Jews and Muslims come together at congressional Passover seder
A congressional Passover seder was held on March 27, on Capitol Hill, using the Sarajevo Haggadah, a centuries-old Passover text widely viewed as a symbol of interfaith cooperation and moral courage.
The seder, held in the historic Cannon Caucus Room, brought together a bipartisan group of members of Congress, including Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ Dist. 5). Speakers talked about the significance of the Sarajevo Haggadah, a 14th-century illuminated manuscript created in Spain that survived the expulsions of Sephardic Jews, centuries of migration and multiple conflicts, including World War II. During the Nazi occupation of Bosnia, the manuscript was saved from destruction by Bosnian Muslims, most notably Derviš Korkut, who risked his life to conceal the text rather than allow it to be seized or destroyed. Its preservation has been widely cited as an example of interfaith solidarity during one of history’s darkest periods.
The evening began with a reception and remarks before transitioning into a seder led by Chief Rabbi Itzhak Yehoshua, chair of the Bukharian Rabbinical Council. Participants included Rabbi Yonatan Yehoshua, who is the dean of Yeshiva Ohr David in Jerusalem, and ambassadors from South Sudan and Grenada.
A replica of the Sarajevo Haggadah was given to Muslim World League Secretary General Mohammed al-Issa for his extraordinary commitment to interfaith dialogue and cooperation.
Government relations specialist Ezra Friedlander, who founded Project Legacy, which organized the evening, said the tribute aimed to “underscore themes of remembrance, tolerance and shared responsibility ahead of the Passover holiday, using the Sarajevo Haggadah as a central example of how acts of courage across faith lines can preserve history and inspire future generations.” For information, email Events@TheProjectLegacy.org