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Read more at: ‘We have seen the mountains shaking’: Fatimid humanitarian relief and the earthquake of 1033

‘We have seen the mountains shaking’: Fatimid humanitarian relief and the earthquake of 1033

In December 1033 CE – late afternoon on the 12th day of the Hebrew month of Tevet – a terrible earthquake shook Palestine. Across the region, cities were levelled and a tsunami wave arrived on the Mediterranean coast. The events of that day and its aftermath reached Egypt soon afterwards in a letter written by the scribe Solomon ben Ṣemaḥ.


Read more at: A Millennium of Jewish Women’s Voices

A Millennium of Jewish Women’s Voices

Historically, most well-known documents in Jewish languages have been penned by men. However, Jewish women have also recorded their voices in writing and in song. At the Hebrew Union College—Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) Jewish Language Project, we searched for Jewish women’s voices throughout history. We found documents and recordings in twenty languages (some with multiple dialects) from the tenth century to the present, including letters, poetry, memoirs, lullabies, translations of religious texts, and more.


Read more at: Q&A Wednesday: Flax, tax and trade hacks, with Lorenzo Bondioli

Q&A Wednesday: Flax, tax and trade hacks, with Lorenzo Bondioli

Lorenzo, what are you working on at the moment?


Read more at: Q&A Wednesday: Genizah Studies in Japan, with Hideharu Shimada and Amir Ashur

Q&A Wednesday: Genizah Studies in Japan, with Hideharu Shimada and Amir Ashur

Haru, what are you working on at the moment?

I’m working on T-S 8.12. It is a letter between two traders, and reveals much about the activities of the merchants at this time, in particular their trading networks and how these functioned. I’m looking at this manuscript because in November I will be giving an introductory lecture to my students, and this letter offers a good example of the kinds of trader letter we find in the Genizah.


Read more at: Throwback Thursday: Rachel’s Missing Letters?

Throwback Thursday: Rachel’s Missing Letters?

Our Throwback Thursday this week is taken from issue 58 of the printed edition of Genizah Fragments, published in October 2009, by Esther-Miriam Wagner.


Read more at: Throwback Thursday: Use of Hebrew in Genizah letters

Throwback Thursday: Use of Hebrew in Genizah letters

Our Throwback Thursday this week is taken from issue 42 of the printed edition of Genizah Fragments, published in October 2001, by Ben Outhwaite.