Have you ever heard that old attics in synagogues can hold far more than just dust and oblivion? Since the 1980s, over seventy so-called genizot<\/strong> (Hebrew for \u2018repositories\u2019 or storage places) have been rediscovered in Central Europe \u2013 and particularly here in the Franconian region<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But what exactly lies behind this fascinating term?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A genizah is a special room in or near a synagogue. For centuries, it served as a final resting place for texts and artefacts that were no longer needed but were too sacred to simply throw away. Whether damaged prayer books, discarded writings or even heretical texts \u2013 anything bearing the name of God found its place here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But why did the communities go to such lengths? Our BaFID expert on Judaism, Dr. Nathanael Riemer<\/strong>, has investigated this question. In his recently published article, he sheds light on the background to this phenomenon in Central Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His research reveals a fascinating connection: the emotional and spiritual significance of the Genizot is closely linked to the spread of Kabbalah<\/strong> in the early modern period. For the people of that time, the discarded documents were far more than mere waste paper:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The findings of this study are not only of great interest to specialists but also shed a whole new light on the Jewish heritage in our region.<\/p>\n\n\n\nA sacred \u2018safe\u2019 for the written word<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
More than just waste paper: Magic and mysticism<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nRead now: Research accessible to all<\/h3>\n\n\n\n