"300 Ways to Ask the Four Questions: From Zulu to Abkhaz" At the Passover seder the youngest by tradition recites the familiar Four Questions: Why is this night different from all other nights? Nu? Nothing changes you say? So why not make your seder a little different this year? "300 Ways to Ask the Four Questions: From Zulu to Abkhaz" is the product of nearly 30 years' labor of love. Two amateur linguists attempted to compile the Fir Kashes in as many languages as possible. The book contains Ma Nishtana in hundreds of living and ancient languages. The Foreword is written by Theodore Bikel, the world-renowned balladeer and actor. This book is probably the largest number of different languages devoted to a ceremonial text - a sort of modern day Rosetta Stone, to use the authors' words. At my house this year the Ma Nishtana will be recited in several languages spoken by family members: my wife in Hungarian; my brother-in-law in his native Czech and Slovak; and I in German and Yiddish, the mamaloshen for Ashkenazim. Even if you don't intend to make your seder different as we plan to, the colorful illustrations, facts, and two companion disks of this book make for enjoyable reading and listening. It will expand your understanding of Jewish communities and customs of the far corners of the Diaspora that many have never heard of. Besides living and extinct languages, the book has its lighter side with dozens of parody and constructed languages, such as how a Valley Girl would ask: Like, why is this night like, totally different from, like, all other nights? Trekkies are not forgotten with a Klingon version. With the overabundance of Jewish lawyers, it is not surprising the simple statements are transformed into convoluted Lawyerese. The disks contain many Ma Nishtana melodies and chants used by assorted Jewish communities, such as Sephardic/Ladino, Bukharic, Iraqi, and Yemenite communities; recordings of native speakers; plus music, games, and cultural interests. The book, which makes a fun gift, is available from WhyIsThisNight.com or Jewish book stores. _______________________________________ Howard M. Berlin writes about museums around the world.