Open House: “Haggadah and History: Highlights from Fordham Collections”

Join us for the viewing of the exhibition, “Haggadah and History: Highlights from the Fordham Collection,” co-curated by Fordham undergraduate students Emma Fingleton, FCRH ’19; Margaret Keiley, FCRH ’21; and Zowie Kemery, FCRH ’19; and Professor Magda Teter.

What is remarkable about the Passover Haggadah is its historical adaptability. As Jews around the world each year during Passover recount the story of Exodus from Egypt, they make it relevant to their own lives, reflecting on the meaning of the story to their own times. Haggadot, therefore, often reflect not only the historical changes in Jewish culture but also the cultural diversity of Jews across the globe.

The Haggadah has been translated into over thirty languages. Fordham’s collection includes Haggadot in Arabic, Amharic, English, French, Hebrew, Judeo-Arabic, Judaeo-Persian, Polish, German, Swedish, Yiddish, and even in Braille.