Sephardic Journeys: Tsemah David: Dittionario Novo

The rare books and artifacts in this exhibit, Sephardic Journeys, reflect a rich tradition of scholarship and culture shaped by migrations, and they invite, in turn, reflection upon the physical, emotional and spiritual journeys of Jewish history. 

Item above:

Tsemah David: Dittionario Novo
David ben Isaac de Pomis
Ioannem de Gara (Venice, 1587)
Hebrew, Aramaic, Italian, Latin

Dedicated to Pope Sixtus V, this first edition of De Pomis’ (1525-93?) tri-lingual dictionary sought to explain Hebrew or Aramaic terms, many of them biological or medical, in Latin and Italian. A physician, philosopher, and rabbi, De Pomis was permitted to practice medicine amongst Tuscany Christians after delivering a discourse in Latin to Pope Pius IV.

Part of the American Sephardi Federation’s Louis N. Levy Ladino and Rare Book Library Collection

Sephardic Journeys is on view through June 2015 in The David Berg Rare Book Room. Sephardic Journeys has been supported by a generous grant from The David Berg Foundation and was created by the Center for Jewish History with American Sephardi Federation. 

To see other artifacts from Sephardic Journeys click here: http://16thstreet.tumblr.com/tagged/Sephardic-Journeys 

Sephardic Journeys is free and open to the public through June 30th.

For more information click here: http://cjh.org/p/42