tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22089095370997942202024-03-19T12:45:05.242-07:00Expedtion Genizah, 2010: The Climb Through TimeFollow the exploits of expedition team members, Rabbi Mark and Jacob Glickman, as they travel to Cambridge, Cairo, and New York in search of all things GenizahMark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-31066013886053351242011-12-02T11:00:00.000-08:002011-12-02T11:01:03.051-08:00Genizah Update #32 - InterviewGenizah Update #32<br /><br />Interview<br /><br />Hello Everyone,<br /><br />Just a quick note to let you know that I recently did an hour-long interview for “Landminds,” an Israel National Radio program focusing on archeology and other related topics. The interview is available locations on line:<br /><br />1. Israel National Radio -http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Radio/News.aspx/3568#.TtgjKGCuF90<br />2. Foundation Stone (home page, available on the player for the coming week) - http://www.foundationstone.org<br />3. Foundation Stone (LandMinds 2011b archive, episodes 389 and 390) - <br />4. iTunes - http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/israel-national-radio-landminds/id379257085<br />5. TuneIn - http://tunein.com/radio/LandMinds-with-Barnea-and-David-p282174/<br /><br />That’s all for now. Have a great weekend!<br /><br />Rabbi Mark Glickman<br /><br /><br />PS. To order a signed copy of my book, please send a check to me at<br />15030 232nd Ave. NE<br />Woodinville, WA 98077<br /><br />$24.99 Book<br />$3.50 Shipping (Continental US)<br />$2.25 Tax (WA Only)<br />_____________________________________________________________<br />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 (Print)<br />http://bit.ly/SacredTreasureAudio (Audio)<br />Rabbi Mark Glickman – 425-531-0536 (Cell)Mark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-10654495031826221222011-11-21T11:52:00.000-08:002011-11-21T12:09:31.287-08:00Genizah Update #31: Podcast, etc.Genizah Update #31<br /><br /> Podcast, Etc. <br /><br />Hello Everyone,<br /><br />A few quick updates at what, for many of us, is becoming an increasingly busy time of year.<br /><br />PODCAST<br />I recently taped an hour-long podcast on my book with Professor Tony Gill, of the Research on Religion podcast. It’s available at: http://www.researchonreligion.org/uncategorized/mark-glickman-on-the-cairo-genizah, or on iTunes. Enjoy!<br /><br />SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS<br />By my count, I have now given presentations on the Cairo Genizah in 11 states throughout the country. In just the past few weeks, I’ve spoken at:<br /><br />• Mt. Zion Temple (St. Paul, MN)<br />• The University of Minnesota Hillel (Minneapolis)<br />• Bet Shalom Congregation (Minnetonka, MN)<br />• The San Diego Jewish Book Fair<br />• Seacrest Village (Encinitas, CA)<br />• Beth Israel Congregation (Houston, TX)<br /><br />In the coming months, I’m scheduled to appear at congregations in Springfield MA, Worcester MA, and at a class on the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Cairo Genizah being taught at Central Washington University (Ellensburg). If you know of any groups interested in having me speak, please feel free to have them contact me at this email address or at my cell phone (425-531-0536).<br /><br />A WONDERFUL GIFT IDEA<br />Holiday time is coming, and, as you know, there’s no gift quite like the gift of Genizah. You can order books – print or audio – at the links below, or if you’d like a signed copy of the print-edition, I’d be glad to send you a copy:<br /><br />$24.99 Book<br />$3.50 Shipping<br />$2.15 Tax (WA Only)<br /><br />Send check, payable to me, to:<br /><br />15030 232nd Ave. NE<br />Woodinville, WA, 98077<br /><br />That’s all for now. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and a wonderful December,<br /><br />Shalom…..<br /><br />Rabbi Mark Glickman<br /><br /><br />_____________________________________________________________<br />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 (Print)<br />http://bit.ly/SacredTreasureAudio (Audio)<br />Rabbi Mark Glickman – 425-531-0536 (Cell)Mark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-65953097904888158372011-08-12T12:33:00.000-07:002011-08-12T12:40:33.270-07:00Genizah Update #30 - Audiobook AvailableGenizah Update #30
<br />Audiobook Available!
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<br />August 12, 2011
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<br />Hello Everybody,
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<br />It’s been many months since my last Genizah missive, but I did want to let you know that…
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<br />Audio
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<br />…The audio version of my book, Sacred Treasure: The Cairo Genizah is now available for download – 8 hours and 21 minutes of sheer Genizah joy!
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<br />You can purchase it from Amazon, Audible.com, and soon (I am told), iTunes as well. Here are the links:
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<br />• http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Treasure-Discoveries-Forgotten-Synagogue/dp/B005GYVLFI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1313174431&sr=8-5
<br />• http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B005GQTHT8&qid=1313174507&sr=1-1
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<br />As of now, it’s most affordable on Amazon, but I think there might be a way to get it for free if you get a 30-day trial with Audible.com.
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<br />I’ll add that I had a lot of fun making the recording. For three days over the course of two weeks, I drove to Snohomish WA and sat in before a microphone in Chris Hanzsek’s sound studio to read the book. Then, Chris got to work and made the recording shine.
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<br />(For someone who talks like I do, getting sound-edited is a real treat. I went to years and years of speech therapy when I was younger, but in the end, it turns out that all I needed was Chris – he made me perfectly fluent!)
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<br />Speaking Engagements
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<br />Even though the book has been out for some time now, I am still actively working to promote it. In November alone I am currently booked for appearances in San Diego, Houston, Minneapolis, and St. Paul. If you know of a group that would be interested in having me speak, please feel free to put us in contact with one another.
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<br />Barnes & Noble
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<br />Finally, just this minute I received word that Barnes & Noble just purchased a couple hundred copies of my book for sales around the country. They should be on the shelves by next month, making the “dead-trees” version more readily available to interested readers everywhere (or everywhere where there’s a B&N that carries it, at least.
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<br />Thanks as always for your ongoing support, and best wishes for a terrific end-of-summer.
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<br />Sincerely.
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<br />Rabbi Mark Glickman
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<br />Mark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-52800995634044394562011-02-02T15:40:00.000-08:002011-02-02T15:41:45.910-08:00Genizah Update #29: News, Reviews, and Looking AheadGenizah Update #29<br /><br />News, Reviews, and Looking Ahead<br /><br /> <br /><br />Hello Everyone,<br /><br />Just a few items of interest for this update:<br /><br />A New Genizah Discovery<br /><br />First, some exciting news. A couple of weeks ago, the Taylor Schechter Genizah Research Unit at Cambridge University announced the discovery of yet another leaf of the original Hebrew of the book of Ben Sirah. As you may know, it was Solomon Schechter’s 1896 discovery of another page of the original Hebrew of Ben Sirah that first brought the Genizah to world attention. The newly discovered fragment at Cambridge is not from the same copy as the page that Schechter first identified in 1896, but rather from another copy of the book, a page of which was discovered some time ago at a library in France.<br /><br />You can find more information about this discovery – as well as some pictures of the manuscript itself – at http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/Taylor-Schechter/fotm/january-2011/index.html.<br /><br /><br />Recent Events in Egypt<br /><br />Needless to say, Egypt has been in the news lately. My sources on the ground in Cairo tell me that army soldiers have replaced the police guards at the Ben Ezra Synagogue (and at Cairo’s other synagogues, too), and that, at least for the time being, these sites are safe. <br /><br />In Alexandria, on the other hand, the situation is quite different. There, the police have stopped providing security at the city’s only synagogue, and no soldiers or other government forces have arrived to replace them. Synagogue employees have stopped coming to work, and looters have destroyed most of the nearby shops. So far, the synagogue itself has not been damaged, but this is only because two devoted members of Alexandria’s Jewish community have been guarding the place on their own. <br /><br />We hope and pray for the continued safety of Egypt’s Jews and it’s precious sites and treasures.<br /><br /><br />Sacred Treasure: The Adventure Continues<br /><br />Word about the Cairo Genizah – not to mention the fascinating new book about it – continues to spread. Here are a few examples:<br /><br />• A TV interview I did during my recent trip to Cincinnati (my tie was askew, I said “um” a lot, and the guy called me “Glick’um,” but aside from that, it went pretty well): <br />http://www.fox19.com/global/video/flash/popupplayer.asp?ClipID1=5504112&h1=Rabbi+Mark+Glickman+talks+about+his+book+%27Sacred+Treasure%3A+The+Cairo+Genizah%27&vt1=v&at1=News&d1=222700&LaunchPageAdTag=Search<br /><br />• Review in the Jewish Daily Forward, a prominent nationally distributed Jewish newspaper: http://www.forward.com/articles/134611/<br /><br />• Article in Orange County Jewish Life: http://www.ocjewishlife.com/site/sacred-treasure/<br /><br />• A half-page review in the January 6 Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2013865258_br07sacred.html<br /><br /><br />Also, Seattle’s Jewish newspaper, the JT News, recently released its “Best of 2010” issue. For best book, readers chose To the End of the Land, by Israeli novelist David Grossman. However, the article goes on to say that another favorite of JT News readers was Sacred Treasure: The Cairo Genizah. From what I know of Mr. Grossman’s prodigious talent, I’ll gratefully accept a second place listing to his book.<br /><br />Books Available<br /><br />It’s never too late to order your signed copy of the book:<br /><br />Price:<br />Book $24.99<br />Shipping $3.00 each<br />Tax (WA only) $2.14 each<br /><br />Send checks to:<br />Rabbi Mark Glickman<br />15030 232nd Ave. NE<br />Woodinville, WA 98077<br /><br />As always, I thank you for your ongoing support for this project.<br /><br />Shalom,<br /><br />Rabbi Mark Glickman<br /><br />Speaking Schedule<br /><br />Mon, Feb 14 3:30 PM University of Washington Seattle<br />Sun, Feb 27 TBA Cong. Ahavath Beth Israel Boise, ID<br />Mon, Mar 7 7 PM Village Books Bellingham, WA<br />Fri, Mar 18 Noon University District Rotary Club Seattle, WA<br />Thu, Mar 24 TBA Congregation Ee Shalom Vashon Island, WA<br />Wed, Mar 30 2 PM Central Conference of American Rabbis New Orleans, LA<br /><br />Please contact me at this email address or at the telephone number below to schedule a speaking engagement.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />_____________________________________________________________<br />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 <br />Rabbi Mark Glickman – 425-531-0536 (Cell)Mark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-26792904452527026312010-12-25T22:29:00.000-08:002010-12-25T22:31:29.256-08:00<strong><em>REVIEW FROM THE "SOUTH FLORIDA JEWISH JOURNAL"</em></strong><br /><br /><strong>THE WAY A HISTORY BOOK SHOULD BE WRITTEN</strong> <br />SACRED TREASURE—THE CAIRO GENIZAH by Rabbi Mark Glickman, Jewish Lights, Woodstock Vt. 2010, 254 pages, $24.99<br /> <br /> Reviewed by Rabbi Jack Riemer<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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.”<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />For all these reasons, and more, I heartily recommend this informative and exciting book.<br /> <br /> <br />Rabbi Jack Riemer is a frequent reviewer for this journal and for many other journals of Jewish Thought in America and abroad.Mark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-33104974845815286612010-12-23T15:19:00.001-08:002010-12-23T15:19:13.977-08:00Genizah Update #28<br />"One of the Best Jewish Books of 2010”<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br />December 23, 2010<br /><br />Dear Friends,<br /><br />Greetings! I hope this email finds you well. I have several exciting book-related news items to share with you:<br /><br />KUDOS<br />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.<br /><br />http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/content/module/2010/12/23/main-feature/1/a-year-in-books<br /><br />GENIZAH FUND DONATIONS<br />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:<br /><br />• The Taylor-Schechter Genizah Research Unit, Cambridge University Library<br />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/.<br /><br />• The Jewish Theological Seminary of America<br />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.<br /><br />UPCOMING RADIO INTERVIEWS<br />• 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<br />• Sunday, January 2, 8:00 AM PST, “Jewish Perspective Radio” (Brevard County, Florida), http://jewishperspectiveradio.com/ (Airing-date unconfirmed)<br /><br />After they are aired, both programs should be available online and on iTunes.<br /><br />PHOTO ABOVE<br />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.”<br /><br />REVIEWS<br />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.<br /><br />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<br /><br /><br />THE GIFT OF A SACRED TREASURE<br /><br />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.<br /><br />SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS<br /><br />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. <br /><br /> Date Time Venue City<br />1. Sun, Jan 2 8:00 PM Pac. Assn. of Reform Rabbis (PARR) Palm Springs, CA<br />2. Thu, Jan 6 7:30 PM University Synagogue Irvine, CA<br />3. Mon, Jan 13 7:00 PM Third Place Books Seattle (Lake Forest Park)<br />4. Mon, Jan 24 TBA Temple Israel Dayton, OH<br />5. Tues, Jan 25 TBA The Valley Temple Cincinnati, OH<br />6. Wed, Jan 26 12:15 PM Hebrew Union College-Jewish Inst. of Religion Cincinnati, OH<br />7. Wed. Jan 26 7:00 PM Rockdale Temple Cincinnati, OH<br />8. Sun, Feb 27 TBA Cong. Ahavath Beth Israel Boise, ID<br />9. Fri, Mar 18 Noon University District Rotary Club Seattle, WA<br />10. March 27-30 TBA Central Conference of American Rabbis New Orleans, LA<br /><br />That’s all for now. Best wishes to you and your loved ones for a wonderful holiday season.<br /><br />Shalom,<br /><br />Rabbi Mark Glickman<br /><br /><br />_____________________________________________________________<br />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/978-1-58023-431-3Mark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-52687261748434456412010-11-29T14:40:00.001-08:002010-11-29T14:40:47.140-08:00Genizah Update #27<br /><br />The Gift of a Sacred Treasure<br /><br />November 29, 2010<br /><br />Hello Everybody,<br /><br />Just a brief update this time, with some post-Thanksgiving details about Sacred Treasure.<br /><br />REVIEWS<br />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.<br />• http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Treasure-Cairo-Genizah-Discoveries/dp/1580234313/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281233587&sr=8-1<br />• http://www.nwbooklovers.org/2010/11/16/sacred-treasure-of-the-cairo-genizah/<br />• http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2010/nov/27/pages-plenty-20101127/?subscriber/features<br /><br />A REQUEST<br />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.<br /><br />A BESTSELLER!<br />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.<br /><br />SPEAKING DATES AVAILABLE<br />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.<br /><br />THE GIFT OF A SACRED TREASURE<br />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.<br /><br />Price:<br />Book $24.99<br />Shipping $3.00 each<br />Tax (WA only) $2.14 each<br /><br />Send checks to:<br />Rabbi Mark Glickman<br />15030 232nd Ave. NE<br />Woodinville, WA 98077<br /><br />Thanks as always for your enthusiasm and support. <br /><br />With gratitude and heartfelt holiday wishes,<br /><br />Rabbi Mark Glickman<br /><br />Speaking Engagements<br /><br /> Date Time Venue City<br />1. Thu, Dec 2 11:30 AM Oregon Board of Rabbis Portland, OR<br />2. Thu, Dec 2 Noon Congregation Beth Israel Portland, OR<br />3. Thu, Dec. 2 7:00 PM Powell’s Bookstore, Cedar Hill Crossing Beaverton, OR<br />4. Mon, Dec 6 6 PM Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity Seattle, WA<br />5. Tue, Dec 7 10 AM Hamilton International School Seattle, WA<br />6. Thu, Dec 9 Noon Temple Beth El Tacoma, WA<br />7. Sun, Jan 2 8:00 PM Pacific Association of Reform Rabbis (PARR) Palm Springs, CA<br />8. Thu, Jan 6 7:30 PM University Synagogue Irvine, CA<br />9. Mon, Jan 24 TBA Temple Israel Dayton, OH<br />10. Tues, Jan 25 TBA The Valley Temple Cincinnati, OH<br />11. Wed, Jan 26 TBA Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Cincinnati, OH<br />12. Sun, Feb 27 TBA Cong. Ahavath Beth Israel Boise, ID<br />13. Fri, Mar 18 Noon University District Rotary Club Seattle, WA<br />14. March 27-30 TBA Central Conference of American Rabbis New Orleans, LAMark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-62744381586665659702010-11-11T16:17:00.001-08:002010-11-11T16:17:36.595-08:00Genizah Update #26<br /><br />LAUNCH!<br /><br /> <br /><br />November 11, 2010<br /><br />Hello Everybody,<br /><br />We have liftoff! Sacred Treasure: The Cairo Genizah has launched into published existence, and the journey seems to be going wonderfully.<br /><br />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. <br /><br />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!<br /><br />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:<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br />Reviews<br /><br />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. <br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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. <br /><br />Media Coverage<br /><br />See these recent stories about the book and other matters-Genizah: <br /><br />• 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<br />• Article in the current edition of Reform Judaism Magazine: http://reformjudaismmag.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=1827<br />• 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<br /><br />Books Available<br /><br />As I mentioned in a previous email, books are now available online or directly from me:<br /><br />• http://www.jewishlights.com/page/product/978-1-58023-431-3<br />• http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Treasure-Cairo-Genizah-Discoveries/dp/1580234313/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281233587&sr=8-1<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Book price: $24.99<br />Sales Tax (WA only) $2.15<br />Shipping (if needed) $3.00<br /><br />Checks payable to:<br />Rabbi Mark Glickman<br />15030 232nd Ave NE<br />Woodinville, WA 98077<br />USA<br /><br />Speaking Engagements<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />As always, I thank you for your ongoing enthusiasm and support.<br /><br />Shalom,<br /><br />Rabbi Mark Glickman<br /><br /><br />Speaking Engagements<br /><br /><br /> Date Time Venue City<br />1. Sun Nov 14, Sun , Nov 21 10:00 AM St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church Bellevue, WA<br />2. Thu, Nov 18 7:00 PM Eagle Harbor Book Co. Bainbridge Island, WA<br />3. Thu, Dec 2 11:30 AM Oregon Board of Rabbis Portland<br />4. Thu, Dec 2 Noon Cong. Beth Israel Portland<br />5. Thu, Dec. 2 7:00 PM Powell’s Bookstore, Cedar Hill Crossing Beaverton, OR<br />6. Tues, Dec 7 TBA Hamilton International Middle School Seattle, WA<br />7. Thu, Dec 9 Noon Temple Beth El Tacoma, WA<br />8. Sun, Jan 2 9:00 PM Pac. Assn. of Reform Rabbis (PARR) Palm Springs, CA<br />9. Thu, Jan 6 7:30 PM University Synagogue Irvine, CA<br />10. Sun, Feb 27 TBA Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel Boise, ID<br />11. Fri, Mar 18 Noon University District Rotary Club Seattle, WA<br />12. March 27-30 TBA Central Conference of American Rabbis New Orleans, LAMark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-70215955836290724062010-10-28T14:44:00.000-07:002010-10-28T14:45:44.122-07:00Genizah Update #25 - Books!Genizah Update #25<br /><br />BOOKS!<br /><br /> <br /><br />October 28, 2010<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />BOOKS AVAILABLE<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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! <br /><br /><br />LAUNCH PARTY<br /><br />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).<br /><br /><br />ARTICLE IN REFORM JUDAISM MAGAZINE<br /><br />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.”<br /><br /><br />Other Upcoming Events<br /><br />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.<br /><br /> Date Time Venue City<br />1. Sat, Oct 30 7:30 PM Congregation Kol Ami Woodinville, WA<br />2. Sun, Oct 31 7:00 PM Cong. Kehillat Israel Lansing, MI<br />3. Mon, Nov 1 7:00 PM Michigan State University E. Lansing, MI<br />4. Tue, Nov 2 7:00 PM Elliott Bay Book Co. Seattle, WA<br />5. Sun Nov 14, Sun , Nov 21 10:00 AM St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church Bellevue, WA<br />6. Thu, Nov 18 7:00 PM Eagle Harbor Book Co. Bainbridge Island, WA<br />7. Thu, Dec 2 11:30 AM Oregon Board of Rabbis Portland<br />8. Thu, Dec 2 Noon Cong. Beth Israel Portland<br />9. Thu, Dec. 2 7:00 PM Powell’s Bookstore, Cedar Hill Crossing Beaverton, OR<br />10. Thu, Dec 9 Noon Temple Beth El Tacoma, WA<br />11. Sun, Jan 2 9:00 PM Pac. Assn. of Reform Rabbis (PARR) Palm Springs, CA<br />12. Thu, Jan 6 7:30 PM University Synagogue Irvine, CA<br />13. Sun, Feb 27 TBA Cong. Ahavath Beth Israel Boise, ID<br />14. Fri, Mar 18 Noon University District Rotary Club Seattle, WA<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br />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.<br /><br />Shalom,<br /><br />Rabbi Mark Glickman <br /><br /><br /><br />ORDERING INFORMATION<br /><br />If you would like to order the book directly from me, here is the info you’ll need:<br /><br />Base Price $24.99<br />Shipping (If needed) $3.00<br />Tax (WA only) $2.15<br /><br />Checks should be payable to me, and sent to:<br />15030 232nd Ave. NE<br />Woodinville, WA 98077Mark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-92010986372911975002010-10-14T07:55:00.000-07:002010-10-14T07:56:29.137-07:00October 14,2010<br /><br />Hello Everybody,<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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!<br /><br />Launch Party<br /><br />To celebrate the publication of the book, Congregation Kol Ami in Woodinville WA is planning a launch party. It will take place:<br /><br />7:30 PM, October 30th<br />At Congregation Kol Ami<br />Meeting at Bear Creek United Methodist Church<br />16530 Avondale Rd NE, Woodinville WA 98077<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Speaking Engagements:<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Time Away<br /><br />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.<br /><br />As always, thank you for your ongoing enthusiasm and support.<br /><br />Shalom,<br /><br />Rabbi Mark Glickman<br /><br /><br /><br />Rabbi Mark Glickman<br />Sacred Treasure, the Cairo Genizah<br />Speaking Engagements<br /><br />Date Time Venue City Notes<br />Sun, Oct 10 10:00 AM Unitarian Universalist Church Woodinville, WA, <br />Sat, Oct 30 7:30 PM Congregation Kol Ami Woodinville, WA Book-Launch Party<br />Sun, Oct 31 7:00 PM Cong. Kehillat Israel E. Lansing, MI <br />Mon, Nov 1 7:00 PM Michigan State University E. Lansing, MI <br />Tue, Nov 2 7:00 PM Elliott Bay Book Co. Seattle, WA <br /> <br />Sun Nov 14, Sun, Nov 21 10:00 AM St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church Bellevue, WA <br />Thu, Nov 18 7:00 PM Eagle Harbor Book Co. Bainbridge Island, WA <br />Thu, Dec 2 11:30 AM Oregon Board of Rabbis Portland <br />Thu, Dec 2 Noon Cong. Beth Israel Portland <br />Thu, Dec. 2 7:00 PM Powell’s Bookstore, Cedar Hill Crossing Beaverton, OR <br />Thu, Dec 9 Noon Temple Beth El Tacoma, WA <br />Sun, Jan 2 9:00 PM Pac. Assn. of Reform Rabbis (PARR) Palm Springs, CA <br />Thu, Jan 6 7:30 PM University Synagogue Irvine, CA <br />Sun, Feb 27 TBA Cong. Ahavath Beth Israel Boise, ID <br />Fri, Mar 18 Noon University District Rotary Club Seattle, WAMark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-33353064579694930482010-10-05T19:43:00.001-07:002010-10-05T19:43:46.369-07:00Genizah Update #23<br /><br />Two Weeks Until Launch<br /><br /><br /><br />Dear Friends,<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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!<br /><br />Schedule<br /><br />As I mentioned in a previous update, there are several Sacred-Treasure-related events coming soon:<br /><br />• Sunday, October 10 Genizah Talk at Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church, Woodinville, WA, 10:00 AM<br />• 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]<br />• Sunday, October 31 Appearance at Congregation Kehillat Israel, East Lansing, MI<br />• Monday, November 1 Lecture at Michigan State University<br />• Tuesday, November 2 Reading at Elliot Bay Book Co., Seattle<br />• Thurs., November 18 Reading at Eagle Harbor Book Co., Bainbridge Island, WA<br />• Thurs., December 2 Reading at Powell’s Bookstore, Beaverton, OR (suburban Portland)<br />• Thursday, December 9 Genizah Talk at Temple Beth El, Tacoma WA, noon<br />• Sunday, February 27 Genizah Talk at Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel, Boise, ID<br /><br />I am also in the process of arranging appearances at the annual conventions of:<br /><br />• The Pacific Association of Reform Rabbis – January, Palm Springs<br />• The Central Conference of American Rabbis – March, New Orleans<br /><br />Help Needed<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />Donations<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />As always, thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm for this project. I appreciate it more than words could say.<br /><br />Shalom,<br /><br />Rabbi Mark GlickmanMark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-38957082046465480322010-09-13T13:56:00.000-07:002010-09-13T13:57:04.361-07:00Genizah Update #22: The New Year Begins, Release Date Draws NearGenizah Update #22<br />The New Year Begins, Release Date Draws Near<br /><br />September 13, 2010<br /><br />Dear Friends,<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Genizah Events and Appearances:<br /><br />I have just barely started to promote the book, but already the calendar is filling up:<br /><br />October 10: Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church, Woodinville, WA<br />October 14, 21: St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Bellevue, WA<br />October 31: Kehillat Israel Congregation, Lansing, MI<br />November 1: Michigan State University<br />November 3: Speaking at “Torahthon 2010,” Herzl Ner Tamid Congregation, Seattle<br />December 9: Temple Beth El, Tacoma, WA<br />February 26-27 Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel, Boise, ID<br /><br />November/December, TBA<br />• Elliot Bay Book Company, Seattle<br />• Eagle Harbor Book Company, Bainbridge Island<br />• Powell’s Bookstore, Portland, OR (???)<br /><br />Additionally, there will be some sort of book release celebration in November, details TBA.<br /><br />Reminder: <br /><br />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:<br /><br />15030 232nd Ave. NE<br />Woodinville, WA 98077<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Shalom,<br /><br />Rabbi Mark GlickmanMark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-31843412856816972292010-07-19T17:27:00.001-07:002010-07-19T17:27:57.810-07:00Genizah Update #21: The Finishing Touches<br /><br />July 19, 2010<br /><br />Dear Friends, <br /><br />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.<br /><br />Completing the Book<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />Reform Judaism Magazine Saves the Day<br /><br />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.”<br /><br />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!<br /><br />Many thanks to my congregant and friend Carol Tice, of Bainbridge Island, for making the magazine aware of the story.<br /><br /><br />Attached<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />Sacred Treasure: The Cairo Genizah – Order Now and be Among the First to Receive Your Copy<br /><br />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:<br /><br />http://www.jewishlights.com/page/product/978-1-58023-431-3<br /><br /><br />Support Still Needed<br /><br />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:<br /><br />15030 232nd Ave. NE<br />Woodinville, WA 98077<br />USA<br /><br /><br />As always, I thank you for your ongoing interest and support.<br /><br />Shalom,<br /><br />Rabbi Mark GlickmanMark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-54921249620350849832010-06-03T12:55:00.000-07:002010-06-03T12:56:07.424-07:00Genizah Update #20<br />DONE! (for now)<br /><br />June 3, 2010<br /><br />Dear Friends,<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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!<br /><br />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. <br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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!<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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/.<br /><br />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:<br /><br />15030 232nd Ave. NE<br />Woodinville, WA 98077<br />USA<br /><br />Expedition Genizah T-shirts are also available for $20.<br /><br />Thanks for your ongoing support and enthusiasm…and Shalom!<br /><br />Rabbi Mark GlickmanMark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-58991154836317270342010-05-06T12:41:00.000-07:002010-05-06T12:42:13.565-07:00Genizah Update #19: Sacred Treasure - It's Looking Like a BookGenizah Update #19 <br />Sacred Treasure - It's Looking Like a Book<br /><br />May 5, 2010<br /><br />Hello Everyone,<br /><br />Another quick update this week.<br /><br />The Book<br />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! <br /><br />Attached<br />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.<br /><br />I have also attached a very brief book excerpt – feedback, as always, is most welcome.<br /><br />PRI’s The World<br />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/.<br /><br />Funding Needed<br />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. <br /><br />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.<br /><br />Please give generously – you can send you donations to:<br /><br />Rabbi Mark Glickman<br />15030 232nd Ave. NE<br />Woodinville, WA 98077<br /><br />As always, thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm.<br /><br />Shalom,<br /><br />Rabbi Mark GlickmanMark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-83168894496665946182010-04-24T21:39:00.001-07:002010-04-24T21:39:26.606-07:00April 24, 2010<br /><br />Hi Everybody,<br /><br />Just a few quick notes tonight:<br /><br />• PRI’S THE WORLD<br /><br />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:<br /><br />http://www.theworld.org/2010/04/23/cairos-jewish-medieval-manuscripts/<br /><br />• BOOK COVER AND CATALOGUE PAGE <br /><br />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<br /><br />• BLOG<br /><br />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.<br /><br />• BOOK STATUS<br /><br />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!<br /><br />• GIVE IT UP FOR THE GENIZAH<br />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.<br /><br /><br />Thank you for your ongoing interest and enthusiasm.<br /><br />Shalom,<br /><br />Rabbi Mark GlickmanMark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-28177545212884978582010-04-23T08:35:00.000-07:002010-04-23T08:36:39.117-07:00<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Hello Everyone,</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.”</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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: </span><a href="http://www.theworld.org/"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">www.theworld.org</span></a><span style="font-family:Calibri;">.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Shalom,</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Rabbi Mark Glickman</span></p>Mark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-87248169900116772282010-04-22T14:42:00.001-07:002010-04-22T14:42:20.322-07:00<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Genizah Update #17: National Press Coverage<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">LISTEN TO “PRI’S THE WORLD,” FRIDAY, APRIL 23<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Hello Everyone,</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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:</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><table style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in" class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes"><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: black 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">City<o:p></o:p></span></b></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: black 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Station <o:p></o:p></span></b></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: black 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Call #<o:p></o:p></span></b></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: black 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Time<o:p></o:p></span></b></p></td></tr><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1"><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Seattle</span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">KUOW</span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">94.9 FM</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">1340 AM</span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">3:00 PM</span></p></td></tr><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2"><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">New York</span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">WNYC - AM</span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">820 AM</span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">12:00 PM</span></p></td></tr><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3"><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Los Angeles</span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">KPCC </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">KCRW </span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">89.3 FM</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">89.9 FM</span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">12:00 PM</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">1:00 PM</span></p></td></tr><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4"><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Chicago</span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">WBEZ</span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">91.5 FM</span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">7:00 PM</span></p></td></tr><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5"><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">San Francisco</span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">KQED</span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">88.5 FM</span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">2:00 PM</span></p></td></tr><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes"><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Cambridge, Kabul, Cairo and Jerusalem, </span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">XM Satellite</span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">XMPR-133</span></p></td><td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">6:00 PM Eastern</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">If you live elsewhere, you can find out when and where to hear the story at </span><a href="http://www.theworld.org/stations/"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">http://www.theworld.org/stations/</span></a><span style="font-family:Calibri;">. More general information about the show is available at their homepage, </span><a href="http://www.theworld.org/"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">http://www.theworld.org/</span></a><span style="font-family:Calibri;">. I believe that the story will be available there after it airs.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> 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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Now, back to editing and the hunt for elusive reprint permissions.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Thanks, and best wishes to you all,</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Rabbi Mark Glickman</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p>Mark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-59473809476525670582010-04-22T14:41:00.003-07:002010-04-22T14:41:56.719-07:00<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Hello Everyone,</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Now, the writing can really begin.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">TITLE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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:</span></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><i><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></i></b></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><i><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></i></b></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><i><span style="font-family:Calibri;">SACRED TREASURE: THE CAIRO GENIZAH<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><i><span style="font-family:Calibri;">The Amazing Discoveries of Forgotten Jewish History in an Egyptian Synagogue Attic<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><i><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></i></b></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><i><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></i></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">COVER<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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!</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" preferrelative="t" spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f"></v:path><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="WIDTH: 451.5pt; HEIGHT: 339pt" id="Picture_x0020_1" alt="" type="#_x0000_t75" spid="_x0000_i1025"><v:imagedata href="cid:image003.jpg@01CADBB7.E72FFB60" src="file:///C:\Users\hp\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></v:imagedata></v:shape></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Give it Up for the Genizah!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Please give generously. You can send your donations to me at</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">15030 232<sup>nd</sup> Ave. NE</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Woodinville, WA</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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:</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><v:shape style="WIDTH: 179.25pt; HEIGHT: 225pt" id="Picture_x0020_2" alt="" type="#_x0000_t75" spid="_x0000_i1026"><v:imagedata href="cid:image005.jpg@01CADBB7.E72FFB60" src="file:///C:\Users\hp\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image002.jpg"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></v:imagedata></v:shape></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">All T-Shirt proceeds go to the preservation efforts I mentioned above.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Again, my manuscript is due to the publisher on June 1, and the book is scheduled for publication in October. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Thanks for your support and enthusiasm – I will continue to keep you updated.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Shalom,</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Rabbi Mark Glickman</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p>Mark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-71526014301666074602010-04-22T14:41:00.001-07:002010-04-22T14:41:22.302-07:00<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Genizah Update #15: Home Again<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">March 11, 2010</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Hello Everyone,</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Now…To Work<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Excerpt Attached<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">That said, I would like to add a few caveats:</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Of course, this still just a draft, so I apologize ahead of time for the lack of polish.</span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Thanks in advance for your comments.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Expedition Genizah T-Shirts<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Funds Needed<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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:</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Fighting the Acid<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Preserving the <i>New</i> Old Documents</span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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 20<sup>th</sup> 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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">If you can, please give generously, and forward me your donations at your convenience:</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Rabbi Mark Glickman</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">15030 232<sup>nd</sup> Ave. NE</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Woodinville, WA 98077</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">USA</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p>Mark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-63075144646503526542010-04-22T14:37:00.001-07:002010-04-22T14:37:46.122-07:00<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Hello, Everyone!</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">This is the final full day of Expedition Genizah, and we are looking forward to our return home. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Yesterday<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">A Few Final Thoughts<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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:</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><i>Outside the United States, very few Jews seem to be researching Genizah texts</i>. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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 <i>Jewish </i>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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><i><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Egypt is beginning to awaken to the significance of the Cairo Genizah.</span></i></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in" class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></i></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><i><span style="font-family:Calibri;">People Matter Most</span></i></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><i><span style="font-family:Calibri;">The Genizah Story Must be Told</span></i></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><i><span style="font-family:Calibri;">The Thrill of Place</span></i></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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 <i>closet</i>?” She asked a very good question, of course, and it deserves an answer. I think that being in the <i>place</i> 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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><i><span style="font-family:Calibri;">The Genizah Needs our Support</span></i></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><i><span style="font-family:Calibri;">I hope I haven’t bitten off more than I can chew.</span></i></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">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. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">This has been the adventure of a lifetime. Now it is time to go home.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Shalom,</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Rabbi Mark Glickman</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></p>Mark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-83394445501393727792010-04-22T14:36:00.002-07:002010-08-22T17:35:19.292-07:00<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">March 3, 2010</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Hello Everyone,</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Yesterday morning, Jacob and I boarded an airplane in Cairo. 17 hours later, having spent a couple of hours at London’s Heathrow Airport, we landed in Newark NJ, glad to be in the United States once again.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Our travel agent, having messed up our reservation in England, arranged for an upgrade here in New York. We’re staying in a HUGE, if somewhat dumpy, suite here at the Salisbury Hotel, right across the street from Carnegie Hall. We have lots of room here, so if you’re in the neighborhood, feel free to stop buy…and bring along your friends. If you have any trouble finding us, just ask anyone you meet how to get to Carnegie Hall. </span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings">J</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Meeting Rabbi Schechter<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">We were exhausted when we arrived, but there is no rest for the weary. For a late breakfast, we met with Rabbi John Schechter, the great-grandson of Rabbi Solomon Schechter, who discovered the Genizah. John’s true claim to fame, however, is that he was my camp counselor in Wisconsin in 1976 and/or 1977 – we confirmed it today.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">We had a delightful time with Rabbi Schechter – he brought us over to the Jewish Theological Seminary, and showed us a display of Schechter family Judaica given to Solomon when he left Cambridge for New York in 1902. He also told us about Schechter’s daughter, Ruth, who married, moved to South Africa, later divorced her husband, returned to the US, and then remarried a man from Liverpool whom she had met in South Africa. A few years ago, John came across a novel written by Solomon Schechter’s friend, Israel Zangwill. It was about a Jewish woman from England who married, moved to South Africa, later divorced her husband, returned to the US, and then remarried a man from Liverpool whom she had met in South Africa. One might think that Zangwill based the novel on the events in Ruth’s life, <i>but Zangwill wrote the book when Ruth was only a little girl!</i> Somehow, it seems, Ruth internalized the story that Zangwill wrote, and then lived it out when she became an adult.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">We met Rabbi Schechter at Tom’s Restaurant, of Seinfeld fame. For Jacob, it was a great surprise.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Moving South<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Then, we took a quick cab ride from the upper Manhattan Campus of JTS, to the Greenwich Village home of the Hebrew Union College. There we met with Dr. Lawrence Hoffman, one of the Reform movement’s leading scholars of Jewish Liturgy, and a member of the team that composed our movement’s new prayerbook, Mishkan Tefillah. We had a fascinating conversation with him about what we can learn from the liturgical material in the Genizah.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">My Movie Debut<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Shortly before 5:00, we arrived at the office of Michael Strong, a literary agent who is producing the DVD Documentary version of the book. There, we spent six hours transferring images from my computer to his, setting up lights, doing my makeup (!), and conducting interviews about the project. I was exhausted by the time we left at around 11 PM, and Jacob was beyond exhausted. But he kept his spirits up the whole time, and was a real trooper.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Tomorrow…<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Tomorrow we do interviews and more filming at JTS, and then we hop aboard a train for the hour-long ride to Bay Shore (on Long Island), where I am scheduled to speak about my trip – Mike will be filming my talk.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Now it’s almost 12:30 AM. Time to plotz. This has been a great trip, but I miss my wife and my other kids, and I am looking forward to coming home soon.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Shalom,</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Rabbi Mark Glickman</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p>Mark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-54059297159717778772010-04-22T14:36:00.001-07:002010-04-22T14:36:41.965-07:00<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Genizah Update #12<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Day 10: Cairo Wrap-up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">March 1, 2010</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Hi Everyone,</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I apologize. Yesterday’s excitement, the pressure of limited Internet access, and my overall klutziness all led to several mistakes and omissions in yesterday’s email. Please allow me to correct them.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">1.<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>Yesterday’s update was #11, not #12 as it was labeled. In the future, I’ll be more careful in my pasting.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">2.<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>My fear of failure here in Cairo was that I would lay a big “goose-egg” –n ot a “good egg,” as I indicated in yesterday’s update. In fact, the only eggs that I ever lay are of the goose variety.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">3.<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>To clarify, because of the 15-foot abyss between the entry to the Genizah and its floor, I did not fully enter the chamber – doing so would have been very dangerous. I did, however, stick my head into the Genizah, which itself was an achievement I considered a huge success. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">4.<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>After I sent yesterday’s update, I realized that I’d neglected to mention just what it was that I saw in the Genizah. The answer: SALT. The Genizah is empty; Solomon Schechter removed most of its documents its documents in 1897, and a man named Jacques Mosseri removed the remaining ones in 1911. The floor of the Genizah bore a coat of dusty, gravelly schmutz, and the chamber’s only contents were two large bags labeled “SALT.” </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Why were there bags of salt in the Genizah? This, my friends, is a good question – one that is likely to remain a mystery for a long time to come.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">5.<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>It is, I believe, important to note that Jacob Glickman is the first person to have photographed the inside of the Cairo Genizah – ever.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">6.<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>Today I learned that the dilapidated tomb we visited yesterday was that of Rabbi Chaim Kapuchi, a 16<sup>th</sup> century mystic who lived here in Cairo. According to legend, the rabbi went blind at one point, but, when he continued to read from the Torah anyway, he miraculously regained his vision. After his death, many people suffering from ophthalmic diseases or blindness visited his grave in search of healing.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><b><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">TODAY – OUR FINAL DAY IN CAIRO<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">This morning we toured Azbekiyyah Garden and its environs. Once a grand, Paris-style park, the Azbekiyyah has now fallen into ruin. The opera, Aida, premiered at the nearby Opera House in the 1890’s, and Solomon Schechter stayed across the street during his historic visit.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We lunched with Jere Bacharach and Barbara Fudge. They split their time between Cairo and Seattle, and have been very helpful in the planning of our trip.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Then, this afternoon, we were privileged to meet two prominent Muslim Genizah scholars. One was Professor Hassanein Rabie, an economic historian of Medieval Islam, and a former Vice President of Cairo University. The other was Dr. Mohamed Hawary, a professor of Hebrew Studies at Ain Shams university. Courageously, Dr. Hawary has publicly reached out to the Jewish community in many ways, striving to bridge the chasm that often separates Jews and Muslims.