National library of Israel adds the iconic David Moss Haggadah to its collection

The National Library of Israel, home to the largest collection of Hebrew and Jewish manuscripts and artifacts in the world, including the most extensive collection of Haggadot, will now proudly house the original Moss Haggadah within its notable collection.

Created by famous Judaica artist David Moss, the Haggadah is a large, handwritten version of the traditional Passover Seder. It was the main highlight at Sotheby’s recent auction of important Judaica.

David Moss, a world renowned illuminator and transformer of Jewish texts, worked tirelessly between the years of 1980 and 1984 to create a handmade haggadah. The National Library of Israel now holds the original manuscript, featuring calligraphy, micrography, painted miniatures, and various artistic techniques like gouaches, acrylics, and gold leaf. Moss originally designed the manuscript to be unique, with handcrafted details like delicate cut-outs made using a surgical scalpel.

Rabbi Irving Greenberg praised the Moss Haggadah as "a magnificent work of art, possibly the most beautiful Haggadah of all time," in his book “The Jewish Way.” Bible scholar Rabbi Moshe Greenberg admired it as well, describing the drawings as a “stunning reflection of Jewish history and noting the pleasure it brings with every single page.”

To be appreciated for generations

In 1992, Moss received the Israel Museum’s Jesselson Prize for Contemporary Judaica, mainly for this Haggadah. It has been displayed at major institutions including the New York Public Library and the Library of Congress, and copies have been acquired by museums and universities worldwide. Most notably, President Ronald Reagan gifted a copy of the Haggadah to President Chaim Herzog in 1987 during Herzog’s first state visit to the US.

Dr. Raquel Ukeles, Head of Collections at the National Library of Israel, shared her enthusiasm  about receiving this beautiful work, noting that the Moss Haggadah represents a high point in contemporary Judaic art and Hebrew calligraphy, areas where David Moss has played a leading role.

David Moss spoke about his path, explaining, "I began creating this Haggadah in 1980 after extensive research in Jerusalem's libraries. Upon completion, it was published in several beautifully crafted editions abroad. I am deeply grateful that the original manuscript is now returning to Jerusalem, where it will be preserved, studied, and appreciated for generations at the National Library."

The Moss Haggadah was officially presented to the Library by Trudy Elbaum Gottesman and Robert Gottesman during a ceremony on August 6, 2024, at the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem.