Saturday, December 25, 2010

REVIEW FROM THE "SOUTH FLORIDA JEWISH JOURNAL"

THE WAY A HISTORY BOOK SHOULD BE WRITTEN
SACRED TREASURE—THE CAIRO GENIZAH by Rabbi Mark Glickman, Jewish Lights, Woodstock Vt. 2010, 254 pages, $24.99

Reviewed by Rabbi Jack Riemer

What an exciting book this is! The publicity release begins “Indiana Jones meets the Da Vinci Code in an old Egyptian Synagogue”, and the book justifies the statement. If other history books were written with this kind of verse, non-professionals, and young people in particular, would read a lot more history than they do.

Most people probably have some vague idea of what a gernizah is. They know that Jews do not just throw away Holy Books. They either bury them, or stuff them into synagogue attics out of respect for the Name of God or the quotations from the Torah that they may contain.

And most people probably have a vague idea of what the Cairo Genizah was. They know that Solomon Schechter, who was at the time a reader in Rabbinics at Cambridge University, and who went on from there to become the head of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, went to Cairo, climbed up the ladder that led to the attic in the synagogue where the genizha was stored, and brought back to Cambridge many of the pieces of paper that he found there, and that began the field of Genizah Studies.

But that is about all that most of us know about this topic. I had no idea until I read this book that the genizah contained three hundred thousand documents, enough to keep scholars busy cataloguing and deciphering these scraps for many lifetimes. I had no idea that it contained business correspondence, love letters, hundreds of poems, both secular and religious, medical information, letters to and from Maimonides himself, and even a page from what we would later understand were the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Mark Glickman has written a page turner of a book. We follow him from Schechter to S.D. Goitein to Stefan Reif, to the scholars who are now using—and inventing---new kinds of computers and cameras and new ways of cleaning these manuscripts and digitalizing them so as to make these long neglected works available for the first time on line. Whereas these scholars had to go to Cairo and sit in the dusty attic where these documents were first discovered or else go to the many countries from Russia to England to America to the Vatican to Norway to France, and to Israel where some of them were stored, in order to study them, it will soon be possible to study them on line from wherever you may be.

And even more amazing: if the top half of a piece of paper had somehow gotten separate from the bottom half, and if one half ended up in Russia and the other half ended up in England, it is now possible for the specially designed computers to identify that they share the same handwriting, and that they come from the same author, and are really one piece of paper, and so they can be joined and studied. It is as if someone had created hundreds of jigsaw puzzles and mixed them up together, and then sent them to people all over the world, and challenged them to put their pieces together. And yet the work is being done slowly and systematically, by scholars who understand that this is by far the largest, and surely one of the most informative, collections of forgotten Jewish writings ever rediscovered.

Mark Glickman writes exuberantly, taking us along with him on an exciting journey from country to country, from library to library, explaining to us in simple language that you do not have to be a professional scholar to comprehend how rich this collection is, and how it opens up to us a whole world that we would otherwise know almost nothing about.

At the end of this fast moving and well written book, Mark Glickman raises the question of what does it all mean, what does this collection have to teach us, not only about the world of the Middle Ages, but about our own time.

He says it teaches four important spiritual and historical truths. The first is that, contrary to what we usually believe; the Jewish community of the Middle Ages was not as monolithic as we think it was. In fact, it was as fractured and as contentious as we are today. At least three groups co-existed side by side in Medieval Cairo: those who followed the Palestinian Talmud and accepted the authority of the Palestinian Sages, those who followed the Babylonian Talmud and accepted the authority of the Gaonim, and the Karaites , who disappeared eventually, but who at one time had real numbers and status. These three groups lived side by side, did business with each other, and debated with each other, according to the documents they left behind

The second truth the Genizah teaches is that there was a vibrant, vital, prosperous, Jewish community that existed a thousand years ago in Egypt of all places. This community had security, success, and Jewish knowledge, contrary to our stereotype that medieval Jewry was downtrodden, oppressed, and unenlightened.

The third truth that the Genizah teaches is that Arab-Jewish relations were not always as bad as they are today. Many of the Jews whose literary legacy is found in the Genizah wrote in Arabic as well as in Hebrew, and they learned from, as well as taught, the people around them. The Hebrew language developed its grammar on the model of the Arabic language. The revival of Hebrew in our time would not have been possible without the help rendered to it by Arabic a thousand years ago. Arabic itself was a Jewish language, and, unlike Latin in Europe, was employed by Jews for all secular and religious purposes, except for the synagogue service.

The fourth, and perhaps the greatest lesson in the Genizah, is the holiness of writing. In this age of computers with their instant delete buttons, it is hard to understand but there is really something awesome about the power of writing. As Glickman puts it: “Pen touches paper and moves across its surface, and leaves a trail of ink behind. And that trail forms letters, the letters form words, the words become sentences, and the sentences convey thoughts. The written word can go from mind to mind, from heart to heart, from continent to continent. At some level, we still know this. This is why we cherish old love letters, graduation certificates, and family albums. They enable us to connect ourselves to the past and to bind ourselves, if only fleetingly, to the souls of others.”

So this is a book for all who like exciting stories. It is at least as fast moving and as adventurous as anything in Indiana Jones. It is a book for anyone who likes history, for it tells the fascinating story of the treasures that were found in a synagogue attic more than a century ago, and what it has taught us about a nearly forgotten community that lived in the Middle Ages. And it is a book for all who appreciate the shards of history, and the wonder of what communities leave behind to instruct us about themselves with.

For all these reasons, and more, I heartily recommend this informative and exciting book.


Rabbi Jack Riemer is a frequent reviewer for this journal and for many other journals of Jewish Thought in America and abroad.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Genizah Update #28
"One of the Best Jewish Books of 2010”




December 23, 2010

Dear Friends,

Greetings! I hope this email finds you well. I have several exciting book-related news items to share with you:

KUDOS
Waking up and doing my early morning email-check today, I was delighted to learn that Jewish Ideas Daily named my book, Sacred Treasure: The Cairo Genizah, one of the best Jewish books of 2010. In fact, my book is the eighth one on the list…but maybe that’s just because it’s alphabetical. As you can see if you follow the link below, Sacred Treasure is in very good company on this list; seeing it there was a real thrill and a great honor.

http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/content/module/2010/12/23/main-feature/1/a-year-in-books

GENIZAH FUND DONATIONS
Now that my book has been completed, I’ve closed the account holding the generous donations that many of you provided. Fortunately, the leftover funds allowed me to make $1,000 donations to two important Genizah institutions:

• The Taylor-Schechter Genizah Research Unit, Cambridge University Library
As you may know, the Cambridge University Library holds the largest collection of Genizah manuscripts – indeed, the largest collection of Jewish manuscripts of any kind – in the world. Included in their holdings is the Mosseri Genizah Collection, a trove of 7,000 manuscripts removed from the Genizah in the early 20th century and held in a trunk in the Mosseri family home until 2006. Conservators are unpacking and processing these documents at a rate of six or so per day – it’s a huge job. This donation will support the Genizah unit in their important work with this collection. You can learn more about it at http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/Taylor-Schechter/jmgc/.

