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).