Is it possible that we at the National Library of Israel, have discovered the book with the most misleading title in the world? “The Articella,” translates to “little art” in Latin, but it was in its time, one of the most important collections of scientific literature in the world. Its contents were remarkably cosmopolitan and anything but small.
So, who was the Jewish scholar whose work occupies a significant portion of the manuscript – and who was accused of plagiarizing him? A new exhibition at the National Library of Israel offers a rare opportunity to get a glimpse of this nearly 800-year-old manuscript, preserved in the Library’s collections.
The Articella: The “Little Art” That Changed the World of Medicine Forever
On Strangers and Nuance: A Conversation with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl
Participants gathered at the National Library of Israel on July 12 to hear a fascinating conversation with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl. The first Korean-born rabbi and cantor in North America, Rabbi Buchdahl is Senior Rabbi of the Reform Central Synagogue in New York City and a major voice today within the American Jewish community. Buchdahl was speaking with Dr. Raquel Ukeles, Head of Collections at the National Library.
Hamilton and the Jews: Tracking the Jewish Footprints of an American Founding Father
Alexander Hamilton, the brilliant statesman, helped to define a young America. His stories have been told in everything from biographies and novels to iconic Broadway show-tunes. Yet surprisingly, little of this material has focused on his meaningful connection to Judaism, which stretches back to his roots in the Caribbean…
“Our Jubilee, By God Set Free”: A Hebrew Poem Celebrating the Centennial of American Independence
A rare broadside from 1876 contains a poem in Hebrew which served as a tribute to America’s centennial and heralded the golden age of American Jewry.
Why Cacao is King: The Jewish History of Chocolate
How did Sephardic Jewish merchants help expand cacao’s reach, transforming chocolate into one of the world’s most sought-after luxuries?
The Rabbi, the Rebbe, and the Japanese Plan to Bring Jews to China
How one scheme to resettle Jewish World War II refugees in East Asia was serendipitously discovered by a New York rabbi.
Grandfather Mehdi’s Camera: A Rare Glimpse Into Jewish Life in Iran
When the Frarouy family set out on their perilous journey to Israel, they packed a single item in their suitcase, one that, nearly forty years later, offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the everyday life of a family and a community whose world was overturned overnight.
“Hey, Jerry!” – Remembering Jerry Lewis
The Jewish-American comedian directed and acted in numerous films starring zany characters. A century after his birth, fans and scholars recall the performer whose manic energy, inventive filmmaking, and decades of philanthropy left an indelible mark on popular culture.
The Living Encyclopedia of Lost Jewish Communities
Moshe Tzinovitz filled page after page with the stories of rabbis and communities that no longer exist. Now, as his scattered archive is finally being organized, a portrait emerges of the man who devoted his life to preserving the memories of others, while leaving little order in his own papers.
The Jewish Chemist Who Dissolved Nobel Prizes to Hide Them From the Nazis
George Charles de Hevesy, a scientist of Jewish origin, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry at the height of World War II while living in hiding as a refugee. But even before that, he had carried out a daring and ingenious operation — using his scientific expertise to conceal Nobel Prize medals from the Nazis. What does all this have to do with a mischievous landlady who served him recycled leftovers? This is the story of a brilliant and resourceful scientist.
