Join the Michael Klein Collection on a cross-continental adventure that sheds light on the experiences of Jewish communities over the last 200 years in what has become a local Torah scroll mystery.
The Missing Half is an in-person event that takes place at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 14 at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah.
During this event, University of Kansas Professor Emeritus Paul Mirecki will take attendees on a journey through history with his discoveries surrounding a Torah scroll in the Kenneth Spencer Research Library collection at the University of Kansas.
Professor Mirecki, who specialized in ancient Mediterranean culture and manuscripts in KU’s Religious Studies department, was approached by Spencer Library staff in 2014 to help them identify an old Hebrew scroll that had been donated to the library’s rare books collection in 1969. Having studied the Dead Sea Scrolls at Harvard earlier in his career, and continuing a lifelong career in researching and teaching ancient religious studies, Mirecki was uniquely qualified for the task. He quickly determined it was half of a Torah scroll, which was torn partway through the Book of Leviticus.
The first half of the scroll ended at Leviticus 8:24a. The second half of the scroll began at Leviticus 8:24b, according to Mirecki.
With the knowledge that he was dealing with a partial Torah, Mirecki became determined to find the other half. He contacted the National Library of Israel - which holds a database of known Torah scrolls around the globe - to track down the other half of the scroll. After working with the National Library of Israel, and Israeli scholar Ephraim Caspi, the group discovered the other half of the scroll at a historic chateau and museum - Chateau de Chantilly - outside of Paris, France.
And the story didn’t end there: The scroll - which dates back to approximately 1700 - had been safely housed in a synagogue in Medea, Algeria, during the 19th Century. However, it was taken and torn in half when the Medea Jewish community was ransacked during a pogrom in 1840. Today, the scroll survives with significant damage from tears, spills and insect infestation, yet it sheds significant light on Jewish history across the Diaspora.
“Professor Mirecki has been learning about this important scroll and working with other experts to unravel the mystery since he began his work,’” said Abby Magariel, educator/curator of the Michael Klein Collection.
The event will include first-hand stories about the discoveries made from the half Torah scroll, including its origins and other findings. To round out the evening, these stories will be paired with a temporary Klein Collection exhibit of related objects to outline the rich - and often difficult - Jewish history.
“We are thrilled to be able to continue to use our Judaica collection to educate through interesting and enlightening stories. It is so important to share these stories, and we look forward to partnering with Professor Mirecki and other experts and organizations to continue to educate and inspire learning at all ages,” said Magariel.
The Missing Half is free of charge and is open to anyone in Kansas City who loves a good mystery. Registration is required, as are face masks. Registration may be made online at bnaijehudah.org/kleincollectionevents/ or by contacting Magariel at , 913.663.4050.
The Michael Klein Collection at The Temple, B’nai Jehudah is one of the largest Judaica collections in the United States, containing nearly 1,000 pieces. The purpose of the collection is to teach Jews and non-Jews alike about Jewish life, rituals and history as it happened around the world.