A text for plague times

             Everyone has something to say about our current pandemic. I have to admit that as of yet I don't have much of value to say. I am still in rabbinical school at American Jewish University. I am also pursuing a Masters in Education degree. In my spare time I am still selling books and also trying to start a Jewish communal organization to serve Downtown Los Angeles where I live now. If you know anybody who lives in Downtown or the Arts District or Echo Park who might be interested in something like that please feel free to put them in touch with me.
             I did stumble on a text that I would like to share. (Credit and attribution are below). I hope to write some commentary on it down the line, but that might never happen. It is a dream text by Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav. From the introduction by Nathan Sternharz we can surmise that the Rabbi Nahman either dreamed this dream or choose the moment to recount it to Nathan around the time of the full moon right after Hanukkah. It is, I think, a hopeful text for all us trying to deal with the fears and anxieties of the moment. May you be blessed with health of body and mind and the strength to persevere.

(The year 5567 [1806-7]) in Bratslav, during the week of Vayehi. After I had recited the sanctification of the moon on the moon on my own, he said to him, “Had you been joyous, it would have done the world a lot of good.” Then he told me this, that he had seen in a dream:

                A large troop of soldiers was walking by, and behind them flew birds, a vast array of birds. I asked the person next to me, “Why are the birds flying behind them?” He replied, “They are there to help the soldiers.” When I asked how they could be of help, he continued, “These birds give off a certain fluid that causes the enemy troops to die. In that way they are helpful to the soldiers.” I was troubled by this response. The soldiers they are supporting are also nearby. When they give off that fluid, it could also harm them. Then I saw the birds coasting down to the ground until they were all walking right behind the soldiers. As they went they picked up round things, which weren’t food. I wondered how the birds were keeping up with the soldiers. Surely a man walks faster than a bird. What were they gathering? I was told that these were the source of that fluid that killed the enemy troop. (Several points were difficult for me, but I don’t remember them.)

                I went into an enclosed place, and I found a very low doorway. I entered and lay down; it was a dark room, with no windows. I had gone in seeking to hide, and did. All the birds came in after me. I tried to chase them out, shooing them with my hands, but there was a cat standing outside. Birds run from cats, and that was why they had all come into the room. Because of the cat all my shooing did no good at all. “Why had they come here?” I asked. “Due to their pox,” they replied. “Why was that?” “The fluid used to kill the enemies was derived from their pox.” “Might not they also die of this pox?” Indeed they did, and the place where their bodies fell would become especially contaminated.

                I was terribly upset, fearing that I would did from the stench of the dead birds, for there were many of them there. I prayed to God, blessed by He, over this, and the pox passed out of them there and they turned healthy. Then a single bird flew out, and all the others followed after him. A great shout broke forth in the world, “Mazel Tov! Mazel Tov!” And I too roared, “Mazel Tov!”

Translation by Arthur Green published in Rabbinic Fantasies: Imaginative Narratives from Classical Hebrew Literature, edited by David Stern and Mark Jay Mirsky. Sections in italics are the words of Nathan of Nemirov from the collection of Rabbi Nachman’s writings “Haye Moharan,” compiled and edited by Nathan of Nemirov.The Hebrew text can be found on Sefaria here.

Early Year Books of the Central Conference of American Rabbis

The Reform movement was consolidating itself in the period of mass immigration from Eastern Europe. The demographic change altered the calculation of Reform leaders that their version of Judaism would be the dominant one in the United States. The movement was beginning to produce a culture of serious academic scholarship among its body of American educated rabbis. Reform rabbis were associated with the major leaders of American Jewry. The Year Books from the early years of the run (they continue to appear) are a rarely consulted resource for the study of American Jewish History. At these conferences issues like assimilation and relevant Jewish education for contemporary youth were already active issues for these rabbis long before they entered into mainstream cultural discussion. The descriptions below include the details on the articles. However, each also includes reports on the business of the movement and the statements of the movement on various people and events of the time. 

Later volumes of this journal are quite common, but these are not.

