Release date: May 7, 2008

Haggadot Collection Donated to Pitts Theology Library

From left: Rabbi Donald A. Tam, for whom Emory’s Tam Institute for Jewish Studies is named; and Richard Goldstein.

Contact: Elaine Justice, 404-727-0643, elaine.justice@emory.edu
Contact: Kelly McLendon, 404-727-4481, kelly.mclendon@emory.edu

Richard Goldstein of Miami, an avid collector of Haggadot, the book containing the story of the Exodus and the ritual of the Passover Seder, assembled a body of more than 800 Haggadot during his life. His step-daughter, Lauren Azoulai of Atlanta, has now donated these to Emory University's Pitts Theology Library, along with Goldstein's other Passover materials.

Last year, Rabbi David Geffen gave the library his collection of more than 100 Haggadot, and with the addition of the Goldstein gift, the total Pitts holdings of such items nears 1,000.

While most of these Haggadot are from the 20th century, they show how this important ritual has been celebrated in various Jewish communities around the world, says M. Patrick Graham, Pitts Theology librarian.

"We look forward to the future growth of this body of materials and to ways that it may enhance study and research at Emory," said Graham, who also serves as M.A. Pitts Professor of Theological Bibliography at Emory's Candler School of Theology.

The Goldstein Collection includes:

• 124 Haggadot published as gifts to customers, usually for advertising

• 123 Haggadot published for commercial ventures

• 95 Haggadot written in languages other than Hebrew or English, or from countries other than the United States and Israel

• 86 Haggadot published to solicit donations

• 191 Israeli Haggadot

• 69 Haggadot from Jewish institutions

• 114 Haggadot published to promote or focus on some special cause

• 41 Haggadot created by people or groups for personal use, but never formally published

During a recent presentation of his Haggadot collection to Pitts Library, Goldstein described his longstanding relationship with Rabbi Donald A. Tam, for whom Tam Institute for Jewish Studies at Emory is named, and said he knew of Emory through this relationship. Goldstein also expressed his hope that the Haggodot would enjoy much use in the Pitts Library and benefit scholarship.

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