After remaining virtually inaccessible to Western scholars for 65 years one of the most important collections of Hebrew manuscripts is now available on microfilm.

Three generations of the Guenzburg family compiled one of the largest private collections of Hebrew books and manuscripts in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. Founded by Joseph Guenzburg (1812-1878) the library grew under the patronage of his son Baron Horace and grandson Baron David (1857-1910). The Guenzburgs, residing in Paris and St Petersburg, retained a respected scholar, Senior Sachs, as their librarian and he purchased hundreds of manuscripts including many from the collections of Seligman Baer, Eliakim Carmoly, Nathan Coronel and other well-known scholars. Eventually the library grew to include over 1900 manuscripts. Most of the manuscripts in the Guenzburg collection date from medieval times. Many of the volumes include three, four or more codices bound together so that the actual number of manuscripts in the library exceeds 2000. The range of subjects represented in the collection is vast: Bible and Biblical exegesis, Talmud, Rabbinics and Halakha, medicine and astronomy, philosophy and kabbala. There are Jewish works in Judaeo-Arabic and Karaite texts in Hebrew and Judaeo- Tatar. many of the manuscripts are unique copies of otherwise lost texts. Almost anyone doing research in Jewish studies will find new, original material to enrich his work.

Due to the upheavals in Russia during the years following the death of Baron David Guenzburg in 1910 the library was eventually incorporated into the Russian State Library in Moscow. Only a few hundred manuscripts were released to the West in the form of microfilms during the 1950's, but the bulk of the collection was never examined by scholars outside of Russia.

In the summer of 1992. in accordance with an agreement signed by the Jewish Nati onal and University Library and the Russian State Library, the Reprographic Department of the JNUL with the aid of local photographers filmed the entire collection of manuscripts. Copies of this collection are now being offered for sale.

The cost of the entire collection of Hebrew manuscripts in the Guenzburg collection comprising almost 1900 MSS (a few have been misplaced or lost) including 298,99 frames on 35mm silver base film (235 reels) is $23,912. Handling and packing will add $294 to the cost and postage is additional.

Individual reels may also be ordered.