4toduras Htbruvy Misccildnly
FROM ISRAEL'S BOOKMART
No best seller lists are published.
Title page of an issue
Israel, but the Monthly of the
of "The Book
Israel, Publisher's Association pro-
in Israel," the monthly'
Vides some other interesting infor-
pation on how books,. Hebrew
trade organ
books, can be gauged as an indi-
of the Israel
Cator of both the deep interest in
Publiihers Association.
cultural matters and the sovereignty
rylro41-in:Irriv
of Hebrew on all levels of literary •
The "Exiibris"
activity. According to the latest re-
reproduced
here is
less
than
74
titles
were
port, no
that of Reuben Brainin,
published over a two-month period
—quite an output in relation to the
prominent
Ike of the country and of its read-
Hebrew writer
ing population. Those titles encom-
of a bygone era.
pass books of general interest,
•5, 3V
Works in the fields of .philosophy
and psychology, Jewish scholar-
ship, sociology, mathematics, sci-
ence, medicine, technology, visual
There are 70 publishers in the
arts, poetry, literary criticism, geo-
graphy, history and biography. And country and more than a hundred
of course, there are textbooks for additional outlets. for the commer-
cial distribution Of these books.
schools and children's books.
Special Feature Prepared by Tarbut Ivrit Foundation for the Advancement of Hebrew Culture.
n.
) 3
erirs , , , Vb
Hebrew Treasures at the British Museum
(A Seven Arts Feature)
By Rabbi Dr. H. Rabinowitz
"The Hebrew collection in the
British Museum forms one of the
great centres of Jewish thought,"
wrote Dr. Solomon Schechter in
1896. Despite the development of
new Hebrew collections in the
United States, the British Museum
is still the Jewish bibliophile's par-
adise. In the Oriental Department
there are over 3,000 Hebrew man-
uscripts, nearly 100 incunabula,
thousands of Geniza fragments and
nearly 40,000 printed books.
During the second half of the
18th century there were merely
a handful of Hebrew manuscripts
in the museum's collection. Three
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manuscripts were presented by the has nearly a hundred incunabula,
broker Solomon de Costa Athias 237 books printed between 1500
(1690-1769) "as a small token of and 1540 and 38 books which
esteem, love and gratitude to this are either unique or exceedingly
magnanimous nation and as a rare.
thanksgiving offering in part for
A great rarity is the editio prin-
the generous protection and num- ceps of the Tur by Jacob ben
berless blessings which I have en- Asher printed in 1475 at Piovo di
joyed under it."
Sacco. It is generally considered
Antonia Panizzi, principal li- as the second dated Hebrew book
brarian of the British Museum, in existence.
The British Museum has always
was not only responsible for the
building of the magnificent led the way in catalogue publica-
domed Reading Room but also
tions-. In 1867 it published a cata-
for the increase in the Museum's logue of the Hebrew printed books
Hebraica. In 1848 the museum by Joseph Zedner. In 1894 Van
acquired for 1,000 pounds the li- Straalen published a Supplement
brary of the scholarly collector in which he cited 4,650 books ac-
Joseph Michael of Hamburg. It quired during the years 1862-1892.
consisted of 4,240 volumes form- George Margoliouth, who in 1891
ing 3970 distinct works. Among succeeded Reinhardt Hoerning as
assistant keeper in the Oriental
them were about 400 Bibles and
Commentaries, 2020 theological Department, compiled the Cata-
works, 380 liturgical works, 230 logue of the Hebrew and Samaritan
works on Mysticism, 860 on Manuscripts of the British Museum.
This comprehensive work, issued
science.
In 1865 the museum paid Asher in three volumes, describes 1,206
and Company 1,000 pounds for the manuscripts. A fourth volume of
library of Jeseph Almanzi (1801- the same catalogue, by Jacob Le-
1860), secretary of the Congrega- veen, was issued in 1935 and deals
tion of Trieste who died at the age with nearly 150 manuscripts not
of 59. The 308 volumes of Almanzi treated in the earlier parts. With
extended from the 13th to the 16th regard to its sizeable collection of
centuries. Every branch of Hebrew Hebrew books, the Museum has
literature is represented in them. lagged behind. No Hebrew printed
.The manuscripts included the first catalogue has been published since
Hebrew dictionary Machberet by 1894. The Oriental Room has a
the tenth century Spanish philolog- card index of the Hebrew books
ist Menachem ben Saruk and an acquired only since 1953; but for
autograph copy of Joseph ben the Hebrew books acquired be-
Joshua Ha-Kohen's martyrology tween 1894 and 1953 there is not
Emek ha-Bacha ("Vale of Weep- even a card index. A new printed
catalogue or at least an up-to-date
ing").