Year Book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, For 1895-5644 [VIII]. Cincinnati, Ohio, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1895. Octavo, green cloth spine with black covered boards and a printed paper label on the front board, worn corners, lviii, 78 pp., errata. Hardbound. Very Good. Articles are "Theology of Old Prayer Book," Max Margolis, "The Rabbi as a Public Man," I.L. Leucht, "Funeral Agenda," Joseph Stolz, "Funeral Reforms,' Leo M. Franklin, "Gibt es Dogmen im Judenthem," B. Felsenthal. (38759)     $60.00

Year Book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. Volume XI 1901 5661. Containing the Proceedings of the Convention held at Philadelphia, July 2-6, 1901. No place, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1905. Octavo, green cloth spine with black covered boards and a printed paper label on the front board, worn corners, 165 pp. Hardbound. Articles are "Judaism and its Religious Development in the Nineteenth Century," S.H. Sonneschein, with discussion by C.A. Rubenstein and Marcus Salzman, "The Story of the Jew in the Nineteenth Century," M.H. Harris, with discussion by David Blaustein. Very Good.  (38757)     $60.00

 Guttmacher, Adolph and Rosenau, William, edited by. Year Book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis . Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Convention of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Rochester, N.Y., July 10, 1895. Cincinnati, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1896. Octavo, lacking the paper covers, 149 pp., list of member. Softbound. Good. Articles are "Plan of Instruction in the Jewish Sabbath-School," M. Mielziner, "The Scroll of the Law," G. Deutsch, "Missionary Effortsin Judaism," I.S. Moses, "Philosophy of the Reform Movement in American Judaism," E.G. Hirsch, "I. Religion and Philosophy in the Pulpit. II. The Reasons Why We Believe in God," Adolph Moses, "True Religion," S. Sale. (85330)      $25.00

Guttmacher, Adolph and Rosenau, William, edited by. Year Book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis for 1897-98. 5658. Cincinnati, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1898. Octavo, paper covers, lx, 74 pp., list of members, short tear to the rear panel with an associated crease. Softbound. Good. Articles are "Theology of Old Prayer Book," Dr. Max Margolis, "The Rabbi as a Public Man," I.L. Leucht, "Funeral Agenda," Joseph Stolz, "Funeral Reforms," Leo M. Franklin, "Gibt es Dogmen im Judenthum?" B. Felsenthal. (85327)     $50.00

Guttmacher, Adolph and Rosenau, William, edited by. Year Book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis for 1898-99. 5659. Cincinnati, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1899. Octavo, worn and chipped paper covers, 107 pp., list of members. Softbound. Fair. Articles are "The Attitude of the Congregation to the Non-Members," Wm. Rosenau, "Can We Revise the Succoth Celebration," M.H. Harris, "A United Israel," K.Kohler, "The Achievements and the Possibilities of Judaism," J. Silverman. (85326)      $15.00

Guttmacher, Adolph and Rosenau, William, edited by. Year Book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis Volume XI  1901-5661, containing the Proceedings of the Convention held at Philadelphia, July 2-6, 1901. Cincinnati, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1901. Octavo, worn paper covers, 165 pp., list of members, Softbound. Good. Articles are "Judaism and its Religious Development in the Nineteenth Century," S.H. Sonneschein, "The Story of the Jews in the Nienteenth Century," M.H. Harris. (85328)     $50.00

Guttmacher, Adolf and Rosenau, William, edited by. Year Book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis Volume XIII 1903 5663, containing the Proceedings of the Covention held at Detroit, June 29 to July 4, 1903. New York, CCAR, 1903. Octavo, olive cloth spine with black lettering, minor chipping to the boards, 390 pp. Hardbound. Good. Articles are "Telegram sent to President Roosevelt anent the Kishineff Affair," "Assyriology and the Bible," Kaufman Kohler, with discussion by Philipson, Elzas, Willner, M.L. Margolis, Deutsch, Eelow, F. Cohn, Kohler, "Report of the Sabbath Commission," J. Voorsanger, Sonneschein, Enelow, "Pegagogical Methods in the Modern Jewish Religious School," L. Grossman, with discussion by A. Simon, "The Theological Aspect of Reformed Judaism," M.L. Margolis, with the discussion by S. Hecht and M. Friedlander, "Life of Solomon Munk," G. Deutsch. (38749)     $50.00

 

Guttmacher, Adolf and Rosenau, William, edited by. Central Conference of American Rabbis Volume XIV 1904 5664 Containing the Proceedings of the Convention held at Louisville, June 26 to June 30 1904. New York, CCAR, 1905. Octavo, olive cloth spine with black lettering, 252 pp. Hardbound. Articles are "Conference Sermon: Like Priest, Like People," D. Philipson, "Reform Judaism and the Recent Immigrant," A. Hirschber, "Thoughts Concenring Some Jewish Questions of the Day," B. Felsenthal, "Proposed Changes in the Scriptural Readings as Arranged inthe Hebrew Union Prayer Book," M.H. Harris, "Jewish Religious Conditions in Scattered Communities," C. Zepin, "The Life of Salomon Sulzer, "Sulzer's Music," A. Kaiser. Very Good.  (38749)      $50.00

 

