Spring is always a time for renewal and regeneration, and Passover is an integral part of the spring season. AJHS holds many photos and documents depicting Passover elements, including the Seder, and festive gatherings of family and friends. While many of the photos showcased here come from personal collections held at AJHS, many of these images reflect the extensive outreach efforts of several large organizations, including UJA-Federation, HIAS, and others, to provide Passover supplies and organize Seders, including ones designed specifically for new immigrants and other groups.
This photo array provides glimpses of a rich variety of Passover observance. We see Passover celebrated by WWI and WWII-era GIs via photos from the National Jewish Welfare Board; a “model seder” for children sponsored by the Baron de Hirsch Fund; and a Freedom Seder held by American Soviet Jewry activists to raise awareness for human rights activism. Through these pictures–and the vast range of collections here at AJHS–we can experience the enduring diversity of custom, purpose, and location within the American Jewish community as reflected through this tapestry of Passover observance.
