Ancient Hebrew manuscripts to go online in Israel-Russia deal
Viktor Molchanov, head of manuscript department of the Russian State Library, shows the Passover Hagada from the Guenzburg collection of ancient Hebrew manuscripts and books at the library in Moscow, Russia November 7, 2017. REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - One of the most treasured collections of ancient Hebrew manuscripts and books will be digitized and available for public view online under an agreement by the state libraries of Russia and Israel announced on Tuesday.
Israel has long sought the transfer to its national library of the 14,000-item Guenzburg collection in the Russian State Library in Moscow, and the digitization compromise effectively shelves a century-old ownership dispute.
The collection includes medieval books, rare works of Jewish ritual law and mysticism, prayer books and biblical commentaries amassed by three generations of the Russian-Jewish Guenzburg family.
The Prayer Book according to the Roman Rite from the Guenzburg collection of ancient Hebrew manuscripts and books is pictured at the Russian State Library in Moscow, Russia November 7, 2017. REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva
It was purchased by Zionist activists in 1917 for shipment to Jerusalem that was delayed by fighting during World War One and was ultimately seized by Soviet authorities after the Russian Revolution.
Under what the National Library of Israel described in a statement as "an historic agreement" with the Russian State Library, thousands of "new high quality images" of the ancient Hebrew texts will be integrated into the Israeli institution's online Ktiv manuscript site. (http://web.nli.org.il/sites/NLIS/en/ManuScript/)
The Magid Davar folklore from the Guenzburg collection of ancient Hebrew manuscripts and books is pictured at the Russian State Library in Moscow, Russia November 7, 2017. REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva
(Writing by Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
Viktor Molchanov, head of manuscript department of the Russian State Library, shows the Torah from the Guenzburg collection of ancient Hebrew manuscripts and books at the library in Moscow, Russia November 7, 2017. REUTERS/Tatyana MakeyevaThe Passover Hagada from the Guenzburg collection of ancient Hebrew manuscripts and books is pictured at the Russian State Library in Moscow, Russia November 7, 2017. REUTERS/Tatyana MakeyevaViktor Molchanov, head of manuscript department of the Russian State Library, shows the Evronot, Book of Intercalations, from the Guenzburg collection of ancient Hebrew manuscripts and books at the library in Moscow, Russia November 7, 2017. REUTERS/Tatyana MakeyevaThe Torah from the Guenzburg collection of ancient Hebrew manuscripts and books is pictured at the Russian State Library in Moscow, Russia November 7, 2017. REUTERS/Tatyana MakeyevaViktor Molchanov, head of manuscript department of the Russian State Library, shows the Torah from the Guenzburg collection of ancient Hebrew manuscripts and books at the library in Moscow, Russia November 7, 2017. REUTERS/Tatyana MakeyevaOren Weinberg (L), director of National Library of Israel, David Blumberg (2nd L), chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Library of Israel, Ziyavudin Magomedov (2nd R), founder of Peri Foundation, and Vladimir Ivanovich Gnezdilov, acting general director of Russian State Library, attend an event marking the signing of an agreement between the state libraries of Israel and Russia, whereby one of the most treasured collections of ancient Hebrew manuscripts and books will be digitized and available for public view online, at the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem November 7, 2017. REUTERS/Ronen ZvulunOren Weinberg (seated L), director of National Library of Israel, David Blumberg (seated 2nd L), chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Library of Israel, Ziyavudin Magomedov (seated 2nd R), founder of Peri Foundation, and Vladimir Ivanovich Gnezdilov (R), acting general director of Russian State Library, attend an event marking the signing of an agreement between the state libraries of Israel and Russia, whereby one of the most treasured collections of ancient Hebrew manuscripts and books will be digitized and available for public view online, at the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem November 7, 2017. REUTERS/Ronen ZvulunLord Jacob Rothschild speaks at an event marking the signing of an agreement between the state libraries of Israel and Russia, whereby one of the most treasured collections of ancient Hebrew manuscripts and books will be digitised and available for public view online, at the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem November 7, 2017. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