Guttmacher, Adolph and Rosenau, William, edited by. Year Book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. Volume XV 1905 5665. Containing the Proceedings of the Convention held at Cleveland, Ohio, July 2 to 6, 1905. No place, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1905. Octavo, olive cloth with black lettering, 279 pp. Hardbound. Very Good. Articles are "Conference Sermon: Meeting Our Problems," Leo M. Franklin, "Presidential Address," Jos Krauskopf, "The Kaddish," I. Schwab, "Rashi, his Life and Work," Max Schloessinger, "The Pathology of Lack of Affilition," Geo. Zepin, Memorial Resolutions on Death of Lippman Mayer." (38755)     $50.00

Schanfarber, Tobias and Hirschberg, Samuel, edited by. Year Book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. Volume XVI 1906 5666. Containing the Proceedings of the Convention held at Indianapolis, Ind., July 1 to 5, 1906. No place, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1906. Octavo, paper covers, 342 pp. Hardbound. Articles are "Conference Sermon: The function of the Rabbi in His Relation to His People," Schulman, "Message of President," Jos. Stolz, "A Plan for Co-operative Work in Collecting Material for Encyclopedic MStudies in Jewish History and Literature," G. Deutsch, "A Suggestion as to Reaching Adolescents," Alfred T. Godshaw, "Religious Work Among Jewish Inmates of Penal Institutions," Adolph M. Radin, "The Reform Movement as Reflected in Neo-Hebrew Institutions," Max Raisin, "Gabriel Riesser," G. Deutsch, "Samuel Holdheim, Jewish Reformer," David Philipson. Very Good.  (39327)      $50.00

Schanfarber, Tobias and Hirschberg, Samuel, edited by. Central Conference of American Rabbis Volume XVI 1906 5666 Containing the Proceedings of the Convention held at Indianapolis, IND., July 1 to 5, 1906. New York, CCAR, 1906. Octavo, light brown cloth with black lettering, 343 pp. Hardbound. Articles are "Conference Sermon: The function of the Rabbi in His Relation to His People," Schulman, "Message of President," Jos. Stolz, "A Plan for Co-operative Work in Collecting Material for Encyclopedic MStudies in Jewish History and Literature," G. Deutsch, "A Suggestion as to Reaching Adolescents," Alfred T. Godshaw, "Religious Work Among Jewish Inmates of Penal Institutions," Adolph M. Radin, "The Reform Movement as Reflected in Neo-Hebrew Institutions," Max Raisin, "Gabriel Riesser," G. Deutsch, "Samuel Holdheim, Jewish Reformer," David Philipson. Very Good.  (38748)      $35.00

 Schanfarber, Tobias; Hirshberg, Samuel & Stolz, Joseph, edited by. Year Book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. Volume XVII 1907 5667. Containing the Proceedings of the Convention held at Frankfurt, Michigan, U.S.A., July 2 to 8, 1907. No place, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1907. Octavo, tan cloth with black lettering, 281 pp. Hardbound. Very Good. Articles are "Syllabus of Steropticon Lecture on Judaism of the Nineteenth Century," G. Deutsch, "Discussion of Rabbi Landman's Paper - "Moses Hayyim Luzzatto, in Honor of His Bicentenary,"" Rabbi Mendel Silber, "The History and Function of Ceremonies," Kaufman Kohler, "Message of the President," Stolz, "Conference Sermon," Maurice H. Harris, "Moses Hayyim Luzzatto, in Honor of His Bicentenary," Isaac Landman, "Sabbath Sermon," Marcus Salzman, "Religious Influences of Childhood Upon Adolescence," Montague N.A. Cohen, "Religious Work for Dependents and Defectives in Jewish Institutions," Simon Peiser, "Supplementary Explanations to the Plan for Co-operative Work in Collecting Material for Encyclopedic Studies in Jewish History and Literature," Gottfried Deutsch, "Memorial Page to Isaac Mayer Wise."
 (87872)      $45.00

 
Morgenstern, Julian; Lefkowitz, David and Philipson, David, edited by. Year Book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. Volume XVIII 1908 5668. Containing the Proceedings of the Convention held at Frankfurt, Michigan, U.S.A., July 1 to 8, 1908. No place, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1908. Octavo, tan cloth with black lettering, 361 pp. Hardbound. Very Good. Articles are "Samson Raphael Hirsch, in Honor of the Centenary of His Birth," Max Heller, "The Significance of the Bible for Reform Judaism in the Light of Modern Scientific Research," Julian Morgenstern, "Intermarriage," Mendel Silver, "'Crescas and Spinoza' in Commemoration of the Fifth Centenary of the Publication of the 'Or Adonai,'" David Neumark. (76596)      $45.00

