A collaboration of leading Israeli publishers, Kotar is a large collection of reference materials, scholarly books, biographies, and other materials related to Israeli and Jewish topics. Kotar aims to provide students, teachers, and scholars with the best sources of information published over the last 50 years in Hebrew, along with an online work environment. Kotar […]
Conservation and book repair, historical and modern
The Conservation Department at Columbia University Libraries is an often unsung hero of the libraries. The work of their talented conservators encompasses all areas of the library, and ensures that our collections, both modern and ancient, will endure for years to come. Many times, in a routine conservation activity, hidden aspects of books come to […]
Save the date! Alexander lecture with Jenna Joselit Weissman, November 1
We are very pleased to announce that Jenna Weissman Joselit, Charles E. Smith Professor of Judaic Studies and Professor of History, and Director of the Program in Judaic Studies at George Washington University will be giving the annual Norman E. Alexander Lecture this year, on November 1, 2016. The title of the lecture is: “Rock […]
NEA Library Spring 2016 Newsletter
Our latest newsletter is up! Click here to download our Spring 2016 newsletter (with live links). Highlights include: details about the Jewish collections included in the Global Studies exhibition in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library; updates on the digitization of the Language and Culture Atlas of Ashkenazic Jewry; links to the video for the […]
Three kabbalistic “brother” manuscripts identified: Paris, London, and New York
The British Library is working on digitizing their complete (and incredible) collection of Hebrew manuscripts. In the process of doing so, they have been asking scholars, experts in their various fields, to write articles on various aspects of the Hebrew manuscripts. This was the case with a recent article written by noted Kabbalah scholar Yossi […]
Jewish Studies materials to be featured in Global Studies exhibit, April 4-June 24, 2016
Six items from the Jewish Studies collections will be featured as part of an exhibit featuring Global materials in Columbia’s Special Collections (more information about the general exhibit below). Included in the Jewish Studies portion will be a manuscript copy of Spinoza’s Opera Posthuma; a Jewish elegy for Maria Theresa of Austria; a scroll of […]
Adventures in the Stacks: Everything Old is New Again
The wonderful thing about Columbia’s rare Judaica collection is that there is so much yet to be discovered – and rediscovered! A brief foray into the RBML rare stacks always yields wonderful stories. A couple of weeks ago, I began looking at some of the very largest rare Hebrew books, trying to see if any […]
New Acquisitions: Prague history, 15th c. Yiddish medicine, and Italian Broadsides
It has been a busy year for Judaica acquisitions at the Columbia RBML. Three important acquisitions have been added to our collection: A collection of forty Italian Broadsides depicting regulations on various communities (including Ferrara, Padua, Ancona, and others), only one of which is in the extensive Valmadonna collection of broadsides. We plan to digitize […]
5th Annual NEA Lecture: David Ruderman on “Missionaries, Mushumadim, and Maskilim
We are pleased to announce that David Ruderman (University of Pennsylvania) will be presented the 5th Annual Norman E. Alexander Lecture in Jewish Studies. His topic will discuss a unique instance in Jewish history where Maskilim (Enlightened Jews) defended traditional Judaism against missionary Alexander McCaul. Reception to follow the lecture. Additionally, our brand new NEA […]
New Databases for the new academic year! Hebrew books and Talmud Index
Just in time for the beginning of the Fall semester, I am pleased to announce the purchase of two new databases for Columbia’s Judaica collection: 1. Otzar HaHochma – a database of 72,700 digitized Hebrew books, from the 15th century to the present day. Includes books from the presses of Mossad HaRav Kook and Mekhon […]