A
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
THE
FIRST KNOWN
PRINTED AND
LLID STU TED
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143:1a5PD3:114
Friday, April 1, 1977 3
In our traditional way,
on this
festive occasion
we wish you a
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Shortly after the Jews were liberated
from 210 years of Egyptian slavery, the
custom was instituted to relate the story
of the Exodus on the eve of Passover
(Pesach) by the father to his children.
This was passed on from generation to
generation.
Later, the story was transcribed in a
"special book form called the Haggadah,
which means "to explain," "to report':
"telling:" It is considered a pleasant duty
to narrate the story.
Blessed art Thou,
who hast enabled us
to reach this season.
The Haggadah is one of the most
popular of all Jewish literature. It con-
tains a collection of excerpts from the
Bible, rabbinic interpretations, benedic-
tions, prayers, psalms, liturgical poems,
folk songs and hymns. These are re-
cited and sung at the spring holiday
and family festival dinner called a seder.
The ritual is also known as the Feast
of Unleavened Bread.
The Haggadah is an anthology of
Jewish literature composed in many
countries and in many ages. Many
versions, differing from one another to a
greater or a- lesser degree, have been
preserved in various manuscripts.
Scores of millions of copies have been
published in over 3,000 editions in
various languages and vernaculars.
The Pesach seder and Haggadah is one
of the many customs and religious prac-
tices which, more than anything else,
have kept the Jews of the world linked'
together as a people.
The earliest known printed Haggadah
was produced in Guadalajara, Spain
in 1482 by Solomon b. Moses Alkabez.
It can be seen at the Jewish National
Library in Jerusalem.
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