NYC Gazette

In 1849, a Haggadah featured an ad for Kosher for Passover wine, marking an early example of product advertising in such religious texts. The wine merchant behind this advertisement was Wolf Pascheles, who personally selected high quality wine for his customers by traveling from Prague to Hungary. The Haggadah in question was translated into German and published by M. I. Landau, a prominent community leader and Hebrew publisher in Prague.

According to the Yivo Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe, Pascheles was a well-known figure who opened the first Jewish bookstore in Prague in 1836. He was recognized for publishing popular works such as "Sippurim" and a German prayerbook for women by Fanny Neuda. Landau, on the other hand, was also a significant publisher in Prague, known for his meticulous attention to detail in the books he published and his translation work.

The collaboration between Pascheles and Landau on the Haggadah may seem unusual, but by 1849, Landau was already working with other publishers in Prague, including Pascheles. Despite the passage of time and the disappearance of Pascheles' wines, the kosher wine market has continued to grow exponentially. The plethora of Haggadot available today would surely have amazed both Pascheles and Landau.

As noted by Kerstin Mayerhofer and Magdaléna Farnesi in their work "Wolf Pascheles: The Family Treasure Box of Jewish Knowledge," Pascheles' legacy lives on through his publications. The enduring tradition of Passover, the holiday of Jewish freedom, continues to be celebrated with a variety of Haggadot and wine choices, showcasing the rich history and cultural significance of these traditions.

In conclusion, the collaboration between Wolf Pascheles and M. I. Landau in 1849 serves as a reminder of the early intersections between religious texts and commercial advertising, while also highlighting the lasting impact of their contributions to Jewish literature and publishing.