index
of the acquisitions of the
From 1877 to 1882 the museum half century
now some fifty
acquired 300 manuscripts through years overdue. is The
De-
W. H. Shapira (1830-1884) which partment may well Oriental
take to heart
included a collection of 145 Karaite the words of Ismar Elbogen:
"A
works. By these acquisitions the library without a printed catalogue
British Museum Karaite literature
are superseded only by the Fir- resembles a locked treasure cham-
koitch collection at Leningrad. "Mr. ber to which the keys are wanting."
Bond, the Principal Librarian and
the Trustees," applauded the Israel Navy to Acquire
Times, "are heartily to be congrat-
ulated on this boon which they Streamlined Weapons
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
have conferred upon the nation."
to The Jewish News)
In 1935 the museum acquired
TEL AVIV—Israel's Navy is pre-
for the sum of 10,000 pounds 1,000 paring itself for aquisition of new
manuscripts of Dr. Moses Gaster. weapons, newer than "any we know
In the collection are documents to date," Admiral Shlomo Erel,
from the 11th century as well as an the Navy Commander, said
autograph responsum of Maimon- Wednesday in an interview in the
ides. The glory of the museum is Navy Periodical, Maarahot Yam.
its 75 illuminated manuscripts. Art He declined to indicate the nature
lovers and bibliophiles alike feast of the new weapons.
their eyes on exquisitely wrought
He also reported that the Navy
Bibles, Mahzorim (festival prayer was building a highly modern elec-
books) and Haggadot (the service tronics workshop, as well as port
for Passover). One manuscript con- maintenance facilities to permit
sists of 700 leaves of vellum. Apart operation and maintenance of dif-
from the last 300 pages every leaf ferent types of Naval vessels. In
has some decorations. 41 full page his comment on the new weapons,
illustrations are devoted to the he said that "We may find our-
Bible.
selves in a situation in which we
The library possesses most of well have to react with consider-
the works printed in Italy by the able speed to safeguard peace and
pre-eminent printers of the 15th keep a constant state of prepared-
and 16th centuries. The museum ness.
Friday, March 10, 1967 15
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
-
ME Cooperation Is Predicted in Book
`From Antique Land' by Julian Huxley
"From an Antique Land," by
Julian Huxley, telling of his travels
through the Middle East, has been
published by Harper and Row.
Originally published in 1954, a
new introduction to this edition
covers political and social changes
in the area since the first edition,
and a new concluding chapter de-
scribes more recent visits.
Dr. Huxley discusses Byblos, Ba-
albek, Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan,
Petra, Damascus, Palmyra, North
Syria, Baghdad, Persia, the Pyra-
mids, the banks of the Nile and
other areas.
There are 40 pages of illustra-
tions, including 16 pages of photo-
graphs in full color.
Dr. Huxley recreates both the
splendor and horror of empires
which flourished 4,000 years ago
and comments on their relapse from
prosperity into desert and crip-
pling poverty. He speculates on
whether the countries will regain
their prestige in the modern world.
"The existence of Israel," he
points out, "has introduced a
new factor into the Middle East
—high-powered western science
and technology, based on demo-
cratic principles and coupled
with a will to control and con-
serve the environment, utilize
its resources to the full, and im-
prove the lot of its inhabitants."
There is new material on Israel
which he was unable to visit—for
political reasons—before publish-
ing the first edition, but which he
finally visited in 1965. A second
trip to Jordan on a scientific ex-
pedition also is described.
"There will continue to be quar-
rels between Israel and the Arab
states, between the Arab states
themselves, and between the Arab
states and the Western world," he
writes in conclusion.
"But I feel safe in prophesying
that within a very few generations,
cooperation will not only begin be-
tween Israel and Jordan, but will
increase throughout the Middle
East, and help the region to regain
a- position of leadership in our
evolving world."
Dr. Huxley, noted scientist and
author and brother of Aldous Hux-
ley. served as director general of
UNESCO, 1946-48.
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