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The Passover Seder is probably the most broadly observed Jewish ritual, as the Exodus from Egypt remains at the forefront of the Jewish consciousness. Since the Torah relates many of its teachings to the bondage of Egypt, Jews are encouraged to internalize the oppression in Egypt, the Exodus through the Red Sea, and the transition from slavery to freedom.

As If We Were There: Readings for a Transformative Passover Experience breathes new life in the Passover story by providing 21 daily readings, beginning with the first day of Hebrew month Nisan until the last day of Passover. Each day focuses on a specific aspect of the Exodus experience, as Rabbi Rothstein takes the reader on a journey of intellectual and spiritual development while we study, analyze, and ultimately internalize the events and messages of the Exodus story. In the second part of the book, a memoir of his father’s Seder, Rabbi Rothstein utilizes humor and nostalgia to introduce the reader to a Seder that succeeded in finding ways for Jews to see themselves as if they had been redeemed from Egypt.

About the Author

Gidon Rothstein received his rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University (1991), and his Ph.D. in Medieval Jewish History from Harvard (2003). He has served as a synagogue rabbi, a high school rebbe, and an adult educator. He is the author of We’re Missing the Point: What’s Wrong with the Orthodox Jewish Community and How to Fix it (2012), and Murder in the Mikdash (2005). He has also been Blogging R. Lichtenstein, which can be seen at torahmusings.com. He lives in Riverdale, with his wife Elizabeth Holland, a patent litigator, and their three children.