Jewish Traditions from Around the World

A remarkable strength of the Dorot Jewish Division's collections is the way in which they reflect and represent diverse Jewish traditions. This section examines the historical development and extraordinary cultural multiplicity  of the Jewish Diaspora by weaving together unique artifacts from regions around the world, including India, Iran, Yemen, Turkey, Greece, Morocco, the Crimean Peninsula, and China. As archaeological and ethnographic exploration of distant Jewish communities began to develop at the turn of the 20th century, the Library’s curators prioritized collecting materials that would reflect these emerging trends of scholarship, thereby assembling one of the most comprehensive and diverse Jewish collections in the world.  

The particular beauty of each of these items forms a visually enchanting and historically significant mosaic. Expressed in a variety of languages, including Hebrew, Marathi, Ladino, Judeo-Arabic, and Karaite, these objects shed light upon the intricate histories of the global Jewish diaspora, underscoring the ways in which surrounding cultures have contributed to the materials’ distinctiveness. Presented here in various forms, including handwritten prayer books, haggadot, ketubbot, engravings, postcards, printed books, and Kabbalistic manuscripts, this section illuminates the function, content, artistic beauty, and individuality of objects used in Jewish traditions around the world.