The Denver Jewish news., 1924-10-16
Library of the Union ofAmerican
Hebrew Congregations
AdOlph S. OkO Librarian of the Hebrew Union College
Has Recently Purchased Records of Now Extinct He
brew Colony in Chinese City of Ka Fung Poo-Other
Purchases Included in Library, of Inestimable Value

WI" ''uHh'N ll' No'lrlN Tor lhr Promo
tlon of Christianity among Jews
! through whose offices the collection was
brought To London
Aside from the Chinese collections
Mr.. ok"'S European purchases include
the first Latin edition Of Joscphus' His.
torin de Aniiduitatc ct de Bello .md.
alec lihri. worm-caten and stained,
with brilliant ornamental lettcrlngs
There are four other copies Of this book
In America, one in the Library nf Con-
GrcsS. another In the John Pierpont
Morgan Library and two in private col
lcctions. Another rarity. previously
owned in this country only 10y the Jew
ish Theological Seminary Library M
New York, Is an extraordinary puhlica.
tion issued AT Basle before 14I4. on -.
cial intercourse between Jews and
Christians. II reveals the story of anti
Semitism in Switzerland country
which prosecuted Jews in the middle
ages more than any other country Of
wrre nevertheless tolerated In Switzer.
land because Of their wealth. hut were
compelled 10 wear n badge and live in
shettos. This Interesting publication
forblds Gentilcs from eating or drink
ing with Jews. from bathing with them
or using their medicines. forbids Jews
TO build synagogues, open their win
dows, bear witness at trials. or lie seen
abroad during Easter.
The whole story of world wide per
secution of the Jews through their CEN
turies of wandering over the fnce of
Europe is told by letters and manu-
scripts and printed books gathered by
Mr.. Oko from all ends of the earth. A
tiny hook, initiated in guudy colors,
e4aborTtely illustrated, gives n contem-
porary account of the case OF ST. Simon
of TRENT. This book. published In
Rome, 4I5. is of excessive rarity. (the
only copy in the United States) and
tells of an attempt To iniinme Christ
ians against Jews by the familiar
charge of ritual murder. ST. Simon was
n twenty-eight month old infant who
was drowned near the house of a Jew,
after the prophecy Of half dementcd
Fraciscnn Frinr For the death of
this child. the whole Jewish community
paid frightful toll were tortured till
they confessed then confiscated.
burned, heheaded, until hy the inter
vent on of Pope Sixtus " the proceed
ings were investigated and hideous
conspiracy 10 ruin the Jews was I'M.
covered
NyinS in antiquity. rarity and hOr-
ror, is copy of the Grand Inquisitors
Sermon at the Auto-da-fe of the Assns-
sin If Pedro Abries. inqusitor Of Ara
gon. on June Dth, 4oG Fifty Jews paid
the penalty for the assassination Of the
Kings inquiSitOr and behealing. draw
ing and quartering We're added To the
tortures at the stake. Luis de Saintan-
gel was one of those executed Hith-
erto this account was only to be found
in the library of the Hispanic Society of
America at New York. Another rarity
is copy of the secret manual of the
inquisitlon, printed at Seville about
1900. However, this Is offset by
unique Spanish letter Of indulgence
singned in ink. issued by the Arch
bishop of Seville about 1907, giving ali
solution for the payment of one real In
silver for the crime Of eating meat or
drinking wine with Jews or Moors. GO
ing TO their weddings or funerals. or
nursing their children. Bound in old
Spanish calf are four thick volumes
written on vellum in Salamanca giving
the laws of Spain relating to the Jews
"A work of great rarity and beauty.
There is an impressive array of
"meshumodium" literature-writingS OF
Jewish converts to Christianity, where
in these men assail or eNhort their for
mer co-religionists.
The library has also acquired
unique set of the Talmud, of the six
teenth century, a first edition, still in
its original binding, MS immaculate and
well preserved as a new book known os
the "goyish tlmud" because II has never
been in Jewish hands. This was pur-
ohased from the Earl of Crawford
Library which was broken up because
Of the need of wall space in that home
/ The Talmud was printed on parchment
and bound in vellum, by Daniel BON
berg. n non-Jew, one of the most distin-
guished Italian printers Of the 9th cen
tury. There is copy Of the first jew
ish book printed in America, a volume
/ Continued on page -