Event

As part of our Distinguished Fellowship in Jewish Manuscript Studies program, the University of Pennsylvania’s Schoenberg Institute and Herbert D. Katz Center, in partnership with the Jewish Studies Program, are delighted to announce and to invite everyone to attend in person or online.

Penn Libraries' LJS 57, a manuscript written ca. 1361 in Sephardic script, is a remarkable compendium of Hebrew astronomical and related scientific works. It includes four astrological works by Abraham ibn Ezra and the astronomical tables of Jacob ben David ben Yom Tov. The longest section of the codex is an impressive, richly illustrated catalog of stars and constellations, demonstrating how medieval sciences could open the door for creative, artistic expression. In the middle of the codex, the scribe presents a Christian liturgical calendar in Hebrew translation, complete with saint days and other liturgical events. This raises the question: why were Jews interested in Christian dates?