Jewish Treasures from Oxford Libraries
Edited by Rebecca Abrams and César Merchán-Hamann
The Bodleian Library is home to one of the most important collections of Jewish and Hebrew manuscripts anywhere in the world. For the first time Jewish Treasures From Oxford Libraries, showcases the treasures of the collections, explains their historic and cultural importance, and tells the fascinating stories of the original collectors and curators who secured these unique and precious manuscripts and books for posterity.
Illustrated with lavish full colour images, the chapters explain the importance of these outstanding works, seldom seen by the general public, and bring to life the little-known personalities and motivations of their original collectors.
The book includes exquisitely illuminated medieval Hebrew Bibles; manuscripts rescued from the Cairo Genizah; the earliest dated fragment of the Talmud, and a fragment of the Mishneh Torah with edits by Maimonides.
Saved for posterity by religious scholarship, intellectual rivalry and political ambition, these extraordinary collections also chart the evolution of the trade in manuscripts and books, forming a social and cultural history of objects moved across borders, from person to person. Together, these manuscripts and collections offer a fascinating journey through Jewish intellectual and social history from the tenth century to the twentieth.
“A triumph in bookmaking”
JEWISH BOOK WEEK 2020: Rebecca discusses the remarkable Jewish manuscripts in Oxford University’s libraries with Dr Yoel Finkelman of the National Library of Israel.
What the Critics Say
“An extraordinary, sumptuous book and a bargain! The stories are fascinating. Over all of them is the famous bibliophile Rabbi David Oppenheim, of Prague, whose vast collection was purchased in the nineteenth century for the Bodleian library. There are many, many full-colour, full-page illustrations. A great read, a great book to possess, and - happy are they who may receive this book as a perfect gift!”
PAUL SHAVIV, The Seforim Blog
“The book has brought together major world scholars in the subject. Like one of Claudia Roden’s cookery books, it uses the basic proposition of the treasures themselves to weave other tales. The collectors each have short biographies. It is lavishly illustrated and well produced.”
JOHN BOWERS, The Critic
“This book is a must own for all lovers of the Jewish book and students of Jewish history and literature. Such an important book and a real model for how a university should produce a volume to highlight their Judaica collections.”
MENACHEM BUTLER
“Richly illuminated and illuminating.”
DR ISRAEL M SANDMAN, Jewish Tribune
Full Reviews:
“Jewish Treasures from Oxford Libraries is an unending delight… What a privilege to be offered this stunning stained-glass window into our history.”
NOA LESSOF GENDLER, Jewish Renaissance
“A vivid, lavishly produced, and fascinating new book… interleaved with expert introductions and aesthetic and historical evaluations of individual items meticulously coedited by Rebecca Abrams.”
DAVID STERN, Mosaic
Purchase
Jewish Treasures from Oxford Libraries is available in hardback edition from the Bodleian Libraries shop and from Amazon.