A valuable collection of Judaica, comprising some 5,000 volumes, many of them extremely rare items, was presented to the Jewish Theological Seminary of America here today by the Brooklyn Jewish Center. Formal presentation of the collection, which was assembled by the Brooklyn congregation over several decades, was made by Dr. Benjamin Z. Kreitman, spiritual leader of the congregation; Dr. Israel H. Levinthal, rabbi emeritus; and Emanuel Cohen, president of the Center.
Dr, Louis Finkelstein, chancellor of the Seminary, and Dr. Menahem Schmelozer, librarian, who accepted the gift on behalf of the Seminary, said that the institution particularly welcomed the valued gift at this time in view of the fire last April 8 which destroyed some 70,000 volumes in the Seminary library.
Among the unusual items in the collection contributed by the Brooklyn congregation today, are Abravanel’s commentary on the Passover Haggadah published in Italy in 1545, his commentary on the Bible, and an edition of the Code of Rabbi Asher ben Yehiel published in Fuerth in 1745.
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