Category: Jewish American History

The Ketubah, An Ornate Jewish Marriage Tradition

June 9, 2023

Posted by: Neely Tucker

No Jewish marriage is complete without a ketubah, a traditional legal document introduced during the wedding ceremony. The ketubah not only legitimizes the marriage but, following Jewish law, also spells out the groom’s financial and conjugal obligations to his bride during their life journey. The Library holds 11 of these ornate, beautiful traditional documents, spanning centuries and many nations.

Posted in: Jewish American History, LCM, Library Work and Employees, Manuscripts

Purim Holiday: The Library’s Esther Scrolls

March 2, 2023

Posted by: Neely Tucker

The handwritten Esther scroll, inked onto parchment and protected by a cylindrical case of silver filigree, is a delicate work of beauty and religious faith, more than a century old. It tells the biblical story of Queen Esther of Persia and how she helped save the nation’s Jews from annihilation by a wicked ruler. The …

Posted in: Jewish American History, Library Work and Employees