel characters throughout, has 
handwritten notes by actress Rachel 
Brosnahan’
s character and even fake 
wine stains.
Get yours only by ordering Maxwell 
House coffee through Amazon.com. 
Kveller.com is offering a 
downloadable Kveller Haggadah 
perfect for families with children. It is 
written by Elissa Strauss and Gabrielle 
Birkner with engaging illustrations by 
Hane Grace Yagel.
Designed to guide families through 
an epic journey from slavery to 

freedom, this version goes deep into 
Jewish traditions in a kid-friendly 
way, yet without losing the dramatic 
tensions of the Passover story. The 
Haggadah was created to promote 
curiosity, even when there are no easy 
answers.
To download a free version, go to 
kveller.com/download-the-kveller-
haggadah or for a paperback version 
($9), go to Amazon. 
The Family and Frog! Haggadah is 
written by Rabbi Ron Isaacs and Karen 
Rostoker-Gruber with illustrations 
by Jackie Urbanovic. This over-sized 
paperback published by Behrman 
House in 2017 is playful, colorful and 
instructive. 
Green and friendly, Frog hops 
throughout the book offering his take 
on the traditional Passover story — 
and seems to be always on the lookout 
for flies. In addition to presenting 
the usual parts of the seder, the book 
offers checklists for seder preparation, 
songs, historic trivia and suggested 
activities to keep young and old 
engaged. All are presented in a lively 
yet organized manner featuring photos 
and historic illustrations to make 
things easy. 
The toad-ily delightful Haggadah 
is available on Amazon ($7.50 at 
press time) and barnesandnoble.com 
($7.95). ■

Author/illustrator Carol 

Bloom Levin and her 

grandchildren Aaron and 

Julia, all of Ann Arbor

passover
arts&life

