Among the prominent figures included is Natan Sharansky, who recalled his first Passover Seder in the Soviet Union under KGB surveillance, as well as another Seder done in the Gulag as a political prisoner.
Sharansky, a former prisoner of Zion and minister in four Israeli cabinets, recalled the connection between his experiences and the story of Passover itself, noting one line from the Haggadah that reads: "This year we are slaves, next year free men; this year we are here, and next year in Jerusalem."
Other prominent figures included are Daniel Kurtzer, who recalled celebrating Passover as the US ambassador to Egypt; activist and educator Alice Shalvi, who celebrated during the Battle Of London during WWII; and author Dara Horn.
The stories will appear on The Librarians, an official publication of the National Library focusing on Jewish, Israeli and Middle Eastern history. The project was developed as part of Gesher L’Europa, an initiative of the library seeking to connect with people and institutions in Europe.