A Family Haggadah Links the Exodus with the Holocaust

Why will this Passover be different from all other Passovers for three generations of the Wolloch family? This year, Michael Wolloch, the son of Holocaust survivors Helene and Zygfryd Wolloch, will share a unique family treasure in an exhibit at Temple Israel Center in White Plains. The Wolloch Haggadah, originally published in 1984, will be the subject of a show at the temple from April 17 – May 5, to commemorate Passover, the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt and the parallel story of the emergence of the Wolloch family from war-torn Poland, concentration camps and the Nazis.

Growing up in Fox Meadow, Michael Wolloch knew that he and his three brothers were very fortunate to be living in Scarsdale. Three of his four grandparents had perished in the Holocaust, and his parents only narrowly escaped the same fate. Wolloch's parents, Helene and Zygfryd, met in Vienna where they were both trying to leave Europe and married quickly when they were reunited in New York City in 1947. From there, Zygfryd prospered in the real estate business and moved his family from NYC, to New Rochelle and ultimately to Scarsdale.

They were a family of art lovers and Wolloch built a formidable private collection over his lifetime, some of which has been donated to institutions like Montefiore and the Tel Aviv Museum. However, the Wolloch's wished to create their own legacy to honor their family members who died in the Holocaust. In 1981 they commissioned a Haggadah, and asked their cousin David Wander to do the illustrations and calligrapher Yonah Weinrib to inscribe it.

The result was a beautiful limited edition portfolio that includes 56 hand drawn silkscreens and photo lithographic images that bridge the traditional Passover story with the events of the Holocaust. The illustrations juxtapose the Star of David against the yellow stars that the Nazis required Jews to wear. The Red Sea is swimming with drowning Egyptians and swastikas and another page with text about the ten plagues is illustrated with the burning smokestack at a concentration camp.

Only 290 of the oversized portfolios with numbered color prints were produced. Nine were given to the artists, 31 distributed to the family and others were donated to major libraries and religious institutions. A copy now sits in the Rare Book, Manuscript and Special Collection Library at Duke University and another at the White House. Some are still available for sale, and the proceeds from those sales will go to Temple Israel.

The Wolloch Haggadah was also printed in book form in English and in German, so that families can use them to lead their own Seders.

Michael Wolloch and his mother Helene Wolloch, who both live in Scarsdale today, say that the exhibit is their way of passing this Haggadah on to the next generation with the message that we should never forget. Speaking about the Haggadah and the upcoming exhibit, Wolloch says, "L'dor Vador," which means from generation to generation.

The public is invited to view the exhibit of the Haggadah at the opening on Sunday April 17, 2016 from 1-3:00 pm or see them during temple hours from April 17 – May 5.



Temple Israel Center
280 Old Mamaroneck Road
White Plains, NY 10605
(914) 948-2800 ext. 143
email: n.parkes@templeisraelcenter.org