New Edition of the Sarajevo Haggadah Reprint and Study Available

The Sarajevo Haggadah, one of the most important exhibits from the treasury of material and immaterial heritage kept in the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, starting today has the best facsimile edition, or replica followed by a large and detailed scientific study.

The Sarajevo Haggadah's new edition, available at the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina and on the Museum's online shop, has been prepared for two years by the expert team of the National Museum, together with its external associates, in cooperation with the UNESCO office in Sarajevo, and the rich accompanying study about the Haggadah is signed by a renowned art historian from the University of Jerusalem, professor Dr. Shalom Sabar.

 „This new edition of the Sarajevo Haggadah contains a universal message of equality and respect for every culture and every individual, a message that can inspire humanity today. It also aims to raise awareness of the Sarajevo Haggadah around the world, so that its incredible story, which confirms the importance of cultural and religious harmony for the preservation of peace, can continue to inspire us to safeguard humanity’s rich cultural diversity. The Organization is proud to have contributed to the safeguarding of the Sarajevo Haggadah, which today serves as a testament to the courage of the people who, during the darkest of times, did all in their power to safeguard the Haggadah for future generations “stated the UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay in the preface of the new study.

Since 1894, when the National Museum purchased the book from the Sarajevo Sephardic family Koen, this is the first edition of the Haggadah replica that was fully done in the production of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Haggadah (Hebrew: story, saying) is a collection of religious regulations and devotions classified in the prayer line of the Passover celebration, the celebration of the release of Jews from Egyptian slavery. This book had a special importance during the celebration of the family feast day - Seder, when all the family and guests with a book in hand read, or followed, the story of the way of freedom as well as everything, in the ceremonial sense, related to that famous Old-Testament story. The tradition of reading the text from the Hagadah has contributed to the emergence of a relatively large number of such books, among which the Sarajevo Haggadah occupies a leading position for its artistic values and historical significance

 „The splendour of the Sarajevo Haggadah lies chiefly not in its text, but in its captivating miniatures and decoration spread over many pages. The rich visual world presented by these images opens a wide window to the beliefs, ideas, artistic views and daily and religious life of the Jewish minority residing in the midst of a multifaceted Christian society, as well as its intriguing socio-cultural relationships with the host society. As such, these images provide a primary resource for exploring a particular Jewish society that scholars have been examining for decades through texts, whether written by its members of by others“ wrote professor Shalom Sabar in his study about the Haggadah.

It is important to emphasize that the accompanying study on the Sarajevo Haggadah will be immediately available in Bosnian and English and soon in French, in the following year it is most likely to be published in German, Spanish and Hebrew.

The best quality replica of the Sarajevo Haggadah with the accompanying study in a specially designed package is available at the National Museum and on the web shop of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina.