Major donation secures Oxford University's famous Hebrew collections
Beyond the aforementioned works, the library holds a collection of Hebrew texts from all over the world, ranging from Western, Central and Eastern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and China.
By CODY LEVINEOxford, All Souls College(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
A joint endowment from Sir Victor Blank, former chairman of Lloyds Bank, and the Rothschild Foundation Hanadiv Europe has secured an ancient collection of Hebrew texts, which includes illuminated manuscripts and historic works, according to the university.Dr. César Merchán-Hamann is expected to serve as the first "Victor Blank Curator of Hebraica and Judaica," who is also the current guardian of the important collection of Hebrew manuscripts.Among the collection of Hebrew-language books at the Bodleian Library at Oxford University include a catalog from 1605, in addition to a collection of early Hebrew and Yiddish printed books, a fragment of Maimonides' autograph draft of the Mishneh Torah from the Cairo Genizah and manuscripts of the Torah. Prized works held by the library also include the 15th century Kennicott Bible, still with its original goatskin box-binding and an illuminated 14th century Tripartite Maḥzor from the Michael collection."My love and fascination with the Bodleian Library goes back to my undergraduate days. As a historian, I came to appreciate the uniqueness of the Bodleian, housing and preserving swathes of our written history in this country and across the world," said Blank."The pre-eminent collection of Hebrew and Yiddish books (a collection as good as almost any in the world) requires love and care from a dedicated curator. I am delighted to be able, with the Rothschild Foundation Hanadiv Europe, to secure that post for the future," Blank added.Beyond the aforementioned works, the library holds a collection of Hebrew texts from all over the world, ranging from Western, Central and Eastern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and China."My family is proud to be associated with this important initiative. Our Foundation looks to the future, and supporting this curatorial position, in partnership with Sir Victor Blank, will contribute to securing Jewish scholarship and offering access to unique manuscripts for generations to come," said Lord Jacob Rothschild, in light of the donation.
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