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History of Zionism and Israel: Primary Sources in Special Collections

Significance of Haggadot

"For the sake of freedom."

The story of the Exodus, commemorated during Passover and recounted in a text called the Passover Haggadah, has served as an inspiration to freedom-seeking movements throughout history, for non-Jews and Jews alike. Leading up to after the establishment of the State of Israel, Jews engaged in a form of spiritual activism by integrating a Zionist mindset into their observance of Passover, adding to the traditional text of the Passover Haggadah to tell the story of the Zionism and the early state. This helped the groundwork for building the nation. These Haggadot (plural of Haggadah) illustrate this form of activism and provide valuable primary source documentation of the Zionist movement and the foundation of the State of Israel.

Jewish Brigade Haggadot

Thousands of Jews from British Mandate Palestine volunteered to serve with the British Army in a “Jewish Brigade” during the Italian Campaign in the Second World War. 

These Haggadot were produced by soldiers from that Jewish Brigade, in Italy during and just after the war. They combine the traditional text with references to the battles these Jewish soldiers were then fighting. These references poetically compare Egyptian slavery to the Nazi destruction of European Jews. For example:

“We are dining together, Jewish soldiers from all over the diaspora. Our hearts are celebrating [Passover], but our hearts are also agitated. Our hearts are agitated because Egypt is not yet finished with Israel. Because the whole world is our Egypt.”

Pre-State Haggadot

Early State Haggadot

Israel Defense Forces Haggadot