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The opportunity to meet each of these men was a real honor. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><b><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">TOMORROW: EXODUS<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Tomorrow morning, thanks to the miracle of manned flight rather than that of parted waters, Jacob and I make our exodus from Egypt. From here we head to the land of our people – New York.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We will continue to keep you updated, and we thank you for your continued interest.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Shalom,</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Rabbi Mark Glickman</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Mark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-64965203102779604662010-04-22T14:34:00.001-07:002010-04-22T14:36:08.609-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgFhCXe1dKBhYhvnouWwXZCnPAdUDcmBpuT1rmecIiNcFStZyo5Qk_nWlEufCnLUM3mq3hhgmihDkHuPII931iTYOvYzRBeYNeJ2a-bghkSpambte66Y08eDQrT5K_AxxqpDctI0q-dg/s1600/IMG_0621+Mission+Accomplished.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463078801463689954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgFhCXe1dKBhYhvnouWwXZCnPAdUDcmBpuT1rmecIiNcFStZyo5Qk_nWlEufCnLUM3mq3hhgmihDkHuPII931iTYOvYzRBeYNeJ2a-bghkSpambte66Y08eDQrT5K_AxxqpDctI0q-dg/s320/IMG_0621+Mission+Accomplished.JPG" /></a><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:14;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Genizah Update #10<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:16;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:16;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Expedition Genizah Day 9 – Genizah!<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:16;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:16;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:16;"><?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path gradientshapeok="t" extrusionok="f" connecttype="rect"></v:path><o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="WIDTH: 352.5pt; HEIGHT: 264.75pt" id="Picture_x0020_1" alt="IMG_0621" type="#_x0000_t75" spid="_x0000_i1025"><v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\hp\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg" href="cid:image001.jpg@01CAB852.7D1B7160"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></v:imagedata></v:shape><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:16;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:16;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We made it!!! Today, my son Jacob and I became the first people in decades to visit the Genizah chamber at Cairo’s Ben Ezra Synagogue in many years. It was an unspeakable thrill, an enormous relief, and an experience that we both will treasure forever.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It was a dizzying day. I should preface my account, however, by noting that, when I began this trip, I had secured <i>permission </i>to visit the Cairo Genizah, but it was far from certain that I’d be <i>able </i>to visit it. Friends who know Egypt warned me never to count on anything here – my experience could end up succeeding beyond my wildest dreams, or I could come away with a big good-egg. One friend noted, “People come here counting on accomplishing all kinds of great things, and Egypt laughs.”</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Today, Egypt didn’t laugh. Today, she was very cooperative.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">THE BEN EZRA SYNAGOGUE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I was scheduled to meet Mr. Gamal Moustafa, of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, at the Ben Ezra Synagogue at 10:00 AM. We arrived early, and one of his assistants was already there. We began taking pictures, and soon Mr. Moustafa arrived. He is a man of about fifty or so; he’s about six feet tall, and today he wore a stylish sport jacket and crisply pressed slacks. He carried an air authority, and when he spoke, things seemed to happen very quickly. Soon, other staff members joined our party. “Dad,” Jacob said, “we’ve got a posse!”</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It turns out that Mr. Moustafa is in charge of restoration of all Jewish, Coptic and Muslim religious sites for the Supreme Council. As began examining the synagogue, he explained that the Genizah is ordinarily off limits, and that this was an unusual visit. He had worked at his current post for fifteen years, and during that time, nobody – <i>nobody</i> – had ever entered the chamber. He had never even seen it, himself. (Actually, the last reported visit that I know of was in 1911.)</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Eventually, we made our way up to the women’s balcony, from which we could get access to the Genizah. Mr. Moustafa said something in Arabic, and soon a six-foot ladder appeared – the kind that opens like an inverted V and stands on four legs. The attendants stood it in front of the entrance to the Genizah, held it steady, and invited me to climb. When I got to the top rung, the bottom threshold of the Genizah was at the level of my upper chest. I looked inside, and saw…nothing. It was dark. Pitch black.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Can I go inside?” I asked.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Yes. Can you jump up?” </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Now, I like to think of myself as being pretty spry, but this was pushing it a little. To do what he was suggesting, I would have had to put my hands on the bottom of the Genizah entryway, jump with my legs, push with my arms, and somehow swing a leg into the opening…all in one smooth movement. I’m 46 years-old, I could stand to lose a few pounds – OK, a few dozen – I was on the balcony of a medieval synagogue, standing on a rickety ladder that was being held by a man I didn’t know and whose language I didn’t speak. On the other hand, I’ve been working on this project for a few years now, and I wasn’t about to let mere wimpiness prevent the completion of my mission. I decided I was going to give it a go.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“And please,” Mr. Moustafa added, “when you jump up, please don’t let your legs touch the wall in front of you.” Conservators had carefully restored and repainted that wall a few years ago, and, understandably, Mr. Moustafa didn’t want to ruin it with rabbinic scuffmarks.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">At that moment, my decision to give it a go…up and went. “Uh…do you have a bigger ladder?”</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Mr. Moustafa nodded to another attendant, who ran off to find one. Just then, I remembered that I had a tiny little flashlight on a keychain in my pocket. Careful so as not slip and fall, I reached in, removed it from my pocket, pressed the little button, and pointed the light inside the Genizah.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I’d always imagined that the Genizah floor was just a foot or two beneath the entryway. But when I shined the light down, I was surprised to see that the floor I’d expected to see simply didn’t exist. In fact, <i>there was no floor</i>. </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Ok, so there was a floor, but it was down about fifteen feet or so beneath where I’d expected to find it. Had I just jumped in as Mr. Moustafa suggested – and as I’d seriously considered doing, myself – I would have plummeted downward to certain injury and, possibly, to my death.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">What a story <i>that </i>would have made!</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After a few moments, the other ladder arrived, and the attendants rigged a brighter light for me to use. The Genizah is a high chamber – maybe 30 feet or so – and it measures, I’m guessing, 10-by-12 feet. Afterward, the attendants showed me a small window near the bottom from which documents could be removed for burial. I called it “the Genizah drain.” For most of the Genizah’s active life, I believe, that drain was plugged shut.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">During the Middle Ages, the Nile ran very near the synagogue building – it’s course has since shifted a few hundred yard to the west. Behind the building is the site where, according to tradition, the basket carrying the baby Moses was removed from the Nile. </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As we thanked Mr. Moustafa, he asked whether there was anything else that we wanted to see. In fact, there was.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><b>THE BASSATIN CEMETERY</b> </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Inez (our guide), Abd el-Aziz (our driver), Jacob, and I climbed into our van. But our party had grown, and now along with us were a Supreme Council staff member, a man whom I later learned was a police minder, and a Ben Ezra attendant “to tell us how to get there.” Our destination was the Bassatin Cemetery, the old burial-place of Cairo’s Jews, and also the site where Solomon Schechter and others found some Genizah documents.