Morgenstern, Julian Lefkowitz, David and Philpson, David., edited by. Central Conference of American Rabbis Volume XIX 1909 5670 Containing the Proceedings of the Convention held in New York City, November 9 to 16, 1909. New York, CCAR, 1910. Octavo, light brown cloth with black lettering, brittle free front endpaper loose, 508 pp., index. Hardbound. Articles are "Message of the President," David Philipson, "David Einhorn, The Uncompromising Champion of Reform, A Biographical Essay," Kaufman Kohler, "Intermarriage, Historically Considered," Ephraim Feldman, "Mixed Marriages in Their Relation to the Jewish Religion," Samuel Schulman, "A Review of Textbooks for Ethics," Nathan Krass, "Our Biblical Histories," Joseph S. Kornfeld, "A Review of Courses of Study and Methods in Use in Jewish Sunday-Schools," George Solomon, "Conference Sermon: The Old Wells," H.G. Enelow, "Samuel Adler, In Honor of the Centenary of his Birth," Joseph Silverman, "Obituary Address - Adolph Moses Radin," Nathan Stern, "The Workingman and the Synagogue," Solomon Foster. Good.  (38747)     $50.00

 

Marx, David Morgenstern, Julian and Heller, Max, edited by. Year Book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. Volume XX 1910 5670. Containing the Proceedings of the Convention held at Charlevoix, Michigan June 28 to July 4, 1910. Dedicated to the Memory of Abraham Geiger, Pioneer and Leader of the Reform Movement in Judaism in Honor of the Centenary of His Birth, May 24, 1910. No place, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1901. Octavo, tan cloth with black lettering, 384 pp. Hardbound. Very Good. Articles are "The Liberal Movement in English Jewry," Claude G. Montefiore, "The Reform Movement Before Geiger," J.S. Raisin, "Abraham Geiger, the Reformer," David Philipson, "The Reform Movement After Geiger," Max Landsberger, "Religion and Social Evil," Henry Berkowitz, "School Organization," Isaac Landman, "Post-Biblical History," Joseph Stolz, "Introduction in Jewish History," G. Deutsch. (38756)     $50.00

Marx, David Morgenstern, Julian and Heller, Max, edited by. Year Book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. Volume XXI 1911 5671. Containing the Proceedings of the Convention held St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minn., June 30 to July 6, 1911. No place, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1911. Octavo, tan cloth with black lettering, 347 pp. Hardbound. Very Good. Articles are "Ludwig Philipson," Joseph S. Kornfeld, "The Basis of Membership in the American Synagogue," Louis Witt, "Leopold Loew," Julius Rappaport, "The Harvest Service," David Philipson, "Correspondence School for Jewish Teachers," Henry Berkowitz, "The Problem of Ethical Instruction in the Public Schools," Tobias, Schanfarber, "Sabbath-School Work for High School Pupils," "Some Aspects of Jewish Apologetics," Max C. Currick, "Leopold Stein," Harry W. Ettelson. (39326)      $50.00

 

Schulman, Samuel and Foster, Solomon, edited by. Year Book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. Volume XXII 1912 5672. Containing the Proceedings of the Convention held at Baltimore, Maryland April 12 to 17, 1912. No place, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1912. Octavo, tan cloth with black lettering, 364 pp. Hardbound. Articles are "Message of President," Samuel Schulman, "The Spirit of the Age in Relation to Judaism: Conference Lecture," H.H. Mayer, "The Ethics of the Ministry: Conference Sermon," H. Berkowitz, "The Interest of American Jewry in the Judaism of Distant Lands," G. Deutsch, "Hermann Adler," Abram S. Isaacs, "Liebman Adler," Tobias Schnfarber, "Heinemann Volgelstein," David Philipson, "The Attitude of Judaism Toward Christian Science," Maurice Lefkovits, discussion by Julian H. Miller, "A Change of Confirmation Day," Joseph Krauskopf, "The Reintroduction of Congregational Singing," Israel Aaron. Very Good.  (38754)     $40.00

Schulman, Samuel; Foster, Solomon and Frisch, Ephraim, edited by. Year Book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. Volume XXIII 1913 5673. Containing the Proceedings of the Convention held St. Paul and Atlantic City, N.J., July 2 to 8, 1913. No place, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1913. Octavo, tan cloth with black lettering, 410 pp. Hardbound. Very Good. Articles are "Jewish Music Historically Considered," Jacob Singer, "The Ethics of the Halakah," Jacob Z. Lauterbach, "Problems of American Judaism, Conference Lecture," Chas. S. Levi, "Without Spot or Blemish, Conference Sermon," Simon R. Cohen, "The Place of the Jew in a Racial Interpretation of History," Max Heller, "The Modern Problem of Marriage and Divorce," Leon Harrison, "Archeological Research in Bible Lands," A.S. Anspacher. (76595)     $50.00