• The Jewish Theological Seminary of America
JTS holds the worlds-second largest collection of Genizah manuscripts – about 35,000 of them. The Seminary acquired most of these treasures in the 1920’s from a collector named Elkan Nathan Adler. Adler had preserved the documents in clear plastic sleeves made of PVC – the same stuff they make water pipes from today. At the time, this was considered the latest and greatest way to preserve old manuscripts, but since then we’ve learned that PVC contains acids and other compounds which slowly eat away at the documents with which they come into contact. Knowing this, conservators now need to remove the documents from their PVC sleeves, and store them instead in sleeves made out of Melinex. Melinex is pop-bottle plastic, and it never degrades. Of course, such a project will be costly, but I’ve earmarked our donation for this specific purpose, and it’s nice to know that it will play an important role in preserving the priceless JTS Genizah treasures.

UPCOMING RADIO INTERVIEWS
• Friday, December 24, 12:00-12:30 PST, “Beyond 50 Radio” (Portland, OR), http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=59781&cmd=tc
• Sunday, January 2, 8:00 AM PST, “Jewish Perspective Radio” (Brevard County, Florida), http://jewishperspectiveradio.com/ (Airing-date unconfirmed)

After they are aired, both programs should be available online and on iTunes.

PHOTO ABOVE
The photograph atop this email comes to me courtesy of my friend, Dr. Ben Outhwaite, director of the Taylor-Schechter Genizah Research Unit at Cambridge. It is not “PhotoShopped.” Rather, this is a real picture of a real copy of my book sitting amongst real manuscripts from the Cairo Genizah. The two words below and to the left of the book are, “haadhihi al-kuraasa,” which is Judeo-Arabic for “this book.”

REVIEWS
Many thanks to those of you who have posted reviews of my book on Amazon. If you enjoyed the book, have not yet reviewed it, and are so inclined, please feel free to do so at your earliest convenience. These reviews are enormously helpful in getting the word out about the book.

Speaking of reviews, I have attached one from Rabbi Jack Riemer that I thought you might enjoy reading. It was published in the South Florida Jewish Journal


THE GIFT OF A SACRED TREASURE

It’s still not too late to get a copy of Sacred Treasure as a belated Chanukah or Christmas gift…or as a very early one for next year. If you’re interested in purchasing a signed copy from me, please contact me or consult previous Genizah Updates for details.

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

As you can see, I have still have an active schedule of Genizah talks, including an upcoming talk on Monday, January 13, 7:00 PM, at Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, Seattle. If you would me to come speak to your group, please contact me at your convenience.

Date Time Venue City
1. Sun, Jan 2 8:00 PM Pac. Assn. of Reform Rabbis (PARR) Palm Springs, CA
2. Thu, Jan 6 7:30 PM University Synagogue Irvine, CA
3. Mon, Jan 13 7:00 PM Third Place Books Seattle (Lake Forest Park)
4. Mon, Jan 24 TBA Temple Israel Dayton, OH
5. Tues, Jan 25 TBA The Valley Temple Cincinnati, OH
6. Wed, Jan 26 12:15 PM Hebrew Union College-Jewish Inst. of Religion Cincinnati, OH
7. Wed. Jan 26 7:00 PM Rockdale Temple Cincinnati, OH
8. Sun, Feb 27 TBA Cong. Ahavath Beth Israel Boise, ID
9. Fri, Mar 18 Noon University District Rotary Club Seattle, WA
10. March 27-30 TBA Central Conference of American Rabbis New Orleans, LA

That’s all for now. Best wishes to you and your loved ones for a wonderful holiday season.

Shalom,

Rabbi Mark Glickman


_____________________________________________________________
Have you seen my new book? “Sacred Treasure--The Cairo Genizah: The Amazing Discoveries of Forgotten Jewish History in an Egyptian Synagogue Attic” (Jewish Lights Publishing) http://www.jewishlights.com/page/product/978-1-58023-431-3

Monday, November 29, 2010

Genizah Update #27

The Gift of a Sacred Treasure

November 29, 2010

Hello Everybody,

Just a brief update this time, with some post-Thanksgiving details about Sacred Treasure.

REVIEWS
The reviews of Sacred Treasure: The Cairo Genizah continue to come in, and so far, no negative comments have appeared – at least none that I’ve noticed. You can see some of them at the links below, and a few more will likely appear in national publications during the next several weeks.
• http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Treasure-Cairo-Genizah-Discoveries/dp/1580234313/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281233587&sr=8-1
• http://www.nwbooklovers.org/2010/11/16/sacred-treasure-of-the-cairo-genizah/
• http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2010/nov/27/pages-plenty-20101127/?subscriber/features

A REQUEST
If you read and enjoyed the book, it would be enormously helpful if you would consider posting a review on Amazon. Such feedback is crucial to help raise awareness of this book and the story it tells.

A BESTSELLER!
Each Sunday, the Seattle Times book section selects a local bookstore and lists their recent bestsellers. Yesterday’s edition listed those of Eagle Harbor Book Company, on Bainbridge Island Washington, and Sacred Treasure came in at number three! The good news is that it outsold the #4 book, Of Thee I Sing, by Barack Obama. The bad news is that it still hasn’t caught up to the #2 book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. To be behind a Wimp but ahead of the president of the United States is a position I will accept with pride.

SPEAKING DATES AVAILABLE
As you can see below, I have an active speaking calendar during the next several months. I still have time-slots available, however, so please feel free to impose upon your church, synagogue, civic organization, school, etc. to have them contact me to come speak. I speak to groups of all ages, and love any opportunity I have to share the Genizah story.

THE GIFT OF A SACRED TREASURE
If you are looking for that special gift to give that special someone for Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, a birthday, anniversary, or International Human Rights Day (coming soon on December 10), I’m sure you’ll agree that nothing could possibly say “Happy______” better than Sacred Treasure. You can probably get the best deal from Amazon or another online retailer, but if you order it from me, I’ll sign it myself send it right to your doorstep or to whatever other doorstep you want me to send it.

Price:
Book $24.99
Shipping $3.00 each
Tax (WA only) $2.14 each

Send checks to:
Rabbi Mark Glickman
15030 232nd Ave. NE
Woodinville, WA 98077

Thanks as always for your enthusiasm and support.

