Most major bookstores carry Judaica calendars.
its "Illuminations" calendar.
This year, the calendar show-
cases illuminated manuscripts
from the British Library. These
old religious books were hand-
calligraphed and illustrated,
representing the utter richness
ofJewish history.
a'S Appeal
Judaica calendars, while not
impossible to find, are still a
challenge to locate. Most major
bookstores carry at least one Ju-
daica calendar; local Judaica
stores carry a larger variety, of
course.
Hershel Strauss, president
of Hamakour Judaica, Inc., a
mail-order house in Chicago,
observed, "Just in the past few
years, people have started or-
dering calendars. This is a new
phenomenon."
But by sending out thou-
sands of catalogues, Hamakour
has helped to create this de-
mand for Judaica calendars.
"People want an attractive cal-
endar that is reasonably
priced," said Mr. Strauss. Oth-
ers appreciate the sheer beau-
ty of the Jewish art, replete
with meaning. Mr. Strauss says
people often buy the "Celebra-
tion of Life" calendar (original
lithographs by Zamy
Steynovitz) to frame the art af-
terward.
Less tangible reasons drive
customers to Judaica, too.
"Many people look for a Jew-
ish calendar because of a desire
or a need to feel connected to
the Jewish culture," Mr.
Strauss contended. In fact,
many people are buying Ju-
daica calendars for gifts, for
home, and to display at the of-
fice. Mr. Strauss believes the
layman information on the tra-
ditions, the candle lighting
times as well as the Torah por-
tions provide information in an
accessible way.
MoreJudaic° a
Other Judaica calendars
available through Hamakour
Judaica or your local stores are:
"The Best of Traditions 1994".
A beautiful 16-month collection
of photographs depicting Jew-
ish life and traditions, from kid-
dish to the ketubah.
"My Very Own Jewish Calen-
dar". A 16-month children's cal-
endar complete with recipes,
craft ideas, anecdotes and the
history ofJewish traditions. In-
cludes favorite Yiddish curses
like "May all your teeth fall out
except one (so you can still have
a toothache)".
"Folk Art at the Jewish Muse-
um". A 16-month showcase of
religious meaning and Jewish
tradition and ritual as seen in
folk art.
"The Jewish Calendar with il-
lustrations from the collection
of the Israel Museum,
Jerusalem". This award-win-
ning 16-month calendar high-
lights art and artifacts from the
15th century and beyond, com-
plete with detailed descriptions
and historical contexts. Includes
a pull-out of four wallet-sized
calendars.
month called Adar II, is insert-
ed between Adar and Nisan to
compensate for the earth's ro-
tation.
The Gregorian calendar,
used by most in the Western
world, was devised by Pope
Gregory XIII in 1580 to correct
the Julian calendar that was 11
minutes and 14 seconds longer
than the solar year.
Pope Gregory XIII ordered
10 days dropped from October,
the month with the fewest Ro-
man Catholic holy days.
Timely Resources
For complete catalogues or to
order direct:
Pomegranate Publications/Cal-
endars & Books P.O. Box 6099
Rohnert Park, Calif. 94927; or
call 800-227-1428.
A Brief History
Of Time
The to Neues Publishing Com-
pany
16 W. 22nd Street New York,
N.Y. 10010; or call 800-352-
0305.
The Hebrew calendar is
based on the moon and usually
has 12 months.
Seven times during every 19-
year period, an extra 29-day
For free 72-page catalogue from
Hamakour Judaica, Inc., call 1-
800-552-4088 (and mention this
article).