Wellsprings of Freedom: The Renew Our Days Haggadah—

• Offers commentaries based on a previously untranslated collection of Ḥasidic insights into the Haggadah for the contemporary seeker.
• Links each of the traditional simanim or “guideposts” of the Seder to a theme that explores a facet of freedom in our lives today. (E.g., Kaddesh—freedom in relation to our use of time; Karpas—freedom and our relationship to nature and the environment.)
• Provides user-friendly cues for a fail-safe Seder, as well as for navigating a briefer, child-oriented Seder.
• Creates a stunning visual midrash (commentary) on the Passover Haggadah with colour artwork by J.W. Stewart.

In the Media:

CBC Radio Interview, with Rabbi Ronald Aigen (11:18)
April 8, 2012

Passover 2012: New Haggadot, by Zelda Shluker
Hadassah Magazine, April 2012

"Telling the story once more," by Joel Yanofsky
The Montreal Gazette, March 31, 2012

Jay Michaelson offers a primer on the season’s new Haggodot. He believes
‘Wellsprings of Freedom’ does the best job of placing Passover in service
of spiritual life. The review says: If you are one of those Jews who want your
Seder to mean something, to involve participants and to be connected
to spiritual values, “Wellsprings of Freedom” is for you. Click here to read more.

"New Haggadah Aims to Make Exodus Relevant Today" (PDF: 780KB)
Canadian Jewish News, March 1, 2012

Advance Praise for Wellsprings of Freedom:

"WELLSPRINGS OF FREEDOM is an invaluable resource that will enrich the Seder immeasurably for those who use it. Rabbi Aigen has produced an important work, and a welcome new link in the rich chain of Passover Haggadahs." 

Rabbi David Ellenson, President Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

"A triumph of scholarship and spirit; Wellsprings of Freedom will enliven and inform our family Seders. This Haggadah takes us on the familiar journey from slavery to freedom, but with fresh eyes and a thoroughly modern sensibility. Traditional and innovative, personal and universal, Rabbi Ron Aigen has given us a text that educates and inspires."

Rabbi Naomi Levy, spiritual leader of Nashuva: The Jewish Spiritual Outreach Center and author of Hope Will Find You and Talking to God

"This new edition of the Haggadah is a thoughtfully and creatively arranged version of the traditional text. It is presented in a highly accessible format, ready for use at a family or community Seder. Rabbi Aigen has drawn richly from the many Hasidic commentaries, greatly enriching the spiritual depth of the text presented, far beyond what is found in most modern Haggadahs."

Rabbi Arthur Green, Rector of the Rabbinical School at Hebrew College and author of Radical Judaism

"Dayyenu! If Ron Aigen had created an artistically beautiful and graphically elegant Haggadah, that would be enough. If he had laid it out with great respect for the leader - clear, sophisticated instructions on how to proceed, that would be enough. If he had included wonderful discussion questions that appeal to a wide variety of people, that would be enough. But, in addition, he has included the most interesting, powerful interpretations of the text from deeply spiritual writings of the great classical Hasidic masters to light up the whole Seder. Dayyenu! And Hallelujah!"

Rabbi Rachel Cowan, Senior Fellow and former Director of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality

"Wellsprings of Freedom is a delight to the eyes, the heart, the mind and the soul. People, using this beautiful work at their Seder, will have the shared experience of a current day Exodus."

Rabbi Zalman Schachter–Shalomi, co-author of Jewish With Feeling

"This new Haggadah is a wonderful mix of traditional and innovative insights into the story of Passover."

Rabbi Laura Geller, Senior Rabbi of Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills