Geniza Lab

Complaint against a Jewish teacher cursing the Jewish faith and Jews in front of the non-Jews in the Jewish school in ʿAbbāsiya, and also the request for his punishment before the non-Jews and his dismissal from the Jewish community – 1946 CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 240) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 32). MCD.

Request advanced by a rabbi to the public secretary of the Cairo Jewish community – undated – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 242) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 60). MCD.

Letter from Herzl to Doctor M.I. Bodenheimer about their negotiations with von Richthofen – 1899CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 245) – in German. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 62). The full names of those mentioned in the catalogue description are most likely: Theodor Herzl, Max Isidor Bodenheimer, and Freiherr von Richthofen. Although it is unclear from the MIAC description whether this was a printed or handwritten letter, it is crucial to note that Theodor Herzl visited Cairo in 1903 and thus the letter may have been a draft or copy once held in Herzl's possession. For more information on Herzl's time in Cairo, see: Desmond Stewart, "Herzl's Journeys in Palestine and Egypt," Journal of Palestine Studies 3, no. 3 (1974): 18-38. MCD.

Invitation from the Jewish community of Maḥallah al-Kubra for a visit to the synagogue of "Ḥayyim al-Amshaṭī" – 5 April 1950 – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 246) – 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, 54). MCD.

Announcement regarding the relocation of the Grand Rabbinate of Cairo to a new site in ʿAbassīya (Cairo) – 22 May 1952CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 247) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 60). MCD.

Commercial letter – May 5 1933CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 249) – 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.

Personal letter from individuals named Rafael, Yosef, and Shemuʾel asking for the issuance of citizenship papers for their father because the Egyptian government acknowledged it in an existing paper it issued to him in 1925CE requesting his fulfillment of military service – July 23 1933CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 259) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 56). MCD.

Letter sent from Aleppo to Egypt whose sender is reporting of the arrival of cargo – 1928CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 26) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 67). MCD.

Personal letter to Kẖawaja David al-Jalālī from a person named Elli Ġozlān in it asking for him to fetch some of books and discussing commercial matters and family salutations – July 2 1944CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 260) – 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 written in Tel-Aviv to a person named Marko inviting him into the agreement with the contractor Albert Ḥanān Lilbet[?] in the restoration and repairs of the synagogue – August 22 1943CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 261) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 71). MCD.

Invitation for attending the ceremony of Hanukkah hosted by the Tāj Torah society at its center in the Jewish quarter – December 24 1935CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 266) – 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, 36). MCD.

Complaint from an Egyptian Jew to the head of an iron foundry – January 31 1947CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 268) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 56). MCD.

Personal letter expressing desire for a friend to meet with an American Sulaymān Basha, and other personal news – Ismaʿilīya (Cairo) June 18 1948CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 268) – in French. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 62). MCD.

Personal letter from Jerusalem – undated – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 269) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 56). MCD.

Announcement from the Grand Rabbinate of Cairo [Ḥakhamhāne Miṣr] for the celebration of the coronation of the King of Britain – Museum of Islamic Art – 3 May 1935CE – (number 27) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 57). No British monarch was coronated in this year, however, the Silver Jubilee of King George V was celebrated three days after this announcement on May 6 1935CE. A scan of this document that is mostly legible can be found in Al-Janiza wa-l-maʿābid al-Yahūdiyya fī Miṣr (p.170) where Ḥasan and Sarrāj analyze its contents and mention that the document came from the Mosseri family crypt at the Bassatine Cemetery during an excavation in 1987. This analysis also cites the venue of the celebration mentioned in the communal announcement: the Ismaʿilīya Synagogue on ʿAdlī Street in Cairo. MCD.

Announcement – undated – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 270) – in Hebrew, French, and Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 60). MCD.

Personal letter – undated – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 271) in Judeo-Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 55). MCD.

Personal letter from someone named Yaʿacob Armāk – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 276) – in Judeo-Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 62). MCD.

Request for aid – undated – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 277) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 53). MCD.

Personal letter to Menāḥem Mizraḥī – 19 Tishrei 1933CE – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 279) – Judeo-Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 57). MCD.