Seder ha-Avodah le-Shabatoth ha-Shanah u-Mo’adei Mikra’ei Kodesh ke-Minhag Kahal Bayith Chadash asher be-Hamburg / Ordnung der öffentlichen Andacht für die Sabbath und festtage des ganzen Jahres, nach dem Gebrauche des Neuen Tempel Vereins in Hamburg [Service for Sabbath and festivals of the entire year according to the rite of the New Temple in Hamburg]. Published by S.I. Fränkel und M.I. Bresselau, Hamburg, 1891. Hebrew and German.
The first reform prayer book in Hebrew.
Reform Judaism originated in Germany and in central Europe in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. One of the heralds of Reform Judaism was Israel Jacobson [to whom this prayer book is dedicated (in print)]. Jacobson was a Jewish-German banker and businessman who headed the Jewish Consistory of Westphalia (a body governing the Jewish matters of Westphalia in Germany), and in his capacity as head of the consistory introduced changes in the order of prayers and in Jewish customs. The first attempt to establish a reform synagogue was in 1810 in the town of Seesen near Hannover, but it did not last long. In 1815 reform services were held in private homes in Berlin, with shortened prayers, passages in German, a choir and organ accompaniment.
A reform congregation was founded in Hamburg in 1817, and in 1818 the Hamburg Temple, the first Reform Synagogue, was inaugurated. The prayer book offered here was printed there and is a "revised" prayer book that for the first time introduced changes in the Hebrew prayer version. Among other changes, passages of prayer for "Shivat Zion" (return to Zion) were omitted. The prayers in the Temple and the prayer book led to a fierce opposition on the part of rabbinical leadership, and as a reaction the book "Ele Divrei HaBrit" was published compiling Halachic responses by leading European rabbis who ruled that changing the order of prayers is absolutely forbidden.
Bound at the end of the prayer book is a document of four pages on behalf of Die Direction des Neuen-Tempel-Vereins (directorship of the New Synagogue Union) titled "Bekanntmachung" [announcement] with printed regulations concerning conduct in the synagogue and during prayer (including regulations concerning the choir, donations, Azkarat Neshamot, confirmation ceremony, and more).
X, 356, 65-108, [4] pp, 19.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains and tears. Adhesive tape to some leaves. Several leaves restored with paper. Lacking spine. Detached binding. First signature and last ten leaves are partly detached. Ink stamps. Inscription in pen on Hebrew title page.

Two decrees regarding the Jews of Bohemia, issued by Francis II, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in the years 1792-1806 (from 1806 he was Francis I, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary and Bohemia). Vienna, 1798 and 1808. German and Czech (in facing columns).
The two decrees concern the annulment of taxes imposed on the Jews of Bohemia, and the imposition of new taxes.
Decree from 1798: [10] pp, 33 cm; 1808 decree: [26] pp, 33 cm. Good condition. Stains and some creases.

Originalaufnahmen vom Kriegsschauplatz 1914/1915. Portfolio with five prints of photographs of German Jews during World War I. Berlin: Louis Lamm, [ca. 1915]. German.
Five sheets with photographs (prints) in black and white, mounted on thick paper plates and accompanied by printed titles: Soldier conveying news of the war to Jews; Jews performing religious rituals on the battlefield; Jewish refugees in Warsaw; German soldier speaking with Jews; Three clerics in military service - a Jew, a Catholic and an Evangelist. On the front of the portfolio is an embossed Star of David, underneath which is the inscription "Fear the LORD and the king" (Proverbs).
Prints: 13.5X9 cm, portfolio: 22 cm. Good condition. Stains, creases and tears to portfolio. Portfolio reinforced with adhesive tape.

Essai sur l’état actuel des Juifs de Pologne et leur perfectibilité [Essay Concerning the Present State of the Jews of Poland and their Perfectibility], [by Jacques Calmanson]. Warsaw, 1796. French.
Essay on the condition of the Jews of Poland, by Jacques Calmanson (1722-1811), a physician and member of the Polish Enlightenment. Calmanson was the private doctor of the King of Poland. In addition he translated works from Hebrew and Yiddish for the king and served as mediator between representatives of the Jewish communities and the King's secretary. He wrote the present essay following the occupation of Warsaw by the Prussians. Calmanson called for extensive changes in the Jewish community in Poland, criticizing the Jews' communal autonomy (particularly the rabbinical courts and their use to expel members from the community), and the rise of Chassidism in Poland.
[7] leaves, [1], 10-31, 16 pp, 18.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Creases and some tears. Open tears to bottom right corners of about 15 leaves, restored with paper (mostly without damage to text). The title page is cut and restored with paper. Cardboard binding, somewhat damaged (bound with back wrapper, front wrapper missing). Stamp on inner side of front cover and labels on the cover. Pen inscription, from the period, on the back wrapper (French).

Two informative posters printed in four languages: German, Polish, Lithuanian and Yiddish. [Vilna], 1915-1916.
1. Regulations regarding a correction of the ruble exchange rate, signed (in print) by Paul von Hindenburg, November 1915. In this period Hindenburg, later president of Germany, served as Generalfeldmarschall of the Imperial German Army. 29.5X72.5 cm. Good condition. Tears, creases and folding marks. Pastings. Stamp.
2. Regulations regarding the slaughter and castration of cattle, February 1916. 44.5X71 cm. Good condition. Tears, creases and folding marks. Pastings. Pencil markings on reverse. Stamps.
Provenance: Collection of Dr. Simon Cohen.