Geniza Lab

Invitation from the Keter Torah association for the tefillin ceremony of Elijah for ten of the students – undated – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 205) in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 32). MCD.

Announcement from the Or Ḥadashi association addressing a friend in Jerusalem to participate in the commemoration of the day of "outbreak of hardship on Shabbat" and the services that are required for it and desired for particiption – 1938CE – Bassatine Cemetery – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 207) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 39). MCD.

Letter from the lawyer Muḥammad Ḥasan al-Nūbī to Kẖawaja Sālamūn Melūl requesting payment that was the amount of the court and its total is 240 qirsh cash – February 24 1925CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 208) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 65). MCD.

Letter from the Grand Rabbinate of Cairo to Kẖawaja Nesīr Bēsaḥ president of the Heliopolis synagogue (Maṣr al-Jadīda) regarding the person known as Levi ʿArūsa, who dares to slaughter poultry despite that he does not have the requisite method for slaughter – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 209) – 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, 38). This may be a reference to the Vitali Madjar Synagogue in Heliopolis whose construction was completed in 1924. MCD.

Announcement from the Grand Rabbinate of Cairo on the reception of certain individuals that are returning in accordance with law that everyone be brothers to them after they paid their debt and showed their regret to the community, and the non-acceptance of some of the others – Bassatine Cemetery – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 21) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 52). MCD.

Letter sent from Barūkh Rafūl Serūr to his father updating him on the circumstances of the family – 17 Tishrīn al-ʾAwwal 1929CE – (number 21) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 57). MCD.

Invitation from the administration of the Tāj Torah society for attending a special celebration of the reform of traditional religious Jewish learning – undated – it is known that the society was founded in 1910CE – (number 210) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 34). MCD.

Invitation from the association "ha-Fāmt Keter Torah" for the 7th of Adar for the commemoration of the death of Moses peace be upon him – 1928CE – Bassatine Cemetery – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 210) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 45). MCD.

Letter from the Babylonian community of Jerusalem to Isḥak Mordechai tasked with recovering "Ya'ir Nērū" in Egypt – June 26 1930CE – Bassatine Cemetery – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 212) – in Judeo-Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 45). MCD.

Personal letter from Jerusalem to Cairo – 28 May 1930 – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 212) in Judeo-Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 50). MCD.

Announcement to the members of the Jewish community of Cairo on the occasion of the yearly visit to the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Fustat – undated – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 217) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 40). MCD.

Fragment of a personal letter – 10 September 1917 – Museum of Islamic Art – in Judeo-Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 49). MCD.

Announcement from the Cairo Jewish community and by the rabbinate that all the wine sold by the company "Curiel Oriental" is not kosher, and an announcement on the slaughter of poultry on the eve of the holiday – May 10 1953CE – Bassatine Cemetery – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 219) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 40). MCD.

Letter signed by the members of the Ismaʿilīya Synagogue to the members of the Jewish community of Cairo complaining about the worsening condition of the seating in [the synagogue] – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 220) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 41). MCD.

Announcement written in Yiddish from the committee of Ashkenazi Jewish synagogues of Cairo about the reservation of places in the main synagogue and urging those who have not reserved that it is required without a lease and for the late-comers to reserve their places by noon on Sunday October 2 1921CE – undated, but before October 1921CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 221) in Yiddish and French. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 37). MCD.

Letter to a doctor of general clinic under the supervision of the Agudat Israel explaining that the treatment of the patient will be completed with the required payment of 230 qirsh – undated – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 222) – 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, 76). MCD.

Announcement by the Holim medical clinic to the Jewish public in the opening of the daily clinic for the service of the poor – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 230) – 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, 50). MCD.

Personal letter for Yeḥiʾel al-Qahlānī [from Yosef b. Shalom Siman] – 28 Kislev __96 [first two digits illegible on document] – Bassatine Cemetery – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 238) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 55). An original scan and translation of the letter is available in Al-Janiza wa-l-maʿābid al-Yahūdiyya fī Miṣr (pp. 203-207). The letter sender writes in order to ascertain why al-Qahlānī has not responded to previous letters and that he is ready to send payment. Given that most of the dated documents in the possession of the MIAC are twentieth-century the most likely reading of the date is [56]96AM or December 24, 1935CE. It is also possible that the year is Common Era dating (perhaps [18]96CE) and the month/day are Anno Mundi as is the case in other 19th-20th-century documents, such as, MIAC 10). MCD.

Statement from an appointee to a charitable organization on the assistance for the educational level of Jewish students who are learning prayer and interpretation together but ceased doing so for a period of time, therefore the appointee departs on a visit to their houses and asking first about the situation of the students, wrote this statement, the times and dates of these home visits are recorded and the first response on the matter – from 9/16/1954CE to 10/03/1954CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 239) – in Arabic. (Information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 30). MCD.

Appeal concerning a warning to youth about the thoughts of some outsiders in the teachings of religious law and the appeal is from the Aḥbāb al-Hayā society of Jerusalem – undated Museum of Islamic Art (number 24) – 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.