Ohr Hayashar on Bereishis by Rabbi Shmuel Yitzchok Hillman, London 1927 – Copy of Rev. Simcha Bunim Moher of Waterford, Ireland.

I've previously written about another copy of this book, written by Rabbi Hillman, who was born in Kovno, Lithuania, in 1868, and came to Great Britain in 1908, when he was appointed a Rabbi in Glasgow, Scotland. In 1914 he was appointed a Dayan of the London Beth Din, serving until 1934, when he settled … Continue reading Ohr Hayashar on Bereishis by Rabbi Shmuel Yitzchok Hillman, London 1927 – Copy of Rev. Simcha Bunim Moher of Waterford, Ireland.

Sefer Divrei Moshe, by Rabbi Dov Moshe Namyot, (of Plungian, Antwerp and Gateshead),Vilna, 1906.

This book was written by Rabbi Dov Moshe Namyot, who was Rabbi in Gateshead, England,  before the days of Gateshead Yeshiva, and has become rather forgotten.  He was Rabbi of the Blechener synagogue in Gateshead from 1915 until he died suddenly in 1919.  The tiny, but very independent and strongly orthodox Gateshead community had appointed … Continue reading Sefer Divrei Moshe, by Rabbi Dov Moshe Namyot, (of Plungian, Antwerp and Gateshead),Vilna, 1906.

Shaar Hamelech (The King’s Gate), by Isaac Nunez Belmonte, Brinn (Brno), 1801 – copy of Rabbi Dov Moshe Namyot of Gateshead.

I have written previously about Rabbi Dov Moses Namyot, who was born in Zetel, was a Rabbi in Plungian for 23 years, then in Antwerp and from 1915 to his death in 1919 was Rov of Gateshead, in England.  For more details see: Chidushe Ri”ch, by Rabbi Yehoshua Chaim Halevy Epstein, Vilna, 1890. Copy of … Continue reading Shaar Hamelech (The King’s Gate), by Isaac Nunez Belmonte, Brinn (Brno), 1801 – copy of Rabbi Dov Moshe Namyot of Gateshead.

Chidushe Ri”ch, by Rabbi Yehoshua Chaim Halevy Epstein, Vilna, 1890. Copy of Rabbi Namyot of Gateshead.

Rabbi Dov Moshe Namyot is another of Britain's forgotten Rabbis - he owned this book, and this is his story. Rabbi Namyot was Rav of the Blechener Shul (Synagogue) in Gateshead, long before the famous Gateshead Yeshiva was started.  The Synagogue was built in 1912 and known as Blechener from the Yiddish word for tin, … Continue reading Chidushe Ri”ch, by Rabbi Yehoshua Chaim Halevy Epstein, Vilna, 1890. Copy of Rabbi Namyot of Gateshead.

Chayenu, Organ of Jewish Religious Labour. London, 1947.

Here is an interesting publication from 1947. Europe, or what was left of it, was dealing with survivors and displaced persons, and over in Palestine the Jews were dealing with a hostile and confused British government. This magazine includes an interesting article by Walter Eytan (Ettinghausen), who had been in the Land of Israel for … Continue reading Chayenu, Organ of Jewish Religious Labour. London, 1947.

Volkns Ibern Dach (Clouds over the roof), Itzig Manger, London, 1942.

Itzig Manger was a Yiddish poet, playwright, prose writer and essayist.  He was born Isidor Helfer in Czernowitz (then in Rumania, now known as Chernivtsi in the Ukraine), the son of a Jewish tailor.  His family moved to Jassy, in Rumania, when he was 14 and learned Yiddish.  He published many poems and ballads in … Continue reading Volkns Ibern Dach (Clouds over the roof), Itzig Manger, London, 1942.

Annual Report of the Executive Committee, Union of Hebrew and Religion Classes, London 1937.

This, the 29th Annual Report, has details of Hebrew classes that were run at 54 London synagogues in 1936-37 (5797).  It includes the name and address of the representative of each synagogue's Hebrew classes.  There were 4,400 pupils, with some concern at lower numbers for girls than boys. The report also lists names of annual … Continue reading Annual Report of the Executive Committee, Union of Hebrew and Religion Classes, London 1937.

Shemos (Exodus), titled Derech Selula, Furth, 1802 – copy of Rev. Bernard Bindman of Newcastle, England.

This fine copy of Shemos (Exodus), the second book of the Chumash (Pentateuch) was printed in Fuerth in 1802. It includes the Moses Mendelssohn commentary and a translation into German (with Hebrew letters). This translation  was by Joel Brüll, who was one of the most notable students of Moses Mendelssohn. This book belonged to Reverend … Continue reading Shemos (Exodus), titled Derech Selula, Furth, 1802 – copy of Rev. Bernard Bindman of Newcastle, England.

Meloche Bezuye (A Humiliating Profession) by Y. A. Lisky, London, 1947.

This is a short novel in Yiddish by the longtime journalist Y. A. Lisky, who fled anti-Semitism in Vienna and ran England’s longest-surviving secular Yiddish newspaper until he was 89. His real name was Yehuda Isamar Fuchs, and he was the brother of the writer A. M. Fuchs.  He was born in Yezerna in Eastern … Continue reading Meloche Bezuye (A Humiliating Profession) by Y. A. Lisky, London, 1947.

Pirkei Avoth. The Sentences and Proverbs of the Ancient Fathers… Called Abouth… Translated into English with comments by Maimonides [and R. Abraham Tang], London 1772.

This book, which is over 250 years old, is one of the earliest books printed by a Jewish printer in England. It was printed by L. Alexander in 1772 in London. The Ashkenazi community in London started to flourish under the new rabbinic leadership of Rabbi David Tevele Schiff, who was appointed Chief Rabbi in … Continue reading Pirkei Avoth. The Sentences and Proverbs of the Ancient Fathers… Called Abouth… Translated into English with comments by Maimonides [and R. Abraham Tang], London 1772.