A numbered edition of the beautiful and moving Wolloch Pessach Haggadah In Memory of the Holocaust, a recent donation to OJMCHE’s collections, will be on display in our upcoming exhibition in the East Gallery. This unique manuscript, “infused with hope and compassion,” features full-page illustrations by American artist David Wander and illuminated calligraphy by Rabbi Yonah Weinrib. It was commissioned by Zygfryd and Helene Wolloch in memory of their parents who died in the Holocaust. After being completed in 1984, it was published in bound-book form for the benefit of Yad Vashem. Copies of the original portfolio, containing 59 hand-printed pages, have been presented to major libraries and collections of Judaica.
According to Duke University Magazine, “Wander and Weinreb juxtapose the themes of the Exodus and the Holocaust by emphasizing the shared histories of slavery, destruction, and redemption. Wander’s art is powerful in its simplicity and directness. He depicts crematoria, burning books, and the Star of David alongside the traditional Hebrew text of the Haggadah. He also includes brilliant borders, flowers, and the Israeli flag to symbolize the eventual freedom of the Jewish people. His drawings are devoid of human figures, signifying the absence of those who perished during the Holocaust.”
OJMCHE invites you to view selected pages from the manuscript beginning on February 16, ahead of the Passover holiday, which will start on the evening of March 30 this year.