Historic Sarajevo Haggadah at Center of Global Dispute
A treasured Jewish manuscript dating back to 1350, the Sarajevo Haggadah, has found itself at the heart of an international controversy after Bosnia’s National Museum announced it would donate ticket sales from its display to aid Palestinians in Gaza. The museum’s director, Mirsad Sijarić, defended the decision despite backlash from global Jewish organizations, which labeled the move as offensive and antisemitic.
The Sarajevo Haggadah is an illuminated manuscript believed to have originated near Barcelona and was brought to Sarajevo by Sephardic Jews expelled from Spain in 1492. Revered as a symbol of Bosnia’s multicultural identity, it survived both Nazi occupation and the Bosnian War of the 1990s. The museum has displayed it in a secure, climate-controlled room since 2018, following a French-funded renovation.
In early August, Sijarić confirmed that proceeds from tickets and related book sales would be donated to “support the people of Palestine who suffer systematic, calculated and cold-blooded terror, directly by the state of Israel.” He acknowledged the decision was political, stating: “Did we choose one of the sides? Yes, we chose one.” However, he insisted it was not an attack on Jewish people, but rather a stance against perceived injustice in Gaza.
Mixed Reactions and Charges of Politicisation
Jewish organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) criticized the museum, calling the decision a “politicisation of a symbol of heritage, survival, and coexistence.” Locally, Jakob Finci, head of the Bosnian Jewish community, described the move as “bizarre” and “a bit offensive,” warning that it could tarnish Sarajevo’s long-standing reputation for ethnic and religious diversity.
Despite the outcry, Sijarić said he had received messages of support from Jews worldwide who view the move as a humanitarian gesture. Visitors to the museum offered mixed reactions. Italian Egyptologist Silvia Einaudi supported the initiative, while others, like French visitor Paul Hellec, questioned the focus solely on Gaza given the suffering elsewhere in the world.
The war in Gaza continues to generate deep divisions globally. The conflict began with Hamas’s October 2023 attacks on Israel, which killed over 1,200 people. Israel’s subsequent offensive has led to the deaths of more than 62,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, figures broadly accepted by the United Nations.
The museum stands firm in its decision, reiterating its commitment to “oppose evil” rather than remain neutral. Whether the donation will become a symbol of solidarity or deepen divides remains to be seen.