With gratitude and heartfelt holiday wishes,

Rabbi Mark Glickman

Speaking Engagements

Date Time Venue City
1. Thu, Dec 2 11:30 AM Oregon Board of Rabbis Portland, OR
2. Thu, Dec 2 Noon Congregation Beth Israel Portland, OR
3. Thu, Dec. 2 7:00 PM Powell’s Bookstore, Cedar Hill Crossing Beaverton, OR
4. Mon, Dec 6 6 PM Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity Seattle, WA
5. Tue, Dec 7 10 AM Hamilton International School Seattle, WA
6. Thu, Dec 9 Noon Temple Beth El Tacoma, WA
7. Sun, Jan 2 8:00 PM Pacific Association of Reform Rabbis (PARR) Palm Springs, CA
8. Thu, Jan 6 7:30 PM University Synagogue Irvine, CA
9. Mon, Jan 24 TBA Temple Israel Dayton, OH
10. Tues, Jan 25 TBA The Valley Temple Cincinnati, OH
11. Wed, Jan 26 TBA Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Cincinnati, OH
12. Sun, Feb 27 TBA Cong. Ahavath Beth Israel Boise, ID
13. Fri, Mar 18 Noon University District Rotary Club Seattle, WA
14. March 27-30 TBA Central Conference of American Rabbis New Orleans, LA

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Genizah Update #26

LAUNCH!



November 11, 2010

Hello Everybody,

We have liftoff! Sacred Treasure: The Cairo Genizah has launched into published existence, and the journey seems to be going wonderfully.

On October 27th, Congregation Kol Ami in Woodinville hosted a launch-party for the book. It was a delightful evening, which included Havdalah (the ceremony marking the end of the Jewish Sabbath), several tributes emceed by my son Jacob, some great Middle Eastern food, and books galore. Over 100 people attended, and I was gratified and touched that so many joined in the celebration.

The evening also featured a Sacred Treasure cake, pictured above. These days, cake-preparers can somehow reproduce photographic images in frosting, and the cake at the launch party featured an image of the cover of my book. The cover, as you can see, includes a swath of a Genizah manuscript, which means that, if I am not mistaken, this is the first time ever that an image of a manuscript from the Cairo Genizah has been rendered in frosting. A historic event if there ever was one!

Many thanks to Stephanie Glickman, Jen Shevitz, Judy Simon, Stacy Schill, and everyone else who made the wonderful event happen. Thanks, too, to Peggy Barnett, who took the photos:




Reviews

A couple of reviews have been written about the book, and more are sure to come. Two now appear on Amazon.com – one of them was written by Israel Drazin, an Orthodox rabbi, and both give the book five stars.

Another review – written by a prominent Conservative rabbi and not yet published – was VERY enthusiastic. The review is headlined “The Way a History Book Should be Written.” It opens, “What an exciting book this is!” It calls the book “a page turner,” “fast moving and well written,” “a book for all who like exciting stories.” In general, the review is pretty positive.

If you have read the book and enjoyed it, please feel free to post a review on Amazon. These reviews are hugely important and are of great help in getting the word out about the book.

If, however, you have read the book and didn’t enjoy it, then don’t worry about the review…we’ll come up with another way for you to support the cause. 

Media Coverage

See these recent stories about the book and other matters-Genizah:

• Article about the book and the launch party in this week’s edition of Northeast King County Washington’s River Current News (this article will become publically available online by tomorrow, November 12th): http://www.rivercurrentnews.com/news/2010-11-11/Front_Page/Local_Rabbi_Unfolds_the_Cairo_Genizah.html
• Article in the current edition of Reform Judaism Magazine: http://reformjudaismmag.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=1827
• Article in the Lansing (Michigan) State Journal (I spoke about the Genizah in Lansing for a couple of days right after the launch party): http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20101029/NEWS01/10290326/1001/NEWS/Rabbi-tells-story-of-Hebrew-texts-found-in-Cairo

Books Available

As I mentioned in a previous email, books are now available online or directly from me:

• http://www.jewishlights.com/page/product/978-1-58023-431-3
• http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Treasure-Cairo-Genizah-Discoveries/dp/1580234313/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281233587&sr=8-1

Full disclosure time: You can get the book for the best price at Amazon or other such online retailers. I, however, earn about twice as much if you buy it from the publisher, and about eight times as much if you order it directly from me. If you opt for the latter, here is the information you’ll need.

Book price: $24.99
Sales Tax (WA only) $2.15
Shipping (if needed) $3.00

Checks payable to:
Rabbi Mark Glickman
15030 232nd Ave NE
Woodinville, WA 98077
USA

Speaking Engagements

As you can see below, I am speaking about the Genizah to a wide variety of groups within the next several months. If you are interesting in having me speak, please feel free to let me know.


As always, I thank you for your ongoing enthusiasm and support.

Shalom,

Rabbi Mark Glickman


Speaking Engagements


Date Time Venue City
1. Sun Nov 14, Sun , Nov 21 10:00 AM St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church Bellevue, WA
2. Thu, Nov 18 7:00 PM Eagle Harbor Book Co. Bainbridge Island, WA
3. Thu, Dec 2 11:30 AM Oregon Board of Rabbis Portland
4. Thu, Dec 2 Noon Cong. Beth Israel Portland
5. Thu, Dec. 2 7:00 PM Powell’s Bookstore, Cedar Hill Crossing Beaverton, OR
6. Tues, Dec 7 TBA Hamilton International Middle School Seattle, WA
7. Thu, Dec 9 Noon Temple Beth El Tacoma, WA
8. Sun, Jan 2 9:00 PM Pac. Assn. of Reform Rabbis (PARR) Palm Springs, CA
9. Thu, Jan 6 7:30 PM University Synagogue Irvine, CA
10. Sun, Feb 27 TBA Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel Boise, ID
11. Fri, Mar 18 Noon University District Rotary Club Seattle, WA
12. March 27-30 TBA Central Conference of American Rabbis New Orleans, LA

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Genizah Update #25 - Books!

Genizah Update #25

BOOKS!



October 28, 2010

This past Tuesday was a long hard day for me. However, as you can see above, when I returned home weary and disheveled at about 10:15 PM, I was delighted to find awaiting my arrival several boxes of the printed copies of my book, Sacred Treasure: The Cairo Genizah. After three years or so of hard work, it was very gratifying to see my Genizah project finally come to fruition. Thanks to all of you who helped make it possible.


BOOKS AVAILABLE

The books are now available from the publisher, Amazon, and other online retailers. You get the best price from Amazon et al; I get a bigger piece of the pie if you order from the publisher, and a far bigger one if you order directly from me. See details below.

