Herbert Cohen Rare books collection
The collection is identified in the DaTa system by the letters CR or CRG
Requests to browse through books from the collection should be submitted in advance
using the following online request form.
The 3rd floor of the Gruss-Wiener Building
Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday 10:00-16:00
03-6407850/8423
The Herbert Cohen Collection comprises many rare books and journals, some of them quite old,
covering a diversity of subjects with an emphasis on the humanities and on Judaism.
One can locate old/ancient books in several languages, some incunabula, Ethiopian prayer books and Hebrew books, printed in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. These Hebrew books are of outmost importance in the research and study of Jewish texts written during those centuries.
The collection was first displayed in 1982 thanks to Mr. Herbert Cohen's generous donation.
Over the years, the library was honored by receiving rare and interesting books for this collection
from Dr. Abraham Horodisch and from Mr. Jean-Paul Neuman. Mr. William Margolis enriched the collection
by donating rare books in Yiddish.
Some of the books in the collection were declared "Rare" for the following reasons:
- They were printed before 1750.
- Hassidic Literature printed before 1810.
- Books printed in "Eretz Yisrael" before 1890.
- Books printed in Ethiopia (and Eritrea) before 1936.
- Books printed in the United States:
- Eastern USA: before 1882.
- Western USA: before 1880.
- Manuscripts.
- Materials of special, significant value, e.g.:
- Books with special printing, first editions, special editions and limited editions (a small number of copies printed),
books of remarkable value (according to professional criteria).
The following are selected titles from the Herbert Cohen Collection:
- תנ"ך. יידיש. ת"לט. תורה נביאים וכתובים, בלשון אשכנז... אמשטרדם, בבית אורי וייבש בהר"ר אהרן הלוי, ... [תל"ט] דפוס ראשון של תנך מלא ביידיש.
- מנדלסזון, משה, 1786-1729. אגרות : מחברת ראשונה , מהחכם ... משה דעסא ני' זצ"ל מברלין ... אשר הריץ זה שנים רבות לתורני אחד ... [ערך: אביגדור בן שמחה, [הלוי, מגלוגא]. ויין : געדרוקט בייא אנטאן שמיד, והיה' כאשר יר'ים מ'ש'ה' את יד'ו וגבר ישראל, 1794.
- אוקלידס. ספר אוקלידס : מבאר כל חכמת המדידה, הזויות, הקוים המרובעים, המשולשים, העגולות, היחסים, הערכים ... / הועתק ללשוננו ע"י ... ברוך ה'ו'ל'ך' א'ת' ח'כ'מ'י'ם יחכם, J. H. MUNNIKHUIZEN ברוך בהרב יעקב מק"ק שקלוב ... האג : ע"י המדפיס ליב זוסמנש ומשותפו [תק"ם].
- אברבנאל, יצחק, 1508-1437. ספר מעייני הישועה: פרוש על פר דניאל. אמשטירדאם, על ידי הפועל במלאכת הקודש בר אברהם די קאשטרו תרתש, ... ת"ז.
- הצבי [כתב עת]. ירושלים, תרמ"ה - תרע"ה.
- Kannemann, Johannes fl. 1460. Passio Jesu Christi, necnon alius tractatus de Christi passion.
[s.n.], [1473?, NOT AFTER 1491]
- Bible. Psalms. Polyglot. 1518. Psalterium in quatuor linguis: Hebraea, Graeca,
- Chaldaea (!) [i.e. Aethiopica], Latina. Coloniae : [S.n.], 1518.
- Cicero, Marcus Tullius. Orationes. 1521. Rhetoricorum ad C. Herrennium Lib.Iiii, M. T. Ciceronis de invention. Venetiis : In aedibus Aldi et Andreae soceri, 1521
Mr. Herbert Cohen
Mr. Herbert Cohen was an industrialist, one of the prominent members of the Tel-Aviv University Dutch Friends Association
and a member of the University Board of Governors.
Mr. Cohen's generous donation financed establishing the collection in a special reading hall.
He had also donated rare books which enriched the collection.
