Geniza Lab

Page from a story in colloquial language – undated – Bassatine Cemetery – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 16) – in Judeo-Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa. ed. Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 29). MCD.

Receipt for a half-year subscription to the "The Weekly Sun" by the Ibn Yoḥay Institute – 24 March 1949CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 161) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 69). MCD.

Bill from midrashī Rabbi Shimʿon ben Yoḥay for receiving the funds toward books and such from a person named Albert Benyāmīn – 5 September 1948CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 162) – in Arabic and Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 70). MCD.

Religious exegesis carrying the title "ha-Qaddima" or Muqaddima – undated – Bassatine Cemetery – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 163) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 44). MCD.

Receipt from the association "H̱ayrāt Māzūn" specializing in the distribution of bread, for receiving two loaves – March 1956 – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 165) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 72). MCD.

Letter in Hebrew between brothers discussing the travel of the sender's son to Mandatory Palestine and request for sixty pounds (ששים פונט). Based on the mention of currency the letter was written pre-1949 under the British Mandate. There is also discussion of the sender's son-in-law who lacks professional training and is out of work, the letter sender hopes his daughter and son-in-law get a divorce. This letter is catalogued incorrectly in the MIAC catalogue as being in Judaeo-Arabic, which is not the case based on the scan offered in Ḥasan and Sarrāj, Al-Janiza wa-l-maʿābid al-Yahūdiyya fī Miṣr, 184-185. Date: 20th c. MCD.

Announcement on an important meeting of the Jewish communities of Egypt at the site of the Ismaʿīli Synagogue in Cairo, on the finances of the communities – May 19 1947CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 167) – in French. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 51). MCD.

Invoice from a Jewish synagogue in Cairo – undated – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 169) – in Hebrew and French. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 69). MCD.

Plenary meeting of the Jewish community in the Ismaʿilī Synagogue in Cairo on the opportunity for founding a company and kosher restaurant – April 25 1947CE – Hebrew- and French-language – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 17). (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 36). MCD.

Invitation from the union of Jewish religious institutions to the general public for the foundation of a cooperative enterprise for kosher meats – 25 April 1947CE – (number 17) – in Arabic and French translation. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 44). MCD.

Letter covering family matters – [dated June 29 1923] – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 170) – in Hebrew. (information translated from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 51). An original scan of the letter and Arabic translation of it appear in Al-Janiza wa-l-maʿābid al-Yahūdiyya fī Miṣr (pp. 190-194). The letter covers the inheritance of two brothers' shares in a piece of real estate (they are Sālim and Yaḥyā al-Sharfī. It refers frequently to a legal document (שטר) connected to the property that the two letter signers, David Barim[?] and Sālim b. Yosef Binyamin, are each confirming to have seen or currently maintain in their possession. Their statements at the end of the letter have a probative legal tone, for example: "אני הצעיר שכותב מכתב זה ראיתי השטר שהוא מאושר ומקויים שהקרקע כל[?] שני האכים". MCD.

Announcement regarding the program of ceremonies for the Ibn Yuḥay Institute for Culture and Righteousness in which the Minister of Social Affairs, the Chief Rabbi of Cairo, and Chief Rabbi of Alexandria are speaking – undated – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 171) – in Arabic and French. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 46). MCD.

Account statement – undated – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 172) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 76). MCD.

Exegesis and religious commentary – undated – Bassatine Cemetery – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 173) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 42). MCD.

Receipt from the committee of Jewish pious endowments in Egypt for the value of rent on a residence in the qodesh of the Jewish quarter whose total is 260 qirsh – 1 August 1924CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 175) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 68). MCD.

Interpretation and religious commentaries – undated – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 176) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 35). MCD.

Religious rulings – undated – Bassatine Cemetery – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 177) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 41). MCD.

Letter reporting a donation to the Jews of Palestine, and the aforementioned currency is in the "Palestinian pound" – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 178) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 75). The mention of the Palestinian pound in this source helps to date this letter to post-1927 after the currency system was first established. MCD.

Exegesis and religious commentary – undated – Bassatine Cemetery – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 179) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 42). MCD.

Appeal from a charitable organization for the marriage of poor women to the people of the community – 21 January 1943CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 18) – in Arabic and translated in Latin script. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 44). MCD.