As I write this, my book is #10 on Amazon’s “Religion & Spirituality>Judaism>History of Religion” list – down from #6 earlier in the day. I’m guessing this means that two of you have ordered to book from them, and I thank you both! 


LAUNCH PARTY

As I mentioned in a previous email, Congregation Kol Ami (Woodinville, WA) is sponsoring a launch party this coming Saturday, October 30th, at 7:30 PM. The evening will include Havdalah (a brief ceremony marking the end of the Jewish Sabbath), a short reading from the book, and an opportunity to purchase your copy and have me sign it for you. The event is open to the public, and I would be delighted if you could attend. (A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Congregation Kol Ami).


ARTICLE IN REFORM JUDAISM MAGAZINE

The Winter issue of Reform Judaism Magazine will include a major feature about Expedition Genizah – my trip with Jacob to Cambridge, Cairo and New York. If you belong to a Reform Congregation in North America, you should receive your copy of the magazine on or around November 10. However, the article is now available to everyone online at http://reformjudaismmag.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=1827. And although it doesn’t appear very clearly over the internet, the cover of the magazine will include a teaser for the article – “Indiana Glickman and the Chamber of Secrets.”


Other Upcoming Events

As you can see below, my schedule is filling up rapidly. That said, I am eager to share the Genizah story with whomever is interested in hearing it, so please encourage the various groups and communities in which you are involved to consider inviting me as a speaker – synagogues, churches, universities, Kiwanis, book clubs, military brigades, foxhunts – I’ll speak wherever I can.

Date Time Venue City
1. Sat, Oct 30 7:30 PM Congregation Kol Ami Woodinville, WA
2. Sun, Oct 31 7:00 PM Cong. Kehillat Israel Lansing, MI
3. Mon, Nov 1 7:00 PM Michigan State University E. Lansing, MI
4. Tue, Nov 2 7:00 PM Elliott Bay Book Co. Seattle, WA
5. Sun Nov 14, Sun , Nov 21 10:00 AM St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church Bellevue, WA
6. Thu, Nov 18 7:00 PM Eagle Harbor Book Co. Bainbridge Island, WA
7. Thu, Dec 2 11:30 AM Oregon Board of Rabbis Portland
8. Thu, Dec 2 Noon Cong. Beth Israel Portland
9. Thu, Dec. 2 7:00 PM Powell’s Bookstore, Cedar Hill Crossing Beaverton, OR
10. Thu, Dec 9 Noon Temple Beth El Tacoma, WA
11. Sun, Jan 2 9:00 PM Pac. Assn. of Reform Rabbis (PARR) Palm Springs, CA
12. Thu, Jan 6 7:30 PM University Synagogue Irvine, CA
13. Sun, Feb 27 TBA Cong. Ahavath Beth Israel Boise, ID
14. Fri, Mar 18 Noon University District Rotary Club Seattle, WA









At the risk of sounding like the proverbial broken record, thanks again for your ongoing support and enthusiasm. I hope to see those of you who can attend at the party on Saturday night.

Shalom,

Rabbi Mark Glickman



ORDERING INFORMATION

If you would like to order the book directly from me, here is the info you’ll need:

Base Price $24.99
Shipping (If needed) $3.00
Tax (WA only) $2.15

Checks should be payable to me, and sent to:
15030 232nd Ave. NE
Woodinville, WA 98077

Thursday, October 14, 2010

October 14,2010

Hello Everybody,

I am told that printed copies of my book Sacred Treasure: The Cairo Genizah will be shipped from the printer to the publisher on or around …TOMORROW, and that they will be on bookstore shelves by the end of the month. It is exciting and gratifying to know that this long project is about to come to fruition.

In the meantime, at one point yesterday the book soared to #7 on the Amazon bestseller list – the Amazon “Religion & Spirituality>Judaism>History of Religion” bestseller list, that is. It was also #40 on their Judaism list, as well. Alas, as I type this, it has descended to #26 on the first of these lists…such are the vagaries of life in the world of letters!

Launch Party

To celebrate the publication of the book, Congregation Kol Ami in Woodinville WA is planning a launch party. It will take place:

7:30 PM, October 30th
At Congregation Kol Ami
Meeting at Bear Creek United Methodist Church
16530 Avondale Rd NE, Woodinville WA 98077

If you live in the Seattle area, or if you are able to get to the Seattle area that evening, I would be delighted if you could join us. There will be a brief Havdalah service to mark the end of the Jewish Sabbath, food, mingling, and books available for purchase and signing (I might even sign some, too.  )Please see the attached press release for more details.

Speaking Engagements:

As you can see below, my schedule is filling up quickly. If you know of a group that might be interested in having me speak, please feel free to contact me at your convenience.

Time Away

That said, Caron and I will be away on a Cruise Oct 17-24 (Sunday-Sunday). So to contact me next week you’ll either need to own a helicopter or be a very good swimmer.

As always, thank you for your ongoing enthusiasm and support.

Shalom,

Rabbi Mark Glickman



Rabbi Mark Glickman
Sacred Treasure, the Cairo Genizah
Speaking Engagements

Date Time Venue City Notes
Sun, Oct 10 10:00 AM Unitarian Universalist Church Woodinville, WA,
Sat, Oct 30 7:30 PM Congregation Kol Ami Woodinville, WA Book-Launch Party
Sun, Oct 31 7:00 PM Cong. Kehillat Israel E. Lansing, MI
Mon, Nov 1 7:00 PM Michigan State University E. Lansing, MI
Tue, Nov 2 7:00 PM Elliott Bay Book Co. Seattle, WA

Sun Nov 14, Sun, Nov 21 10:00 AM St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church Bellevue, WA
Thu, Nov 18 7:00 PM Eagle Harbor Book Co. Bainbridge Island, WA
Thu, Dec 2 11:30 AM Oregon Board of Rabbis Portland
Thu, Dec 2 Noon Cong. Beth Israel Portland
Thu, Dec. 2 7:00 PM Powell’s Bookstore, Cedar Hill Crossing Beaverton, OR
Thu, Dec 9 Noon Temple Beth El Tacoma, WA
Sun, Jan 2 9:00 PM Pac. Assn. of Reform Rabbis (PARR) Palm Springs, CA
Thu, Jan 6 7:30 PM University Synagogue Irvine, CA
Sun, Feb 27 TBA Cong. Ahavath Beth Israel Boise, ID
Fri, Mar 18 Noon University District Rotary Club Seattle, WA

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Genizah Update #23

Two Weeks Until Launch



Dear Friends,

At long last, I am delighted to announce that my book Sacred Treasure: The Cairo Genizah is about to be released. The publisher tells me that they expect to have printed copies in their warehouse on October 20th, and that the books should arrive in stores several days after that.

