Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History 

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

70 | APRIL 6 • 2023 

Haggadot History
I

t’s the week of Pesach 5783, the annual 
holiday that commemorates the exodus 
of the Jews from their bondage in 
Egypt. “Passover” is the English translation 
of Pesach, a Hebrew word that means to 
“omit” or “Passover.” This is thought to 
be a reference to God “passing over” the 
homes of Jews when first-born sons were 
being killed in Egypt.
The high point of Pesach 
is the seder. A gathering of 
family and friends to share 
a festive meal and read 
the Haggadah (or plural, 
Haggadot). Accompanied by 
ritual eating of certain foods, 
the Haggadah recalls the 
trials and triumphs on the 
path to freedom for Jews in 
the ancient world.
The evolution of the Haggadah is 
ongoing and continuous. Although oral 
Haggadot have existed since ancient times, 
the first printed versions of a Haggadah 
are thought to have appeared in the 1480s. 
The oldest extant Haggadah is the famous 
“Prague Haggadah” that was published in 
1526. This was the work of printers and 
brothers, Gershom and Gronan Cohen. 
Two recent articles illustrate the 
changing nature of Haggadot. Last year, 
the Jewish Telegraph Agency published 
an article that announced “Seven New 
Haggadahs to Brighten Your 2022 Passover 
Seder” (April 4, 2022). Moreover, it noted 
that, over the years, “artists, authors, 
rabbis and even comedians pump out 
new Haggadahs, the books that guide the 
seder.” In a recent issue of the JN, Steve 
Lipman wrote about “New Haggadot for 
5783” from America and Israel (March 23, 
2023, JN).
I must admit, I am fascinated with the 
phenomenon of Haggadot development. 
Although the essential story stays the same 
in each new version, the telling of the story 
can be adapted to modern eras and groups. 
For example, I’ve attended diplomatic and 

labor seders in Detroit. The Haggadah 
really seems to be a religious literary 
device without peer.
Using the search term “Haggadah” 
raised 1,747 pages in the William 
Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish 
Detroit History. In short, Haggadot 
have been a topic of discussion 
many times over the past 100 
years.
The earliest discussion of a 
Haggadot that I could find was 
in the April 2, 1926, Jewish Chronicle. 
It was a small item about the Prague 
Haggadah. The April 11, 1953, issue of the 
Jewish News published “The Origin of the 
Haggadah,” along with Passover recipes for 
“sponge cake, matza cake and matzo balls” 
on the same page.
In 1959, legendary editor Philip 
Somovitz published a moving Passover 
editorial. He wrote about “The Universal 
Ideals of Freedom for All, as They 
Are Embodied in the Haggadah.” 
Accompanying his essay was a “Seder 
Ritual of Remembrance” for victims of 
the Holocaust (April 24, 1959).
The JN is filled with stories about a 
wide variety of Haggadot, including 
the famous Maxwell House Coffee 
Haggadah. Some cite older Haggadot 
that were discovered, such as the 
Sarajevo and Kaufman Haggadot 
(March 27, 1964). Closer to home, you 
could get free copies of Haggadot at your 
local Farmer Jack supermarket (March 30, 
1979).
Perhaps an article from April 4, 2020, 
best captures the spirit of the text for a 
seder. “Making Passover Personal” is about 
local families creating their own Haggadot. 
 
The lesson seems to be that, regardless 
of adaption, the celebration of freedom 
remains the essential message in every 
Haggadah. Chag Sameach! 

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation 
archives, available for free at www.djnfoundation.org.

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