 Marcuson, Isaac E., edited by. Central Conference of American Rabbis Volume Thirty-Second Annual Convention April Thirteenth to Seventeenth Nineteen Hundred and Twenty-One, Washington, D.C., Volume XXXI. New York, CCAR, 1921. Octavo, paper covers fold-out frontispiece photo, foxing to the endpapers and early pages, wear at the edges, 283 pp., index. Hardbound. Good. With the articles "The History of Jewish Preaching," Harry H. Mayer, "The Attitude of the Jew Towards the Non-Jew," Jacob Z. Lauterbach, "How the Religion of the Pulpit Reacts on the People," A.Leo Weil. (76585)     $25.00

Marcuson, Isaac, edited by. Central Conference of American Rabbis Thirty-Sixth Annual Convention, October Twentieth to Twenty-Third, Nineteen Hundred and Twenty Five, Cleveland, Ohio. Volume XXXV. No place, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1925. Octavo, paper covers with a crease to the front cover, frontispiece photo, 417 pp., index. Softbound. Very Good. Articles are "Modern Rabbinical Seminaries," Jacob Mann, Changing Functins of the Rabbinate," Joseph J. Kornfeld, "Attracting the College Youth to the Synagog," Benjamin Frankel, "Survey of Contemporaneous History," Harry S. Linfield, "Synagog Pension Plan," Ludwig Vogelstein, "Marrying Deceased Brother's Wife," Samuel S. Cohon, "Isaac M. Wise Memorial Page." (87873)      $45.00

Marcuson, Isaac E., edited by. Central Conference of American Rabbis Fifty-Seventh Annual Convention, June 25th to June 30th Nineteen Hundred and Forty-Six, Chicago, Illinois, Volume LVI. This Volume is gratefully dedicated to members of the Conference who served as Chaplains in the Army and Navy During World War II. Special Chaplain's Edition. New York, CCAR, 1946. Octavo, black cloth with gold lettering, aeg, ribbon marker, 427 pp., index. Hardbound. Good. With the articles "The Union and the Conference - Our Common Task," Maurice N. Eisendrath, "Reform Judaism and the Halacha," Solomon B. Freehof, "The Impact of the Chaplaincy Upon the Chaplain," Milton Rosenbaum and Alvin I. Fine, "The Translation of that Impact in the Life of the Synagog," Earl S. Stone and Samuel M. Silver. (76607)      $35.00

END

Yiddish Trade Periodicals as Literary Magazines

The Yiddishist world is just different. You can go into the drugstore or a roadside convenience store or the bookstore in the airport and find all sorts of very specialized magazines about computers, or men's health, or women's health, or guns, or fly-fishing, or investing. Why a journal for furniture manufacturers and suppliers and another for cemetery workers ought to feel that half their mission was the furtherance of the literature of a minor language. Below are selections from the runs of both of the journals I am alluding to. The "Der Holts-industryal: Hoydesh-Zshurnal," is lightly held be libraries. The "Yerlikher Report Semetari Department," annuals were produced by the Cemetery Workers who were members of the Arbeter Ring in New York. You would have expected them to be more widely held but those aren't all that common elsewhere. The twenty-fifth year appears to be the earliest year that is held. The issues listed here are professionally done. The earlier issues might have been more primitive and ephemeral, but that is only a guess.

Sapoznikow, G., edited by. Der Holts-industryal: Hoydesh-Zshurnal fun Farayn fun Holts-un Ayzen-Industyaln in Argentine. VI-ter Yorgang, Yuli, 1946, Numer 68/ El Indutrial Maderero Año VI, Julio de 1946, No. 68. Buenos Aires, Asociacion Industriales de la Madera y del Hierro (Argentina), 1946. Quarto, paper covers with wear and minor loss to the spine, 159, 137 pp., b/w photos, ads, yellowed paper. Hardbound. Good. Text is in Yiddish with a section in Spanish at the rear. (77866)     $50.00

Sapoznikow, G., edited by. Der Holts-industryal: Hoydesh-Zshurnal fun Farayn fun Holts-un Ayzen-Industyaln in Argentine. VII-ter Yorgang, Yuli, 1947, Numer 80. Buenos Aires, Asociacion Industriales de la Madera y del Hierro (Argentina), 1947. Quarto, paper covers badly bumped at the bottom open corner, 146 pp., b/w photos, ads, yellowed paper. Hardbound. Fair. Text is in Yiddish. (77868)     $25.00

