A Chanukah Heirloom Plus A Sotheby’s Treat
If you want to see some remarkable, museum-worthy pieces of antique Judaica (some dating as early as the 17th century!) or some modern-made, opulent, dazzling creations made by skilled artisans in Israel, I highly recommend you make the time to stop by.
The Brisker Rav and Chief Rabbi Isaac Halevi Herzog Exchange Letters Concerning An Agunah
Despite the Brisker Rav's known anti-Zionist stance, it is interesting to see the respect and honorary titles he bestows upon Rav Herzog, the official Chief Rabbi of Israel at the time.
Nelly Sachs And Shai Agnon: Joint Recipients Of The Nobel Prize In Literature
In Eli, Sachs made evident her belief that the future could not be built on the ruins of hatred and revenge; instead, she hoped that her poetry would be an agent of healing and a source of renewal.
The Prayerbook Of A Famous Agunah
This book has ownership markings and signatures of Milka Paks, wife of Meir Paks, the protagonist of a famous agunah case that the Chasam Sofer presided over during his period of rabbinate in Mattersdorf.
Charles Evans Hughes And The Jews
Although corporate interest underscored both his former clients and his campaign supporters, he showed independence in his two terms as governor, supporting the creation of a Public Service Commission with strong powers to regulate corporate activity.
Jackie Kennedy: A Good Friend Of The Jews And Israel
In a 1964 correspondence to a Jewish friend, she wrote, I admire and respect the Jewish people and their traditions and feel a kinship with them.
A Book Used To Sentence Its Author To Death
Chief Rabbi Heller was tasked with collecting the fines from the local Jewish community, with the brunt of the cost being placed on the wealthier class of the community. This led to much friction and complaints from the rich merchants who felt they were being burdened disproportionately.
The Zionism And Philosemitism Of Eleanor Roosevelt
Roosevelt visited Israel four times, the first in 1952, and the last eight months before her death in 1962... In many letters to her friends and in her newspaper columns, she frequently sang the praises of the extraordinary beauty of the Israeli landscape, and she often lauded Israel’s educational institutions and healthcare facilities.
Exceedingly Rare 1766 New York Siddur
This prayerbook, with an English translated by Isaac Pinto, is the very first prayerbook printed in the New World and the first translation into English.
Bronislaw Huberman And The Birth Of The Palestine Philharmonic Orchestra
For more than a decade, Huberman had been a regular performer with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and, even when Jewish musicians were being dismissed from major orchestras and blacklisted, he was one of the few Jews not fired.
London’s First Hebrew Book
The very first Hebrew book printed in London for Jewish use, this publication was named Ma'aseh Rav, and was printed by a gentile printer.
The Official Postcards Of The Eighth Through Thirteenth Zionist Congresses
In a previous Jewish Press article, I displayed and discussed the cards issued for the first seven Congresses, and I present here the official cards from the Eighth Zionist Congress through the Thirteenth Congress along with a brief discussion of the highlights of each.
The Faux Deal
Typically, when a museum discovers that they have a fake of any sort in their collection, it is handled quietly, with the object being removed from display, never to be seen again.
R. Shabbethai Bass As Printer
The impact of his work was great, to the extent that several Christian Hebraists translated the work, and several such manuscripts are still extant.
The Hilsner Affair And The Blood Libel
A police search of Hilsner’s house yielded no incriminating evidence, and he maintained that he had left the city on the afternoon of the murder long before it could have been committed.
The Judaism And Zionism Of Sigmund Freud
Freud joined the Viennese branch of B'nai Brith in 1897 and became an active member during his first years, serving as the organization’s president and working actively to grow the chapter and to recruit Jewish friends to the organization.
The Boat-Shaped Signature Of The Chida
Finding the signature of the Chida (or Chid”a, as it is an acronym), R. Haim Yosef David Azulai (1724 – 1806), is one of the pleasures in life that I am to repeat to infinity.
Myron Taylor, Jewish Refugees, The Pope And Israel
Taylor worked to save European Jews from the Holocaust and he interacted directly with the pope in this effort.
Robinson’s Arch: An Intrinsic Part Of The Kotel HaMaaravi
Today, we have a clear picture of the true function of Robinson’s Arch: it was part of a monumental staircase that connected a gate in the Temple Mount’s outer precincts with the Herodian Street far below.
1800s New Orleans Jewry
He also gave thousands of dollars each to existing 23 Jewish congregations in 14 states – especially the Newport, RI synagogue, where he endowed the cemetery in which he was laid to rest, the final surviving member of the Touro family line.
The Art Of The Kotel
I present here from my collection several of my favorite artistic depictions of this most sacred Jewish site.
Abraham Meyers’ Collection Of Letters
Antiquarian booksellers are often propelled by the excitement that occurs when you stumble across an important discovery that sheds light on otherwise unknown areas.
Rosh Hashana Greeting Cards: Immigrants Coming To America Theme
The first reference to the Jewish practice of written Rosh Hashana greetings may be found in the Book of Customs of Rabbi Yaakov ben Moshe Moelin (1365-1427), aka the Maharil, the religious leader of German Jewry in the fourteenth century.
A Fresh View Of Shabbat From South Africa’s Chief Rabbi Goldstein
It is a time for forgiveness, repentance, and building character traits like being humble, kind, optimistic, and grateful. It is also time of reflection and return. It’s a return not only to our heritage, but to our true inner selves.
Jewish Modernity In Renaissance Italy
An unpublished manuscript I acquired recently by one of the greatest Italian Rabbis of the 18th century was an exciting find for me. Being a collection of halachic rulings and chiddushim, it was written by Rabbi Yishmael Ha-Kohen, rabbi of Modena.
The ‘Jewish Music’ And Photography Of Ernest Bloch
Few people know that Bloch was also an accomplished photographer, a passion that began early in his teens and through which medium he further exhibits his extraordinary compositional skills.
The ‘Israel In Palestine’ Pavilion At The Paris Exposition Of 1937
Although the Pavilion drew broad and favorable media coverage and won awards, it ultimately failed in its greater purpose: to sell the nations of the world on the idea that Jewish resettlement of Eretz Yisrael was both a solution to the Jewish Question and in the interests of the international community.