If you’re interested, you can preview a few chapters of the book and preorder your copies now, at http://www.jewishlights.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=GPREV&Store_Code=JL&Product_Code=978-1-58023-431-3.

Actually, even though it hasn’t been released, the book has already made it onto at least one bestseller list. Just the other day it spent at least a few hours in the #75 position on Amazon’s Religion & Spirituality>Judaism>History of Religion List. If this doesn’t mean that it’s hit the big time, I don’t know what would!

Schedule

As I mentioned in a previous update, there are several Sacred-Treasure-related events coming soon:

• Sunday, October 10 Genizah Talk at Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church, Woodinville, WA, 10:00 AM
• Saturday, October 30 Book-Launch Party, Congregation Kol Ami (Meeting at Bear Creek United Methodist Church), Woodinville, WA [Tentative, time and details TBA…it will be in the evening]
• Sunday, October 31 Appearance at Congregation Kehillat Israel, East Lansing, MI
• Monday, November 1 Lecture at Michigan State University
• Tuesday, November 2 Reading at Elliot Bay Book Co., Seattle
• Thurs., November 18 Reading at Eagle Harbor Book Co., Bainbridge Island, WA
• Thurs., December 2 Reading at Powell’s Bookstore, Beaverton, OR (suburban Portland)
• Thursday, December 9 Genizah Talk at Temple Beth El, Tacoma WA, noon
• Sunday, February 27 Genizah Talk at Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel, Boise, ID

I am also in the process of arranging appearances at the annual conventions of:

• The Pacific Association of Reform Rabbis – January, Palm Springs
• The Central Conference of American Rabbis – March, New Orleans

Help Needed

Within the parameters of my other professional and family responsibilities, I am eager to speak about the Genizah to anyone willing to listen. Please feel free to suggest me as a speaker to synagogues, churches, universities, people you know in the media, Elk Clubs, sweat-lodges, and any other groups or individuals you think might be interested. Of course, I would be glad to send additional information to you or to whomever you suggest.


Donations

The caretakers of the Cairo Genizah manuscripts continue to need our help and support. As I have mentioned previously, I have created a fund that will support this book project and also contribute to the effort of Cambridge University and the Jewish Theological Seminary to conserve their massive Genizah collections. Please feel free to send your donations to me at 15030 232nd Ave. NE, Woodinville, WA 98077. Thank you.


As always, thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm for this project. I appreciate it more than words could say.

Shalom,

Rabbi Mark Glickman

Monday, September 13, 2010

Genizah Update #22: The New Year Begins, Release Date Draws Near

Genizah Update #22
The New Year Begins, Release Date Draws Near

September 13, 2010

Dear Friends,

As the Jewish New Year 5771 begins, I am pleased to inform you that I have finally finished writing my book, Sacred Treasure: The Cairo Genizah. At least I’ve almost finished it…I think. I know I’ve said this before, but this time I really, really think it’s true. Aside from one or two emails-worth of index-tweaking, the book is now complete – all 265 pages of it.

The book is currently scheduled for release on October 27, but, if you’d like, you can pre-order your copy at: http://www.jewishlights.com/page/product/978-1-58023-431-3.

Attached are the testimonials that will appear in the front-matter of the book – some of them will also appear on the cover. The people who wrote these endorsements all took the time to read and respond to a draft of the book, and I am honored to have received their very kind feedback.

Genizah Events and Appearances:

I have just barely started to promote the book, but already the calendar is filling up:

October 10: Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church, Woodinville, WA
October 14, 21: St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Bellevue, WA
October 31: Kehillat Israel Congregation, Lansing, MI
November 1: Michigan State University
November 3: Speaking at “Torahthon 2010,” Herzl Ner Tamid Congregation, Seattle
December 9: Temple Beth El, Tacoma, WA
February 26-27 Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel, Boise, ID

November/December, TBA
• Elliot Bay Book Company, Seattle
• Eagle Harbor Book Company, Bainbridge Island
• Powell’s Bookstore, Portland, OR (???)

Additionally, there will be some sort of book release celebration in November, details TBA.

Reminder:

I am still gathering funds for this project and too donate to the Genizah preservation work at Cambridge University and the Jewish Theological Seminary. Please send your donations to me at:

15030 232nd Ave. NE
Woodinville, WA 98077

Thank you all for your ongoing support of and enthusiasm for this project. Together, we are telling the world the fascinating and important story of the Cairo Genizah.

Shalom,

Rabbi Mark Glickman

Monday, July 19, 2010

Genizah Update #21: The Finishing Touches

July 19, 2010

Dear Friends,

It has been some time since I’ve last updated you on the Genizah project. Finalizing the manuscript and preparing it for publication have proven to be far more time-intensive than I’d expected, but things have now quieted (for the moment), so I thought I’d take this opportunity to bring you up to date.

Completing the Book

With a great sense of achievement, I sent a completed manuscript to the publisher in late June. They responded that it looked good, but that it was about 20,000 words too long. Evidently, when I estimated early-on that the book would consist of about 75,000 words, they took me seriously, and therefore balked at the 98,000 words in the final manuscript. In response, I had to go through a gut-wrenching process of cutting about 75 pages of text, including some material that I felt was important, such as the entire section about my Genizah expedition and some in-depth discussions of Genizah research conducted by some wonderful Muslim scholars.

Nevertheless, I went ahead and made the cuts. The publisher is now doing a “line-edit” for (grammar, punctuation, etc.), and I expect to see the results next week. In the meantime, I have been soliciting back-cover testimonials from authors and scholars, preparing to write the index, and attending to several other details to make the final preparations for publication.


Reform Judaism Magazine Saves the Day

Last week, I received a call from Joy Weinberg, editor of Reform Judaism Magazine. She told me that, unexpectedly, a spot had opened up in their winter issue, and wanted to know whether I’d be interested in contributing a piece about my Genizah Expedition. I had to refrain from responding, “You had me at Joy.”

It’s not yet certain, but it is looking as if the magazine will include a good-sized article (about 4,000 words) in their November issue. Fortunately, it will include some of the material that I had to cut from the book. Since the magazine has a circulation of 310,000, this piece may very well get wider play than the book itself!

Many thanks to my congregant and friend Carol Tice, of Bainbridge Island, for making the magazine aware of the story.


Attached

For your reading pleasure, I have attached a brief excerpt from the book about medical documents in the Genizah. I’ve left out the citations, because including them would have been a hassle, and because I wanted to leave you something good to look forward to reading in the book.


