I’ve previously written about another copy of this book: Dayan Gollop’s copy of a Book of Jewish Thoughts. However, this one is a different and scarce edition. Rabbi Hertz’s book was originally written for distribution to Jewish soldiers serving in the British forces in the First World War. It was handed out to countless Jewish schoolchildren (my late mother had one) as school gifts and prizes in the 1930s. It was revised with a new edition which added more modern material in 1940, for British servicemen in the Second World War. Over 155,000 copies were printed in this small format. His Majesties Stationary Office also printed a Siddur (prayer book) for use by Jewish members of the armed forces.
However, this special edition was printed in Cairo, for Jewish servicemen serving in the Middle East. It was printed by the Cairo printer and publisher E. and R. Schindler. The cost of 1,000 copies (out of 5,500 printed in Cairo) was defrayed by Robert Schindler of Cairo, in memory of his brother, Edward Schindler.
Schindler was a printer and publisher of English and French language books. Their office was at 41 Madabegh Street, today known as Sherif Street. They published guides to Cairo and Alexandria and other books of interest to the tens of thousands of Allied soldiers who were stationed in Egypt.
This edition includes additional material, relevant to the progress of the war.
Jewish Miscellanies 