Ancient Jewish Texts From Afghanistan on Display in Israel
Israel’s National Library has unveiled a trove of ancient Hebrew manuscripts that were rescued from Afghanistan.
The Associated Press reported that the recently purchased documents run the gamut of life experiences, including biblical commentaries, personal letters and financial records.
Researchers say the collection, which they dubbed “Afghan Genizah,” is the greatest such archive found since the Cairo Genizah was discovered in an Egyptian synagogue more than 100 years ago. That cache, a vast depository of medieval manuscripts, is considered to be among the most valuable collections of historical documents ever found.
The Afghan collection sheds light on the lives of Jews in ancient Persia in the 11th century. The paper manuscripts, preserved over the centuries by the dry, shady conditions of the caves, include writings in Hebrew, Aramaic, Judeo-Arabic and the unique Judeo-Persian language from that era, which was written in Hebrew letters.
The documents are believed to have come from caves in the northeast region of Afghanistan, a location once at the outer reaches of the Persian empire. In recent years, the same caves have served as hideouts for Taliban insurgents.
It remains unclear how the ancient manuscripts emerged. Haggai Ben-Shammai, the library’s academic director, said the library was contacted by various antiquities dealers who had acquired them.
Last month, the library purchased 29 out of hundreds of the documents believed to be floating around the world after long negotiations with antiquities dealers. The library refused to say how much it paid for the collection, adding that it hoped to purchase more in the future and didn’t want to drive up prices.
The documents arrived in Israel last week.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