Sacred Treasure: The Cairo Genizah – Order Now and be Among the First to Receive Your Copy

The book is now available for pre-order from the publisher. Feel free to order it now so that you can have your copy as soon as it is released. You can find it at:

http://www.jewishlights.com/page/product/978-1-58023-431-3


Support Still Needed

Thanks to the generous gifts I’ve received from so many of you, it is looking as if we will be in a position to make generous contributions to the Genizah preservation work now being conducted Cambridge University and at the Jewish Theological Seminary. As I have mentioned, these Genizah caretakers operate on a shoestring budget, and do invaluable work to ensure that the treasures will continue to be available to future generations. They need our support, and I hope you will consider a contribution. The funds I receive go to expenses incurred in writing the book, and the remainder will go to the two institutions mentioned above. You can send your checks to me at:

15030 232nd Ave. NE
Woodinville, WA 98077
USA


As always, I thank you for your ongoing interest and support.

Shalom,

Rabbi Mark Glickman

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Genizah Update #20
DONE! (for now)

June 3, 2010

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to report that this morning I mailed a complete manuscript of the book, Sacred Treasure: The Cairo Genizah to Jewish Lights Publishing.

As you know, this has been a very long process – a labor of love, to be sure, but lately what I’ve been feeling is the labor part; the love, I trust, will come later.

In my last update, I told you that I had completed the first draft of the book. I had been working on it for a couple of years, and at long last, it felt like I was done.

But I wasn’t. Even as I finished that first draft, I knew that it was very raw and in need of a lot of work. The whole thing was rife with awkward sentences, minor errors, and repetitions. Sometimes, you see, I write Iike I talk. Even though it felt like I was done, I really wasn’t.

I decided to work with a professional editor – we spent the next couple of weeks sending hundreds of emails back and forth, revising, and revising, and revising. He did a great job of helping me whip the book into shape. Finally, last Sunday, we completed the process. Phew! Now, finally, I was done!

But I wasn’t. I wanted to give the book one final read – one final spiffing-up – before submitting it. The publisher was kind enough to extend my June 1 deadline by a few days, I hardly touched it on Monday and Tuesday, and yesterday I read through it that one final time. I found dozens – dozens – of typos, minor errors, formatting goofs, etc. Plus, the publisher wants their submissions formatted in a certain way, and it took me hours to get the manuscript into shape. I had also sent out sections of the book to some scholars for comment, and, as recently as this morning, I was incorporating their comments into the text.

Then, I copied what I had onto a disc, and sent it out via overnight express. Leaving the post office, I felt lighter on my feet, proud of the fact that I’m finally done.

But now I know better. The publisher will certainly have some edits, and I still need to get the comments of several more scholars. The deadline for the final manuscript is July 1.

Which is kind of funny, because some of the online book dealers refer to my book as “In Stock.” I guess that means I should finish writing it!

Attached to this email are two files. One is the prologue of the book in its current form. Longtime subscribers to this list may remember that I sent out an earlier version several months ago. If you remember it (as I am sure you do), you’ll be able to see the transformations that have taken place since then. As somebody once said, there’s no such thing as good writing – just good editing.

The other is a flyer for the book. It’s also an order-form – send it in now and you can be among the very first owners of this volume when it is released in October.

Finally, last month you may have heard the interview with me on PRI’s The World. Just this past Tuesday, it was also included in a podcast associated with the show – Patrick Cox’s “The World in Words.” It’s available on line at http://www.theworld.org/2010/06/01/bilingual-tots-and-the-language-of-smell/.

Don’t forget – I am still accepting donations to support this project and, afterwards, to contribute to the libraries now caring for the major collections of Genizah manuscripts. You can send the donations to me at:

15030 232nd Ave. NE
Woodinville, WA 98077
USA

Expedition Genizah T-shirts are also available for $20.

Thanks for your ongoing support and enthusiasm…and Shalom!

Rabbi Mark Glickman

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Genizah Update #19: Sacred Treasure - It's Looking Like a Book

Genizah Update #19
Sacred Treasure - It's Looking Like a Book

May 5, 2010

Hello Everyone,

Another quick update this week.

The Book
In a previous email, I mentioned that I had completed the first draft of my book. Although that was true, the first draft that I had completed was, at the time, very raw. Certain sections were repeated, some interviews had not yet been incorporated, and there remained a few interviews that I had yet to conduct. I continued to plug away at it, however, and after a sixteen-hour writing marathon on Monday, the book is finally starting to look like a book. It appears that I am going to make my June 1 submission deadline – phew!

Attached
The folks at Jewish Lights Publishing recently told me that not only will they be featuring my book in their Fall catalogue, but that the book will also appear on the cover of the catalogue. I have attached a copy of the cover – it’s not a huge splash for my book, but Sacred Treasure is the only of JL’s many titles that the cover even mentions.

I have also attached a very brief book excerpt – feedback, as always, is most welcome.

PRI’s The World
I received a lot of nice feedback from my appearance on PRI’s The World. If you haven’t heard the broadcast, it is still online: http://www.theworld.org/2010/04/23/cairos-jewish-medieval-manuscripts/.

Funding Needed
As I mentioned in previous emails, many of you have been very generous in your support of this project. I have been using these funds for travel and other expenses I incur in writing my book, and at the conclusion of this project I will donate all remaining funds to the Jewish Theological Seminary or The Cambridge University Library to support their care of the Genizah documents. The two libraries own 230,000 of the 300,000 known Genizah manuscripts.

And, of course, Expedition Genizah T-Shirts are still available for the low, low price of $20 – all proceeds will be included in the donations I described above.

Please give generously – you can send you donations to:

Rabbi Mark Glickman
15030 232nd Ave. NE
Woodinville, WA 98077

As always, thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm.

Shalom,

Rabbi Mark Glickman

Saturday, April 24, 2010

April 24, 2010

Hi Everybody,

Just a few quick notes tonight:

• PRI’S THE WORLD

For those of you who missed it, here is the link to the Friday interview that ran on PRI’s The World. The posted some pictures and links, too:

http://www.theworld.org/2010/04/23/cairos-jewish-medieval-manuscripts/

• BOOK COVER AND CATALOGUE PAGE

Attached is a copy of the page describing my that will be in an upcoming catalogue of Jewish Lights Publishing. I’m also told that they will feature it on the catalogue’s cover

• BLOG

As I mentioned in a previous email, I am also posting these updates on a blog – www.expeditiongenizah.blogspot.com. Feel free to visit and post at will. Also, if anyone has time to help me snazzy it up, please let me know.

• BOOK STATUS

Also as I mentioned before, I have completed my first draft, and I’m now in the editing process – a labor-intensive task with which the demands of daily life are not cooperating. One of my challenges is that I’ve been working on this project for a few years now, and in that time, “Genizah-land” has changed. New research has shown some of what I originally wrote to be incorrect and/or incomplete. This is a dynamic field and an ever-developing story. That makes it exciting, and it also makes writing a book about it feel like I’m herding Genizah-cats!

