A new Passover Haggadah incorporating personal testimonies from Israeli hostages and their families has been released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in a bid to unite the themes of Exodus with today’s call for freedom.
Titled the Haggadah of Freedom, the book features the full Hebrew and English text of the traditional Seder service, accompanied by stories, letters and reflections from those who have returned from captivity in Gaza and the families of those still held hostage.
Among the accounts are the makeshift Seder that hostages Liri Albag and Agam Berger held while imprisoned, the letter written by IDF soldier Hadar Goldin to his fiancée on the eve of Passover in 2014 before his abduction, and the music that gave strength to Sagui Dekel Chen during his ordeal.
Also included is the story of Avraham Mengistu, who was released earlier this year after a decade in Hamas captivity, as well as modern reflections on the ancient text, such as Moses’ moment of realisation, interpreted through the perspective of Ruby Chen, father of released hostage Itay Chen.
“This year, as we retell the story of liberation from Egypt, the Haggadah of Freedom adds the voices of today’s hostage families and released hostages,” said Nivi Feldman, an organiser from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum UK. “Their reflections and resilience sit alongside our ancient text, reminding us that the fight for freedom is not only our history; it’s our present.”
With illustrations by Vered Goldman, the Haggadah aims to echo the enduring relevance of the Seder story by tying it to the lived experiences of Israeli families still fighting for the safe return of their loved ones.
“The recent releases have given us strength and proven that our loved ones will return home,” the Haggadah’s description reads. “Until then, as we wait for the day we can all sit together at the Seder table, we invite you to read the Haggadah of Freedom this Passover and stand with us in the fight for their release.”
Available in hardback, all proceeds from sales go directly to the Hostage Families Forum.