Sapoznikow, G., edited by. Der Holts-industryal: Hoydesh-Zshurnal fun Farayn fun Holts-un Ayzen-Industyaln in Argentine. VIII-ter Yorgang, Yuli, 1948, Numer 92/ El Indutrial Maderero Año nXV Anuario. Buenos Aires, Asociacion Industriales de la Madera y del Hierro (Argentina), 1948. Quarto, paper covers, 174 pp., b/w photos, ads,  Hardbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish. (77865)     $65.00

Sapoznikow, G., edited by. Der Holts-industryal: Hoydesh-Zshurnal fun Farayn fun Holts-un Ayzen-Industyaln in Argentine. X-ter Yorgang, Yuli, 1950, Numer 112. Buenos Aires, Asociacion Industriales de la Madera y del Hierro (Argentina), 1950. Quarto, paper covers, 210 pp., b/w photos, ads, yellowed paper. Hardbound. Good. Text is in Yiddish. (77867)     $65.00

Ayn-un-Draysik Yerlikher Report Semeteri Department Arbeyter Ring 1938. New York, Cemetery Dept. Workmen's Circle, 1938. Octavo, paper covers, 102 pp., b/w photos, tables. Softbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish and with an English language section at the rear. Includes both poems suitable for the cemetery and mourning and the contemplation of mortality as well as the hard details of the Union's business matters. (77741)      $35.00

34 Yerlikher Report Semeteri Department Arbeyter Ring - 1941. New York, Cemetery Dept. Workmen's Circle, 1941. Octavo, paper covers, 156 pp., b/w photos, tables. Softbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish and with an English language section at the rear. (77742)     $35.00

37 Yerlikher Report Semeteri Department Arbeyter Ring - 1907-1944/ 37 Years Cemetery Department Workers, Inc., 1907-1944. New York, Cemetery Dept. Workmen's Circle, 1944. Octavo, paper covers, 86, 82 pp., b/w photos, tables. Softbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish and with an English language section at the rear.  (77743)     $35.00

39 Yerlikher Report Semeteri Department Arbeyter Ring - 1907-1946/ 39 Years Cemetery Department Workers, Inc., 1907-1946. New York, Cemetery Dept. Workmen's Circle, 1946. Octavo, paper covers, 82, 56 pp., b/w photos, tables. Softbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish and with an English language section at the rear.  (77744)     $35.00

41 Yerlikher Report Semeteri Department Arbeyter Ring - 1907-1948/ 41 Years Cemetery Department Workers, Inc., 1907-1948. New York, Cemetery Dept. Workmen's Circle, 1948. Octavo, paper covers, 98, 78 pp., b/w photos, tables. Softbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish and with an English language section at the rear.  (77745)     $35.00

43 Yerlikher Report Semeteri Department Arbeyter Ring - 1907-1950/ 43 Years Cemetery Department Workers, Inc., 1907-1950. New York, Cemetery Dept. Workmen's Circle, 1950. Octavo, paper covers, 98, 78 pp., b/w photos, tables. Softbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish and with an English language section at the rear.  (77746)     $35.00

44 Yerlikher Report Semeteri Department Arbeyter Ring - 1907-1951/ 44 Years Cemetery Department Workers, Inc., 1907-1951. New York, Cemetery Dept. Workmen's Circle, 1951. Octavo, paper covers, 90, 70 pp., b/w photos, tables. Softbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish and with an English language section at the rear.  (77747)     $35.00

47 Yerlikher Report Semeteri Department Arbeyter Ring - 1907-1954/ 47 Years Cemetery Department Workers, Inc., 1907-1954. New York, Cemetery Dept. Workmen's Circle, 1954. Octavo, paper covers, 48, 32 pp., b/w photos, tables. Softbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish and with an English language section at the rear.  (77748)     $35.00

49 Yerlikher Report Semeteri Department Arbeyter Ring - 1907-1956/ 49 Years Cemetery Department Workers, Inc., 1907-1956. New York, Cemetery Dept. Workmen's Circle, 1956. Octavo, paper covers, 58, 22 pp., b/w photos, tables. Softbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish and with an English language section at the rear.  (77749)     $35.00

Another mostly Mandate Palestine Miscellany

Sometimes the most interesting books come in and go right out. These books have been kicking around for some time and no-one seems to have ever noticed them. They all belonged to the same reader once upon a time.