• GIVE IT UP FOR THE GENIZAH
Please remember that the caretakers of the Genizah documents are in desperate need of support. With your help, we can play an important role in making sure these documents are available for posterity. Donations are eagerly sought; T-shirts are still available for only $20.


Thank you for your ongoing interest and enthusiasm.

Shalom,

Rabbi Mark Glickman

Friday, April 23, 2010

Hello Everyone,

I just heard from the producer at PRI’s The World that they plan to air my interview at “19 minutes after the hour, give or take a minute or so.”

If you’re not available then but would like to hear the story anyway, it will be available on their website later in the day: www.theworld.org.

Shalom,

Rabbi Mark Glickman

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Genizah Update #17: National Press Coverage

LISTEN TO “PRI’S THE WORLD,” FRIDAY, APRIL 23

Hello Everyone,

Just a short note to let you know my Genizah project is about to hit the national airwaves. A reporter from “PRI’s The World” will be interviewing me on Thursday, and I am told that they plan to broadcast the story on Friday.

As you may know, “PRI’s The World” is a nationally syndicated public radio program, airing on more than 300 radio stations across the United States and Canada. It’s on at different times in different cities, but here are a few that might be of interest to subscribers of this list:

City

Station

Call #

Time

Seattle

KUOW

94.9 FM

1340 AM

3:00 PM

New York

WNYC - AM

820 AM

12:00 PM

Los Angeles

KPCC

KCRW

89.3 FM

89.9 FM

12:00 PM

1:00 PM

Chicago

WBEZ

91.5 FM

7:00 PM

San Francisco

KQED

88.5 FM

2:00 PM

Cambridge, Kabul, Cairo and Jerusalem,

XM Satellite

XMPR-133

6:00 PM Eastern

If you live elsewhere, you can find out when and where to hear the story at http://www.theworld.org/stations/. More general information about the show is available at their homepage, http://www.theworld.org/. I believe that the story will be available there after it airs.

The reporter who will be interviewing me is a woman named Jeb Sharp. Unfortunately, I don’t know when during the hour the segment will run, but if I find out I will let you know.

Now, back to editing and the hunt for elusive reprint permissions.

Thanks, and best wishes to you all,

Rabbi Mark Glickman

Hello Everyone,

It has been several weeks since I last updated you on the progress of my book about the Cairo Genizah – that’s because I have been busy writing it. My June 1 manuscript deadline is looming darker and darker.

The good news is that, at about 10:30 last night, I completed the first draft of the book! 101,655 words, 377 pages, of pure Genizah Goodness! There is still a lot more work to do, of course – major clean-up of the manuscript, photograph permissions, acknowledgement writing, and even a couple more interviews. But I finally have the raw material I need to begin sculpting what I hope will become a well-polished book.

Now, the writing can really begin.

TITLE

The many suggestions I received from you were all very helpful. I shared some of them with the publisher, I had a couple of conversations about them with the editor, and then they told me what the title will be:

SACRED TREASURE: THE CAIRO GENIZAH

The Amazing Discoveries of Forgotten Jewish History in an Egyptian Synagogue Attic

I wasn’t crazy about it at first, but I have to admit that it’s growing on me – especially since the title will effectively been the first line, with the second something of a throwaway description.

COVER

Then, last week, the publisher sent me these two drafts of the cover. I’m sure that whichever one they decide to use will be tweaked before publication, but seeing a real book cover made the whole thing feel very tangible and very exciting. It was especially a thrill to see that the cover included the two “G-Words” – Genizah, and Glickman!

I’m partial to the sand-colored one myself, but some of the teens in my house noted that they’d probably be drawn to the blue more readily than to the beige. Your comments, as always, would be most welcome.

Give it Up for the Genizah!

The more I read, the more aware I become of how important it is to support the people and institutions now caring for the Genizah manuscripts. As one example, most of the 30,000-35,0000 documents at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York are stored in PVC plastic – the same stuff they make our pipes out of, albeit in transparent, paper-thin form. PVC was the standard material used for manuscript storage when JTS received its collection in the 1920’s, but now we know that there are acids in these PVC casings that, over time, eat away at the manuscripts they hold. JTS needs to replace the PVC casings with more newly developed acid-free ones, but doing so would cost them tens-of-thousands of dollars.

When this project concludes, I hope to be able to use the funds I have raised to kick-start an effort to replace the PVC casings at JTS so as to help preserve these precious Genizah treasures for posterity. The money will also go to support the work of other institutions now caring for Genizah manuscripts.

Please give generously. You can send your donations to me at

15030 232nd Ave. NE

Woodinville, WA

Also, don’t forget that for only $20, you can have your very own Expedition Genizah T-Shirt – this design on a lovely, dusty-blue shirt:

All T-Shirt proceeds go to the preservation efforts I mentioned above.

Again, my manuscript is due to the publisher on June 1, and the book is scheduled for publication in October.

Thanks for your support and enthusiasm – I will continue to keep you updated.

Shalom,

Rabbi Mark Glickman

Genizah Update #15: Home Again

March 11, 2010

Hello Everyone,

Well, I’ve been back home for a few days now, and I am finally feeling a sense of recovery from my travels. Many thanks to you all for your continued enthusiasm and support. It is a real inspiration to me.

Now…To Work

Now, of course, the big piece of unfinished business is actually writing the book…and my June submission deadline looms dark. However, I’m about 80% done with my first draft, so I think I should be OK. Or at least I hope so.

Excerpt Attached

Attached is an excerpt from one of the later chapters of the book. It describes part of my visit to the Cambridge Library. As always, I would welcome any feedback you care to offer. Please don’t hesitate to be brutal – brutal feedback tends to be the only kind that helps.

That said, I would like to add a few caveats:

· Of course, this still just a draft, so I apologize ahead of time for the lack of polish.

· The final version of the chapter will contain more - and more interesting – pictures. They forbade taking pictures in the library, and I had to pay their photographer to take some photos for me. The disc, I am told, is on its way, and should arrive soon.

· Many of the documents I describe seeing will have been discussed earlier in the book. So if some of what I say doesn’t make sense, let’s hope that it will in the context of the final version.

· Thanks in advance for your comments.

Expedition Genizah T-Shirts

I mentioned in an early e-mail that these would be available for sale. And now they are. For just $20, you can have this lovely T-Shirt (image attached). It is the latest thing in Genizah fashion. In fact, it was designed by the famous clothing designer and synagogue executive director, Larry Glickman…who also happens to be my little brother. The few dollars in proceeds that we earn from each shirt will go into our Genizah fund and be forwarded to one of the institutions now housing Genizah documents.

