As anyone who has done research using Yiddish newspapers can tell you, it's not easy to find primary sources, especially those from newspapers, in the digital world. While Yiddish newspapers contain critical information about the labor industry, immigration, the Jewish day-to-day environment, and so much else, finding these materials is not easy, and often requires […]
New Resource: Early New York Synagogue Archives
Synagogue records, as records of a particular community in a particular place, can contain tremendous gems for scholarship in Jewish history. Thanks to a wonderful collaboration between the The Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary and the American Jewish Historical Society, the records of five of the most important synagogues in New York City are […]
Updated Resource: The Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People
"The Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People (CAHJP) were established in 1939. They hold the archives of hundreds of Jewish communities, as well as of local, national and international Jewish organizations and the private collections of many outstanding Jewish personalities. The Archives now hold the most extensive collection of documents, pinkassim (registers) […]
David Stern Lecture: The Lives of Jewish Books
As we near the close of physical version of The People in the Books (the online version will, of course remain online), we look forward to one more lecture dealing with Hebrew manuscripts. On January 22, as part of the Grolier Club's Bibliography Week, Professor David Stern (University of Pennsylvania) will be speaking at Columbia […]
Discoveries in the vault – a book collector’s book
One of the wonderful things about being the first librarian for Jewish Studies at Columbia is the constant discovery that takes place as I research and document the history of the Judaica collection. In the process of reviewing a list of Hebrew books in the Columbia Manuscript Room (which included both rare printed books and […]
Digital Exhibition: Leaving Europe: A New Life in America
Cambridge, MA, USA / The Hague, Netherlands, 18 December 2012 – To mark the beginning of a unique digital collaboration, the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) and Europeana are pleased to announce the launch of Leaving Europe: A new life in America. The all-new virtual exhibition tells the story of European emigration to the […]
New Acquisitions: Bookdealers and Sabbateans
I am pleased to announce two new acquisitions for the Judaica collection at Columbia: 1) A small collection of materials from Judaica bookdealers around the world in the first part of the 20th century. A brief description: Collection of letters and ephemera relating to the Judaica book trade, most from 1926-1955. The collection includes […]
Ruth Wisse at Columbia: Tuesday, November 27
Please join us on Tuesday, November 27, for the 2nd Annual Norman E. Alexander Lecture in Jewish Studies. […]
November 8: A Bundle of Comics: Graphic Narratives from The Jewish Daily Forward’d Bintl Brief
On November 8, at 6 PM, Liana Finck will be discussing and showing her graphic artistry based on the letters to the editor from the Jewish Daily Forward's Bintl Brief. A poignant collection of stories from the early 20th century, the Bintl Brief was the "letters to the editor" that highlighted the immigrant Jewish experience […]
The People in the Books: Now open at Columbia and online
It is with great pleasure that I announce that Columbia’s exhibition of Hebrew and Judaic manuscripts, The People in the Books, is now open, through January 25, 2013. The exhibit is free and open to the public during all RBML hours of operation. Entry is free, and handicapped accessible. Please bring valid government-issued photo ID […]