Cornfeld, Peretz, edited by. Palestine Personalia 1947. Tel Aviv, Palestine Personalia, 1947. Octavo in dust jacket with minor edge wear and a quarter sized chip at the head of spine, 360 pp. Hardbound. Very Good. Includes members of all groups, Jewish, Arab and British. (47509) Cornfeld was involved in later in most of the collective biographical directories published in the 1945-1949 period. These are all uncommon. This one, which includes a section "Palestinian Institutions and Enterprises," has only about a dozen holdings internationally.     $95.00

Halevy, Shoshana. Ha-Sefarim ha-Ivriyim she-nidpesu bi-Yerushalayim ba-hamishim ha-shanim ha-rishonot: 601-651 (1841-1891)/ The Printed Hebrew Books in Jerusalem During the First Half Century (1841-1891). Jerusalem, Mekhon Ben Tsevi: ha-Universitah ha-Ivrit bi-Yerushalayim ‘al yede Kiryat sefer, 1963. Quarto in dust jacket, 202 pp., b/w illustrations of title pages, indexes. Hardbound. Very Good. In Hebrew. 662 items listed (24762)     $40.00

Halevy, Shoshana. Ha-Sefarim ha-Ivriyim she-nidpesu bi-Yerushalayim ba-hamishim ha-shanim ha-rishonot: 601-651 (1841-1891)/ The Printed Hebrew Books in Jerusalem During the First Half Century (1841-1891). Jerusalem, Mekhon Ben Tsevi: ha-Universitah ha-‘Ivrit bi-Yerushalayim ‘al yede Kiryat sefer, 1963. Quarto , soiled black cloth with gold lettering, 202 pp., b/w illustrations of title pages, indexes. Hardbound. Very Good. In Hebrew. 662 items listed (27551)     $25.00

Lewin-Epstein, Elias Wolf. Zikhronotai. Tel Aviv, Hotsaat ha-ahim Levin Epshtain ve-shutafam, 1932. Royal octavo, paper covers with a paper label on the front cover, 387 pp., b/w photos, errata sheet. Softbound. Very Good. In Hebrew. Lewin-Epstein was an early Zionism from Lithuania. He was one of the founders of the settlement of Rehovot and the manager of the Jewish Agricultural Colony there. He was one of the founders of the Carmel Wine Company. He participated in the Ahiasaf Publishing Company and was one of the founders of Lewin-Epstein Publishing House which was for many years a leading publishing company in Mandate Palestine and Israel.  (47293)     $40.00

Sapoznikow, G., edited by. Der Holts-industryal. Yorbukh 1955 VXter Yorgang/ El Indutrial Maderero Año XV Anuario. Buenos Aires, Asociacion Industriales de la Madera y del Hierro (Argentina), 1955. Quarto, green cloth with gold lettering, 232, 16 pp., b/w photos, ads, brief introductory section in Spanish at the rear, minor water-rippling at the base of the text block. Hardbound. Good. In Yiddish with a small Spanish language section at the rear. A combination furniture manufacturer's trade journal and Yiddish literary magazine. Thirty literary contribution primarily from known Yiddish litterateurs.  (47502)   Not widely held.  $50.00

Shamri, Arie. L[amed] v.[av.] shirim al Lezer Tsipres: poemah. Tel Aviv, Hotsa'at ha-K.buts ha-Artsi ha-Shomer ha-tsair, 1939. Quarto, maroon cloth with black lettering, 88 pp., illustrations by Yitshak Polikvits. Foxing to the endpapers. Hardbound. Very Good. Translated into Hebrew from the Yiddish by A. Shlonski. Shamri was a prolific Yiddish author. This is the only volume of translations of his writings into Hebrew or any other language. Shlonsky was one of the most important Hebrew language author in Mandate Palestine. More on him below. I am not sure exactly who the illustrator is, but the work is interesting. (27786)      $75.00

Shatz, Z[vi]. Al gevul ha-demamah: ketavim. Tel Aviv, Hotsaat Davar, 1929. Small octavo, soiled paper covers, 166 pp., mild foxing. Softbound. Good. In Hebrew (47353)     $30.00

Shlonsky, Abraham. Devai: shete po'emot dramatiyot. Tel Aviv, 1924. Octavo, paper covers with edgewear and a small chip at the base of the front cover, 135 pp., two pasted-in illustrations and the cover design by Pinchas Litvinovsky. Softbound. Good. In Hebrew. Shlonsky the leader of the generation of modernist Hebrew writings in the cohort that followed Brenner and Bialik. He was particularly active as a translator with a preference for Russian literature. There are those who feel that modern Hebrew syntax has more to do with Russian syntax than Biblical Hebrew syntax and if there is any truth in that Shlonsky is the one to blame. In his later career be came to represent a more conservative stream within Hebrew literature Litvinovsky  attended the Odessa Academy of Art, the Bezalel Academy of Art & Design, and the  Academy of Art, Petrograd, in 1917. He was influenced by Constructivism. In 1926, he designed the sets for the Habima production of Ansky's Dybbuk. In later years he worked in Expressionist and then Minimalist styles. He has had exhibits at the major Israeli Art Museums and his works sell well in only in the four and five figure range. (47506)    $125.00

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Selections from Our German Language Holdings

There are quite a few books in my stock that no one knows I have. Here are a few of them.


