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Date:  21 March 2007

Bosnian Embassy launch for limited edition of 14th century Sarajevo Haggadah

The Friends of La Benevolencija, an association for Bosnian Jews living in the UK which meets at Jewish Care’s Holocaust Survivors’ Centre, joined forces with the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina to launch a limited edition reprint of the famous Sarajevo Haggadah, a unique manuscript which dates back to the 14th century.

Her Excellency Dr Tanja Milasinovic, Ambassador of the Kensington-based Embassy, hosted a reception on Tuesday 20th March at which Jakob Finci, President of the Union of Jewish Communities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, made a presentation about the history of the Haggadah, which originated in Spain. This time, the luxurious reprints were produced in Italy and exactly 613 were made, corresponding to the number of commandments given at Mount Sinai.

The meeting marked the visit of Sven Alkalj, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who came to London especially for the occasion. Mr Alkalj, a Sephardic Jew, noted “the richness of the Bosnian Herzegovina culture.” He said that in the happier times of its history, Bosnian Jews had enjoyed “an amazing co-existence of tolerance, expansion, prosperity and independence. But genocide has left a deep mark on each of us – I really hope that it never happens again.”

Mr Finci described the Haggadah as “a wonderful Jewish manuscript” and “a book of mystery,” noting that it was not clear who made it. At one point, the book went missing then re-appeared in Sarajevo after 200 years, where it was placed in the national museum. It also survived the German arrival in Bosnia during the Second World War when the museum’s curator outwitted the Nazis.

Event organiser Branko Danon, a community worker at the Holocaust Survivors’ Centre in Hendon, where Friends of La Benevolencija meets, arranged for an exhibition to be held at the Embassy, featuring some of the Haggadah’s beautifully illustrated pages. Adding to the atmosphere was entertainment from two Bosnian musicians, who performed Sephardic songs.

Mr Danon is a former chairman of the Friends association and remains involved as a board member. Friends chairman Boris Montiljo also attended, as did HSC director Judith Hassan and Neil Taylor, Jewish Care’s director of community services. Mr Montiljo, a civil engineer, felt “a sense of pride” at seeing the Haggadah, which he remembered as a child.

Mr Danon told the JC: “Friends of La Benevolencija was formed in 1994, with the main purpose of bringing together the Bosnian Jews as a community, so we could be better integrated into Jewish society. Thanks to Jewish Care, we meet one evening a week at the HSC – I arrange the programmes – and we also go on outings. It’s about mutual support.”

Mr Finci, who was due to return to Bosnia three days later, spoke of “deep responsibility” he felt to the one thousand Jews living in Bosnia, of which 700 are in Sarajevo. Describing the reception as “a nice event”, he added: “If everyone is satisfied then I am satisfied. I think that Jews from Sarajevo deserve their heritage to be recognised and the book to be enjoyed.”

A related-event was due to be held on Wednesday night at the Spiro Ark in central London, with an illustrated lecture on Sephardic Haggadot, by renowned expert Eli Abt.