Brilliant author, rabbi
I read with interest Neal Gendler’s review of Sacred Trash: The Lost and Found World of the Cairo Geniza.
Another equally fascinating book about the discovery of the Geniza is The Sacred Treasure: The Cairo Genizah (Jewish Lights Publishing) by Rabbi Mark Glickman.
Glickman is a congregational rabbi in the Seattle area. His book is very well written and thoroughly researched. It is history that reads like a good suspense story.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that Rabbi Glickman is my son. He has been speaking about the Geniza collection at various venues around the country. He had the opportunity to view the original documents at Cambridge University and at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He also visited the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Egypt. All the documents make for fascinating reading.
Harriet Katz, Minnetonka
Kosher quiz
Informed Jews know that there are three regular daily prayer services: Shacharit, Mincha (pronounced with the guttural “ch”) and Ma’ariv. That kosher hot dogs are now going to be available at Target Field prompted this memory:
When our son, a rabbi, attended a New York Mets game at Shea Stadium a few years ago, he had a craving for a hot dog. He was sitting in the cheap-seat section and the only kosher hot dog stand was in the reserved-seat area, at the entrance of which the usher asked to see his ticket stub.
When our son declared his wish simply to enter to buy a kosher hot dog, the usher challenged him with the perfect credential test as he asked, with flawless pronunciation, “Alright! What’s Mincha?”
Sue and Larry Savett, St. Paul
(American Jewish World, 5.13.11)