Beer, B. Leben Abraham's nach Auffassung der jüdische Sage mit erläuternden Anmerkungen und Nachweisungen. Leipzig, Oskar Leiner, 1859. Octavo, brown cloth spine with fraying at the spine ends, marbled paper covers, xvi, 216 pp., index, errata. Hardbound. Very Good. In German (41389) Bernhard Beer was an auto-didact from Dresden He became a volunteer preacher and a respected scholar. This title is not one of the ones attributed to Beer in the entry that describes him in the Jewish Encyclopedia.   $35.00

Herzl, Theodor. Gesammelte Zionistische Werke In fünf Bänden. I. Band: Zionistische Shriften. Band II/ III/ IV: Herzls Tagebücher. Band V. Das Neue Ghetto/ Altneuland/ Aus Dem Nachlass. In Five Volumes. Berlin, Jüdischer Verlag, 1934, 1934, 1934, 1934, 1935. Mixed editions, third, second and firsts, but uniform. Octavos, paper covers in dust jacket pasted down to the spines and flaps, frontispiece photo, 542 pp. + frontispiece photo, 647 pp. + frontispiece photo, 620 pp. + frontispiece photo, 661 pp., index + frontispiece photo, 555 pp. Dust jacket of volume One is badly damaged. Rear panel is lost. Minor damage to the other dust jacket. Chip to the rear panel of the dust jacket of the fifth volume. Softbound. Good. In German (40730)      $95.00

Jellinek, Ad[olph]. Studien und Skizzen. Der jüdische Stamm. Ethnographishe Studien. Vienna, Herzfeld & Bauer, 1869. 16mo, dark green cloth spine frayed at the head and with a hand-written paper label, shelfworn paper covered boards, x, 224 pp. Hardbound. Good. In German (39601)  Jellinek was admired widely among German Jews in the nineteenth-century for his homieltics. He was also an expert on Kabbalah and Jewish Folklore. This is one of his collections of Jewish ethnography.    $35.00

Kopi. Joël Gern; der Werdegang eines jüdischen Mannes. Frankfurt a. Main, Verlag von J. Kauffmann, 1912. Duodecimo, black cloth with white lettering, 110 pp., yellowed lettering. Hardbound. Good. In German. Rare. Kopi is the Pseudonym of Jacob P. Kohn. (40629)     $40.00

Scherer, J.E. Beiträge zur Geschichte des Judenrechtes im Mittlealter mit besonderer Bedachtnahme auf die Länder der österreichisch-ungarischen Monarchie. Erster Band: Die Rechsverhältnisse der Juden in den deutsch-österreichischen Ländern. Mit einer Einleitung über die Principien der Judengesetzgebung in Europa während in Mittelalters. [Contributions to the history of Jewish law in the middle age with special consideration to the countries of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Volume 1: The legal relationships of the Jews in the German-Austrian countries. With an introduction about the principles of Jewish legislation in Europe during the Middle Ages]. Leipzig, Verlag von Duncker & Humblot, 1901. Octavo, black cloth with a hand-done label on the spine, xxii, 672 pp., errata. Hardbound. Very Good. In German (41433)     $75.00

Strack, Hermann L. Jüdisches Wörterbuch. Mit besonderer berücksichtigung der Gegenwärtig in Polen üblichen ausdrücke. Leipzig, J.C. Hinrichs'sche Buchhandlung, 1916. Octavo, paper covers, xvi, 204 pp., errata. Softbound. Good. In German (41560)     $25.00

Yago-Jung, Dr. Ilse (Judith). Die nationale Frage in der jüdische Arbeiterbewegung in Rußland, Polen und Palästina bis 1929. Inaugeraldissertation zur Erlangen des Grades eines Doktors des Philosophie im Fachbereich Institution und Soziale Bewegungen der Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität. Frankfurt am Main, Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität, 1976. Octavo, paper covers, 435 pp., notes, bibliography. Softbound. Very Good. Text is in German. (43171)     $50.00



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