David Arnow, Ph.D.

Biographical information

Born in 1950, David Arnow graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Brandeis University and earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Boston University in 1982. No longer currently practicing, he has been an activist in the Jewish community and a writer for many years.

David has served as President of the New Israel Fund and as a Vice President of New York UJA-Federation.He was a Wexner Heritage Foundation Leadership Fellow from 1992-94 and has served on several national commissions on Jewish identity and Jewish education. His many articles on issues of Jewish interest have appeared in Reform Judaism, Conservative Judaism, The Reconstructionist, The Journal of Jewish Communal Service, Contemporary Judaism, Moment Magazine, Tikkun, The Journal of Israeli History, Sh'ma, Outlook Magazine, as well as many Jewish newspapers.

He is the author of Creating Lively Passover Seders: A Sourcebook of Engaging Tales, Texts & Activities published in 2004 by Jewish Lights and the creator of the book's website at www.livelyseders.com. The book has been widely acclaimed and in June/July 2004 was listed as number three on Hadassah Magazine's list of nonfiction Jewish best sellers.

If you choose a different chapter from this book every year, you'll find fresh ideas to help you create a Seder that will be stimulating, educational, and fun.

David Arnow lives in Scarsdale, New York and is married to Madeleine. They have two sons, and are members of Temple Israel Center of White Plains (Conservative) and Bet Am Shalom (Reconstructionist).

Lecture Topics:

NOTE: ALL PRESENTATIONS PROVIDE PARTICPANTS WITH MATERIAL TO TAKE HOME AND USE AT THEIR PASSOVER SEDERS. IN ADDITION TO HANDOUTS THAT RELATES TO THE SPECIFIC TOPIC OF THE PRESENTATION EACH SESSION WILL INCLUDE:

• A PASSOVER PUZZLE: WHY DOES THE BIBLE ASSOCIATE PARTICULAR FRUITS WITH EGYPT-GARLIC, MELONS, CUCUMBERS, LEEKS, AND ONIONS-AND OTHERS-GRAPES, FIGS, AND POMEGRENATES-WITH ISRAEL?



• A DISCUSSION CONTRASTING THE VALUES THAT UNDERLIE THE ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR THE BACK OF THE GREAT SEAL OF THE UNITED STATES-THE ISRAELITES CROSSING THE RED SEA AND PHARAOH'S DROWNING ARMIES-AND THE FINAL DESIGN-A PYRAMID WITH AN ALL-SEEING EYE FOUND ON A ONE DOLLAR BILL.

CREATE WONDERFUL DISCUSSIONS AT ANY SEDER!

• Creating Lively Seders: Ten Ideas

  Ten suggestions for creating Seders that your family and guests will love. Ideas range from a puzzle contrasting fruits the Bible associates with Egypt versus Israel and a discussion about two versions of the Great Seal of the United States, to a simple art-midrash project about the meaning of freedom and reading a story of the Exodus that sets the stage for re-enacting the march from Egypt to the Promised Land.

• The Odd Couple: Welcoming Moses and Elijah to the Seder

  The Book of Exodus mentions Moses' name 278 times and you'd expect that the Haggadah would have given him a major role. But he's only mentioned twice. There's actually a widespread myth that Moses isn't mentioned in the Haggadah at all. What's this myth all about? Why did the Haggadah minimize Moses and what can we learn from his small, but crucial role in the Seder? Elijah was one of the Bible's most disagreeable characters. How did he become the Jewish people's leading folk hero and how should we welcome him to the Seder?

• Where Have All the Women Gone? The Book of Exodus Versus the Passover Haggadah

  Rabbi Akiva said, "Israel was redeemed from Egypt because of the righteousness of the women of that generation." What did he mean and why does the Haggadah minimize the role of women in the Exodus? (Extra points for anyone who knows the only woman the Haggadah mentions by name!) The presentation includes suggestions for giving the women of the Exodus the role they deserve in the Seder.

• Redeemed by God Alone? A New Reading of the Haggadah's View of Redemption

  It is widely thought that the Haggadah tells a story of how God alone redeemed the Israelites from Egypt. This is both an inaccurate and alienating reading of the text. A closer look at the Haggadah reveals that it also gives human beings an important role. Understanding this renews our strength to repair our world.

• The Festival of Spring: Ancient Roots of Passover

  The stage is set with a flower pot of verdant barley. Passover begins on the full moon of the spring equinox-when many cultures in the ancient Near East celebrated New Years. It was the season when barley had just begun to ripen. The presentation explores the Passover/Spring connection and two concepts of time that underlie Jewish thought.

• Who Wrote the Haggadah? A Short History

  At almost every talk I've given about the Passover Seder, someone asks a question like this: "Where did this book actually come from?" The answer is fascinating because the Haggadah has evolved for almost 1,800 years and continues to do so. Here we'll explore the layers of the Haggadah from the Mishnah to our time.

• The Last Night in Egypt: Seder Activities for All Ages

  Read a version of the Passover story for all ages in a room decorated as Egypt; re-enact an ancient midrashic debate about whether the Israelites should open their doors to let in Egyptians seeking refuge from the last plague; load bitter herbs and matzah into backpacks for the long journey from Egypt to the Promised Land; cross through the Red Sea; wander from room to room singing "Let My People Go!" until you reach the Promised Land, the Seder table.

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