The Kennicott Bible: arts & entertainment One of the great Hebrew manuscripts Cultures 'Talk' Through Books In this holiday season, Jewish, Christian and Islamic manuscripts, side by side, at the Jewish Museum. Sandee Brawarsky I Special to the Jewish News T o see the Rambam's handwrit- ing up close is astonishing. Two of his handwritten works are behind glass in New York City, part of the Jewish Museum's current exhibit "Crossing Borders: Manuscripts from the Bodleian Libraries." His autograph draft of his comprehen- sive legal code, or Mishneh Torah, dates back to around 1180. Its black Hebrew letters are written in a cursive Sephardic script, with many letters joined, as though the philosopher, rabbi, doctor and leading figure in the medieval Jewish world were writing in a hurry, without lifting the pen very often. He writes in straight lines and some- times in the margins, occasionally crossing out. The sheets were found in the Cairo Genizah. An autograph manuscript of his Commentary on the Mishnah, written in Judeo-Arabic from 1167, includes his drawing of the plan of the Temple. The more than 60 works showcased — many on display in the United States for the first time — span the third century through the 17th, and they include Bibles, commentaries on the Bible, prayer books for daily and festival use, a Hebrew psal- ter with French and Latin annotations, and collections of fables. Three volumes of Euclid's Elements of Geometry — in Hebrew, Arabic and Latin — are set in a row, all open to the same diagrams. All the exhibited works are commentaries, too, on their times and hint of the hands that cre- ated, commissioned and used them. The museum presents a brilliant solu- tion to the difficulty inherent in displaying valuable manuscripts and books under glass: As is usual in exhibits of rare books, the individual volumes are propped open, with an often spectacular two-page spread visible. But the viewer is left wondering what might be on the following or previ- ous pages, or the opening title page. Here, adjacent iPads are part of the exhibition. For several of the books on display, addi- tional pages may be viewed by touching the screen, and images can be enlarged for more detailed views. Claudia Nahson, the Morris and Eva Feld Curator at the Jewish Museum, explains that the museum used touch screens before in exhibitions, but never iPads, and never has used the technology as extensively as it does in this show. "Here, it was an interesting option — but not only for the technology and what of the Middle Ages, the 1476 Kennicott Bible (scribe: Moses ibn Sabara; commissioner: Isaac, son of Solomon de Braga, Corunna, Spain) contains lavish illuminations combin- ing Islamic, Christian and popular motifs. It has an inscription identifying the artist (Joseph ibn Hayyim), rare in Hebrew manu- scripts. The book is open to Sefer Mikhlol, a grammatical treatise by the 12th-cen- tury Provencal rabbi David Kihmhi. It is set within Islamic-style horseshoe arches, surrounded by animal vignettes. The Bible owes its name to the English Hebraist Benjamin Kennicott (1718-1783).83), who Hebrew Pentateuch with Motif of the Virgin and the Unicorn: This manuscript, meant for synagogue use, comprises the Aramaic translation of the Pentateuch, Rashi's commentary and additional readings. Most remarkable is the medallion at bottom, with an image of a unicorn resting in the lap of a virgin. It decorates the first page of the book of Genesis, together with Adam and Eve, who are portrayed as sinners bringing death upon the world. The images are Christian in their symbolism, alluding to the Incarnation and the New Creation: Christ is the unicorn and the second Adam; Mary is the virgin and the new Eve. This exquisite miniature portrait of Sir Thomas Bodley (1545-1613) bears a Latin inscription indi- cating the date of its creation, 1598, and the fact that the sitter was 54 years old. This was the year when he retired from diplomatic service under Queen Elizabeth I and decided to re-establish the library at Oxford. it allows you to do. It's another form of the book. We start with scrolls, rotulus (a scroll that unfurls vertically), codices. It's all part of a history, how we transition from one to another; she says, pleased to see all of the forms together in one space. In fact, the very first sentence of the first panel in the first room nods to the new Cultures 'Talk' on page 53 Rollicking Reunion After going their own ways, local band members get together to play a show for fans. I Suzanne Chessler Contributing Writer E ric Gutman knows how to make at least one dream come true. A full-time ticket broker and part-time stage performer, Gutman had a dream about appearing again with his band from high school and beyond and spent waking hours putting a show together. The quartet, which began with the name Affliction and became Small Craft Sighting to get away from any A part-time heavy metal connec- actor, Eric tions, will appear Gutman can be Thursday evening, Dec. seen on many 27, at the Berkley Front local stages. in Berkley. 48 December 20 • 2012 "This will be a rock 'n' roll show with the original music we recorded for eight albums on independent labels," says Gutman, 35, who has been on tour with Jersey Boys and periodically joins a cast of Forbidden Broadway. "It will be our 20-year reunion, mark- ing the time we started, and I hope our friends who saw us in local clubs and at college shows will be in the audience for this event:' Gutman, a student at Harrison High School in Farmington Hills when he joined up with the other quartet mem- bers, sings and plays rhythm guitar. Joe Kirkland, the bass player, continues with another local band, Lisboa, although his primary work is as a philosophy profes- sor. Drummer Courtney Cahill and guitar- ist Chris Nagarah don't keep up profes- sionally with their music. While Cahill works in logistics, Nagarah is an electrical engineer. Gutman, the only Jewish member, had a singing role model in the family. His late grandfather, David Gutman, was cantor at Temple Beit Kodesh in Livonia. Religion is important to Eric Gutman, and his wife, Sarah, who have chosen day- care at Temple Emanu-El in Oak Park for their two daughters: Riley, 4, and Sydney, 2. "I joined with the quartet in 1992 and stayed with them until I decided to move to New York in 2000:' says Gutman, who lives in Huntington Woods and recently appeared in the play Ordinary Days at the Tipping Point Theatre in Northville. "We all wrote the music, but Joe was the one who came up with the lyrics. "We had wonderful times together, and we've been doing a lot of rehearsing to get ready for our reunion. The other three Small Craft Sighting, circa 1998: Joe Kirkland, Courtney Cahill, Chris Nagarah and Eric Gutman spent more time together because they continued as a trio after I left the band. "I still think of them as great friends, and I look forward to seeing other high school friends at our reunion show. We can have an early toast to the new year" ❑ Small Craft Sighting will perform at 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 27, at the Berkley Front, 3087 12 Mile Road, in Berkley. Doors open at 8 p.m. $5 cover. (248) 547-3331.