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The Bassatin Cemetery is, let’s just say, not on the typical Cairo tourist itinerary. To get there, we drove through crowded markets whose alleyways were barely wide enough for the van, desolate slums whose streets were lined with drifts of blowing trash, and past huge “cities of the dead” - gigantic Islamic cemeteries that have the look of neighborhoods themselves.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Finally, we arrived at the Jewish cemetery. But we weren’t allowed to enter – only relatives of the deceased were allowed. It turns out, however, that the Cairo Jewish cemetery consists of three different sections, so off we went to section #2. An old man – a caretaker from section #1 – climbed into our van to show us the way. That van was getting very crowded.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">At section #2, we entered through a rickety gate, and found ourselves in a trash-strewn yard at the front of which, on rotting couch, sat a toothless old woman drinking tea. Behind her was a dilapidated mausoleum. It too was filled with trash, its floor was coated with animal droppings, and two roosters pecked and crowed in-and amongst-the debris.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">This was the tomb of a prominent rabbi. His name escapes me in the swirl, so I’ll have to check. Its condition was very sad, indeed.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Then, at cemetery #3, we finally found what we were looking for. This was the Mosseri family burial ground. This wealthy family had built several elaborate museums around the periphery of the cemetery, and in the center were the graves of hundreds of other members of the community – non-Mosseris.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It is difficult to describe the condition of this place. Most of the headstones are toppled, and the inscriptions of many have been chisled away. Thieves? Antisemites? It’s unclear. The mausoleums are mostly for people who died in the early to mid 20<sup>th</sup> century. They, too, are dilapidated – filled with animal droppings, trash. A shelf in one of them held several dozen stale, rotting, pita breads. </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Garbage swirled in the wind at every turn. Wild dogs howled and defecated amidst the graves in the distance.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Before we left, Jacob remembered a grave we had seen when we first arrived. “Dad, could we stand up that headstone with the Jewish star?” He drafted some members of our “team” to help, and together they righted the fallen headstone of one of Cairo’s deceased Jews. I was very proud of him.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The Maimonides Synagogue<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Needless to say, it was a relief to leave the cemetery, and head toward our next stop – the Maimonides Synagogue. This place of worship was originally built in the 19<sup>th</sup> century, above the site of the yeshiva where the great Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon once taught his students. The Egyptian government has just restored the synagogue, and it will be rededicated a week from now, on March 7<sup>th</sup>. </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Our driver took us to the old, walled city of Fatimid Cairo, the Medieval capital of the city. The gates are ordinarily closed to traffic, but Mr. Moustafa had told the police we were coming, so they opened the gates and waved us in. Just inside, we left the van, and climbed onto an electric cart, which took our party through the narrow winding alleyways of old Cairo to within a hundred yards or so of the Maimonides synagogue. </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">There, the head conservator, Ayman Hamed, gave us the grand tour, showing us the beautifully restored 19<sup>th</sup> century synagogue, the yeshiva beneath it, the small chamber off the yeshiva which is said to be Maimonides’ original burial place, and much more. It was a real thrill.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Then, it was back to the hotel. Jacob was exhausted, and I had to awaken him to get out of the van when we arrived.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Looking Ahead<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Tomorrow, we have several meetings with scholars and friends, and then, early the next morning, off to New York!</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">And here I am, still trying to make sense of it all.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Thanks for reading this far, and best wishes to you all,</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Mark Glickman</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Calibri', 'sans-serif';font-size:11;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Mark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208909537099794220.post-51987726817541694092010-04-22T14:13:00.001-07:002010-04-22T14:13:43.311-07:00<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Genizah Update # 10<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Expedition Genizah Day 6: Cairo<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">The Glickmans are in Egypt Land…and what a change it is from Cambridge! </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">We arrived at the Cairo Airport late yesterday afternoon, where we met Ayman, a transfer agent who drove us to our hotel along a serpentine route of superhighways, narrow alleys and everything in0between. He explained that, the day before, there had been torrential rain and hailstorms in Cairo, causing extensive flooding throughout the city. The weather has turned pleasant, but we can still see small remnants of floods everywhere.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">We’re staying the Cairo Sheraton, at a palatial hotel festooned everywhere with mirrors and faux gold.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">[Oh…as I type this, it is time for one of the five daily Muslim worship services, and we can hear the blast of the muezzin’s voice calling everyone to prayer. “<i>Allahu Akhbar….” </i>I don’t think there will be much of a problem getting a minyan.]</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Anyway, the hotel is beautiful, and our large room features a panoramic view of the Nile and a huge swath of Cairo. The security here is very tight. Every car pulling up to the hotel gets sniffed by a bomb-sniffing dog, and everyone who enters does so through a metal-detector.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Today, along with our guide, Inez, and our driver, Zizu, we got a good sense of old Cairo. The Cairo of antiquity. The Cairo whose physical remains were here when Solomon Schechter arrived in 1896, and also during the lives of the Genizah people during the Middle Ages. We went to the Egyptian Museum, the Pyramids, and the Sphinx, thus taking in a good 4,000-5,000 years of history in one day. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">The Egyptian Museum is home to more than 250,000 antiquities. Some of these items come from temples, of course, but most come from ancient tombs. We saw King Tut’s gleaming mask, dozens of mummies (including that of the female ruler, Hatshepsut), and more royal statues and Pharaohonic paraphernalia than I could ever recount. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Through it all, I was struck by how obsessed ancient Egypt seems to have been with death. It created all of this grandeur and opulence to ensure its kings safe passage into the next world. The Pyramids, the Sphinx, the mummies, and so much of the rest of it were not for the living, but rather for the welfare of the dead. When I shared this observation with Inez, she corrected me. What we saw today, she said, was not a culture obsessed with death; it was a culture that, instead, was focused on eternal life.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Still, what a remarkable contrast there is between the ancient Egypt of sphinxes and pyramids, and the medieval Jewish culture of the Genizah that I’ll visit tomorrow. What remains of the Genizah people were not massive tombs and huge statues, but a pile of old scraps, instead. In those scraps, we read of life in <i>this </i>world not the next – we read of trade, marriage, divorce, schools, poverty, lawsuits, and much, much more. We read, in short, of the stuff of <i>this </i>life, <i>this </i>world, and <i>this</i> quite knowable reality.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">That’s an oversimplification, of course, but not much of one. The Egypt of the antiquity is of the Great Beyond. The Egypt of the Genizah is of the Here and Now. Or at least of the here and now as experienced by the Jews of Medieval Cairo.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">It is to that room – the Genizah chamber at the Ben Ezra Synagogue – that I plan to climb tomorrow. It is a moment that I have been looking to with eager anticipation for many months, and I look forward to telling you how it goes.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Shalom,</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Rabbi Mark Glickman</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></p>Mark Glickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09963983938393931048noreply@blogger.com0