I am now in a position to take orders. If are interested, please email me size and quantities. If I need to mail it to you, there may be an added shipping cost.

Funds Needed

As I mentioned, on my expedition I saw first-hand not only the important work that various libraries are now doing to care for these manuscripts, but also how much more support they need. With the remaining funds, I hope to support the following two projects:

· Fighting the Acid

Many of the Jewish Theological Seminary’s 35,000 Genizah manuscripts are being eaten away even as we speak. When the Seminary received them in the 1920’s, the came encased in clear PVC plastic sleeves – made from the same material as some of the plumbing pipes in our homes. What they weren’t aware of then, and what we know now, is that PVC contains acids that, over time, eat away at the paper it touches. As a result, there is a real danger that these priceless manuscripts will one day simply disintegrate. I hope to seed a project that will allow these to be re-encased in more modern, archivally-sound, coverings.

· Preserving the New Old Documents

As I mentioned in a previous update, just a couple of years ago the Cambridge University Library received a collection of 7,000 documents from the Cairo Genizah that had never before been fully examined. They had been gathered in the early 20th century by a wealthy Jew from Cairo named Jack Mosseri, and had remained in a trunk owned by his family ever since. Now, the documents are being painstakingly unpacked and preserved. The work is so slow that conservators can only process ten or so manuscripts each day – at this rate, it will take a few years to process the entire collection. This is an off-budget project for the library, so they need to raise the funds for this work separately. I hope to help support their work as generously as possible.

If you can, please give generously, and forward me your donations at your convenience:

Rabbi Mark Glickman

15030 232nd Ave. NE

Woodinville, WA 98077

USA

Hello, Everyone!

This is the final full day of Expedition Genizah, and we are looking forward to our return home.

Yesterday

Yesterday, we went to the Jewish Theological Seminary, where had several wonderful opportunities. First, we looked at some manuscripts. We read a legal edict, personally signed by Maimonides, encouraging Jews in faraway communities to support in the ransoming of Jewish captives in Egypt. We held in our hands the oldest known piece of Jewish sheet music. We examined one of the two oldest Passover Haggadahs in the world, saw a food stain splotching one of the pages, and wondered about the recipe of the charoses that made it. We’ve looked at many of these Genizah manuscripts on this trip, and it has remained an unspeakable thrill.

We also interviewed Dr. Burton Visotzky, a professor at JTS who has written a novel based on some Genizah manuscripts, We also interviewed Dr. David Kraemer, director of the JTS library. Dr. Kraemer gave us a fascinating tour of the facility, and showed us how the Seminary’s collection of more than 30,000 Genizah manuscripts is stored and cared for.

We then boarded a train with our friend and movie producer, Michael Strong, and took an hour-long ride to Bay Shore, Long Island, where I had the opportunity to share the “Genizah Story” at Sinai Reform Temple with Rabbi Emily Losben a delightful group of her congregants.

A Few Final Thoughts

For obvious reasons, I am still processing the events of this trip, and I will certainly continue to do so for a very long time. Here, however, in no particular order, are a few preliminary thoughts:

· Outside the United States, very few Jews seem to be researching Genizah texts.

No Jews in Egypt were working on the manuscripts, of course, but very few in England were, either. There are some Genizah researchers in Israel, I suppose, but the fact remains that these days much (if not most) of the important research into things Genizah is being conducted by American Jews and by European non-Jews. Maybe this is because the largest collection of Genizah documents these days, by far, is in Cambridge, England and, Cambridge, though a magnificent city is hardly a very Jewish place. New York, on the other hand, is a little different. Or maybe it’s because we are living, as I believe Rabbi Jacob Rader Marcus taught, in the Golden Age of American Judaism. The state of Genizah research today is one area in which we can see this. Or maybe it’s just a quirk. For many years, the Genizah unit at Cambridge was run by Stefan Reif, a brilliant scholar of these texts, and a Jewish one at that. Perhaps these dynamics swing back and forth over the course of time like a pendulum. Whatever the cause, it is certainly interesting.

· Egypt is beginning to awaken to the significance of the Cairo Genizah.

In fact, a high-ranking official at the Supreme Council of Antiquities told me that they will be opening a Museum of Egyptian Civilizations in a couple of years, and they will want to do justice to Egypt’s Jewish past. He told me that they’re interested in sending a scholar to Europe or America to study Jewish history, particularly as illustrated by the documents of the Cairo Genizah. I look forward to doing what I can to help make this happen.

· People Matter Most

The high tech wizardry now being applied to the Genizah is indeed fascinating and important, but what we need most of all is an ongoing chain of people who study these texts. People can only become Genizah scholars when there are others to teach them, and the number of scholars who can now study these old papers is limited. One break in the chain of scholarship over time will make it very difficult to resume the study of these texts.

· The Genizah Story Must be Told

The more I learn about this story, and the more times I tell it, the more I realize what a fantastic, thrilling, and genuinely Jewish tale it is. Very few people know about the Genizah, but this is a reality that I hope to change soon.

· The Thrill of Place

Jacob’s mother – my ex-wife, Debbie – has been nothing but supportive of my taking Jacob on this trip. At one point, however, she said, “So let me get this straight – you guys are travelling halfway across the world … to go into a closet?” She asked a very good question, of course, and it deserves an answer. I think that being in the place of the Cairo Genizah helped build a connection with the countless Jews who deposited their documents in it over the centuries. Not only was it interesting and surprising to see what the chamber looked like, but seeing it – imagining the many generations of hands who reached into it holding papers and parchments for deposit – forged a connection across time and space that I wouldn’t have been able to feel otherwise. I believe that place plus historical imagination can open vast new worlds to us. More reflections about this soon.

· The Genizah Needs our Support

The librarians at JTS, Cambridge, and the other Genizah sites are doing a fantastic job of preserving these old documents for posterity, but they desperately need our help. Many of the manuscripts, for example, are stored in plastic with acids that are eating away at them even as we speak. The manuscripts still need to be catalogued, studied, digitized, transcribed, translated, and much more…and all of this takes money. They are operating in many ways on a shoestring budget, and, again, they need our help.

· I hope I haven’t bitten off more than I can chew.

Not only is the Genizah story a fascinating one, but it is also a huge one. It documents the lives of many centuries of Jews living in many lands; it tells those stories in many languages; and understanding its lessons demand a broad swath of knowledge that very few people have. Writing a book that tells its story is therefore a daunting task, and I hope what I write does it justice.

Surely, many more observations will be coming in the months ahead. Thank you again for your ongoing interest. I look forward to seeing those of you who live near me in Washington sometime soon…and I look forward to seeing the rest of you sometime soon, too.

This has been the adventure of a lifetime. Now it is time to go home.

Shalom,

Rabbi Mark Glickman