How Passover Led Me to Write My Own Haggadah

As time went on and we adjusted to one thing, we’d move on to the next. Eventually, that “next thing” became Passover. As we continued attending the synagogue, we began participating in the celebrations they hosted. We would experience each one and then go home to research: Where is this found in the Bible? Why are we celebrating it? What does Scripture say about how to celebrate it? How are others observing it—and why?

During one of those celebrations, we were given a booklet called a Haggadah, which, as we later learned, means “the telling” in Hebrew. It’s the guide used to conduct the Passover meal and keep everything in order. Over time, I discovered there were many different versions of the Haggadah, each with additions, omissions, and variations.

We experienced Passover in several settings—at synagogue, with friends, and eventually in our own home. Each celebration was deeply meaningful, but honestly, also confusing at first. Much of the reading was in Hebrew. The four cups, the questions asked to the children, the songs—so many beautiful traditions, yet the terminology was difficult to follow.

I loved the beauty of it all, but as someone whose first language is Spanish, learning new Hebrew and English words at the same time was challenging. Still, we kept celebrating. Eventually, we decided to host our own Passover in our home, inviting family and friends we believed might be open to experiencing it.

By then we had collected several Haggadahs, and a friend had shared even more versions she had gathered over the years. My husband and I chose the simplest one to follow and used it for our hosted seder. We continued hosting each year, but I began noticing something. As I looked around the table, I could see confusion on the faces of our family and friends as they tried hard to follow along.

I knew exactly how they felt—because I had once felt the same way.

I was confident there was deep meaning in these traditions, but I began to realize that sometimes it wasn’t the traditions themselves that were difficult—it was the way they were presented. It hurt me to see people missing the beauty and depth simply because they couldn’t fully understand what was happening.

That’s when I decided to write our own Haggadah.

At first, I thought the confusion might be coming from all the added traditions. So I created a simple, Scripture-centered booklet called “It Is the Lord’s Passover.” I kept the focus almost entirely on the biblical text while maintaining a similar flow to the traditional meal. We used that version for several years, and it was meaningful.

But over time, I realized something else. I didn’t actually want to remove the traditions completely. I saw beauty and meaning in many of them. I thought Jesus participated in Passover. He engaged with traditions that existed in His time. There had to be a way to include these elements while clearly explaining their purpose and how they point to the Messiah.

So I began writing a new Haggadah—one that honored the traditions while bridging the gaps. I wanted to connect the Old Testament foundations with the New Testament fulfillment in a way that was simple to understand. I knew that people who had grown up celebrating Passover might already understand these connections, but for those who were new—especially our grandchildren—I wanted something clear, approachable, and meaningful.

The Haggadah went through many revisions over the years as we practiced, learned, and grew.

That process is what eventually inspired me to create the Passover resources I share today. I borrowed elements from various Messianic and Orthodox Haggadahs but simplified the layout, added clear English explanations, and focused on scriptures that point directly to Yeshua. My goal was to make it approachable—something that would help others truly see the beauty of the meal and the message behind it.

Little by little, Passover became something we practiced regularly—with clarity, joy, and purpose.