High Holiday Rare Materials
Selections from Glimmers of Light: Reflections on the Days of Awe for 5785
Pieces from this collection offer insight into historical moments and communal response, showcasing moments of transition, communal engagement, and evolving traditions. These three selections were adapted from the forthcoming book Discovering Great Treasure written by Rabbi Marcus Mordecai Schwartz, PhD, Ripps Schnitzer Librarian for Special Collections of the JTS Library.
The Toledo-Constantinople Bible
Audio Collection
The JTS Library has an extensive collection of audio recordings from individuals and communities that reflect the sounds of the High Holiday season. These examples illustrate the breadth of the collection:
Cochin (India) Rosh Hashana Musaf (Recorded 1967)
Nusah from the Firenze (Florence) Jewish Community (Recorded 1967)
Selihot from Salonika (Recorded September 21, 1963)
The Song of Berditchev (from The Eternal Light, broadcast 1953): This dramatic recording from the JTS-NBC radio broadcast portrays Rabbi Yitzhak Levi of Berditchev taking on God during Yom Kippur services
JTS Postcard Collection
These are a select
These are a selected assortment from the large postcard collection of the JTS Library. Jews have been sending New Years greetings since the fourteenth century. As printing and mail systems improved, this practice became widespread. These pieces were printed in the United States, Europe, and Palestine and dovetail with a broader trend that was dubbed the “Great Post Card Craze”[1] of the early 20th century.
[1] “Rosh Hashanah Postcards.” Hidden Treasures: Celebrating Jewish Archives in Britain. https://celebratingjewisharchives.org/news_feed/rosh-hashanah-postcards/.
