The Decoration of Hebrew Manuscripts After the Invention of Printing 

The Decoration of Hebrew Manuscripts After the Invention of Printing with Sharon Liberman-Mintz and Emile Schrijver

Monday, October 20, 2025
6:00 p.m.
Grolier Club 
47 E 60th St.
New York, NY 10022

Join Sharon Liberman-Mintz and Emile Schrijver for a special lecture on our Library exhibition, Jewish Worlds Illuminated: A Treasury of Hebrew Manuscripts from The JTS Library.

This lecture explores the fascinating  evolution of decorated Hebrew manuscript following the invention of the printing press. Despite the advent of printed books, Jewish communities across Europe and the Middle East maintained a rich tradition of hand-decorated manuscripts for religious purposes. The talk will examine the artistic and cultural significance of these works, highlighting how decorated Hebrew manuscripts remained a vibrant expression of Jewish identity and creativity well into the modern era. 

Sharon Liberman Mintz is the Curator of Jewish Art at The Library of The Jewish Theological Seminary and the Senior International Specialist of Judaica and Hebraica at Sotheby’s. 

Emile Schrijver is the General Director of the Jewish Cultural Quarter in Amsterdam and Professor of Jewish Book History at the University of Amsterdam. 

Jewish Worlds Illuminated: A Treasury of Hebrew Manuscripts from The JTS Library features over 100 manuscripts and books offering a world tour of Jewish literary creativity across many centuries and thousands of miles. The exhibition explores the diversity of cultures in the lands in which Jews resided, including Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, Yemen, Iraq and Iran, Italy, France, Spain, and Germany.

Learn more about the exhibition.