Medieval Barcelona was a unique meeting spot of Eastern and Western culture. A place where Jews, Muslims and Christians could mix. It was in Barcelona that the “first Jewish scientist” and one of the great Christian translators of the day conceived an ambitious plan to bring the wisdom of the Islamic and ancient worlds to an awakening Europe
Gershom Scholem’s acerbic wit was on full display in the notes he scribbled on works written by a particular Theosophist author…
With the return of Jews to England in the 17th century, the developing community’s members surprisingly saw no need for a Jewish printing house. The first printed book was published decades later and only in the wake of a controversial internal dispute…
The long journey of a book of Leviticus that was hidden in a Vienna basement during the Nazi era, before eventually making its way to the National Library of Israel’s Conservation and Restoration Lab…
A special dedication in a copy of the book “Mesilat Yasharim” sparked some fascinating detective work tracing the history of the Austrian Jewish community during the Holocaust, and the story of a young man and his family who were murdered by the Nazis…
Published in 1820, the work contains some surprising, candid views on science, faith, women, and more…
The “Yung Yiddish” museum, tucked away inside a massive bus station, is something in between a library and an underground club. Its collections have survived two world wars in Europe. Whether they can survive the disparaging attitude in Israel remains to be seen.
Pages come from the only existing copy of a ca. 1492 edition of “Arba’ah Turim”, one of history’s most important codes of Jewish law
Leifheit bat Asher owned a copy of the oldest printed Jewish prayer book. Was she also called to the Torah?
