The Taylor-Schechter Genizah Collection is a window on the medieval world and has been colourfully described as ‘a refuge for writings’ and ‘a battlefield of books’. Its 193,000 manuscript fragments, mainly in Hebrew, Judaeo-Arabic, Aramaic and Arabic, are an unparalleled resource for the academic study of Judaism, Jewish history and the wider economic and social history of the Mediterranean and Near East in the Middle Ages and Early Modern period. They shed light on the mundane as well as the religious and cultural activities of that world, since the Collection preserves a huge number of personal letters, legal deeds and other documents, alongside literary and sacred texts. The Genizah Research Unit was established in the 1970s to carry out a comprehensive program of conservation, cataloguing and research on the manuscripts. The Genizah Research Unit relies upon external support for its projects.
Thinking about visiting the Library to consult or view the Collection? Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page first.
High-resolution images and detailed descriptions of more than 21,000 Genizah fragments from our Collections are now available on the Genizah section of Cambridge University Digital Library. Hundreds of new fragments are uploaded each month. Click here to see them.
The latest issue (April 2020) of Genizah Fragments, the Unit's twice-yearly newsletter, is now available to read and download here. There has been a break in publication since then due to restrictions during the COVID19 pandemic. We plan to release the next, and final edition, of the newsletter this Autumn 2021.
In September's Fragment of the Month, Rachel Hasson delves into the manuscript history of Alf Layla wa-Layla, the 'Thousand and One Nights'.
Have you found our website or bibliography useful? Would you like to make a one-off or regular donation to further Genizah research and the production of online Genizah resources at Cambridge? Give a single gift securely online or join the Friends of the Genizah of give regular support.
We are now able to arrange bookings for Genizah visits with a maximum of 10 people (to allow for social distancing). Bookings must be arranged in advance, by contacting genizah@lib.cam.ac.uk.
