What Has Happened to One of the Greatest Collections of Hebrew Literature?

The treasure in question is the Valmadonna Trust Library, a collection of some 13,000 Hebrew books.

David Stern, The Forward
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David Stern, The Forward

All of a sudden, the future of one of the great contemporary treasures of Jewish culture is clouded with uncertainty. The treasure in question is the Valmadonna Trust Library, a collection of some 13,000 Hebrew books that had been systematically and assiduously assembled over the last 50 years by a relentless English businessman named Jack Lunzer.

A book from the Valmadonna Trust Library on display in New York in 2009Credit: AP

This library - the worlds most important private collection of Jewish manuscripts and printed books - was sold on December 16 at Sothebys in a sealed bid auction to an unknown buyer. While we do not yet know what will happen to the library, its possible disappearance as an integral collection would be a colossal loss to Jewish culture.

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