“Jüdisches Ceremoniel” [“Jewish Ceremonies”], by Paul Christian Kirchner. Nuremberg: Peter Conrad Monath, 1726. German and some Hebrew.
The present volume presents a detailed description of Jewish customs and ceremonies as practiced in Germany in the 18th century. It was authored by Paul Christian Kirchner, a Christian convert from Judaism. The book contains thirty engraved plates. All except one
the engraving opposite the title page – are folded. The engravings depict various Jewish ceremonies and customs, including observance of the mitzvah of phylacteries, the “halitzah” ceremony, ” the observance of the Sabbath and sabbatical holidays in the synagogue, and more. Some of the engravings are signed in the plate by the artist Johann Georg Poschner.
The book was first printed in 1716, without the engravings. The author, whose original name was Mordechai Gumprecht, was born Jewish. He converted to Christianity shortly before writing this book. In the introduction to the first edition, he declares his intention to persuade his Jewish brethren to follow in his footsteps and forsake their faith. The work was re–edited in 1724 by the theologian Sebastian Jacob Jugendres, who inserted comments, made corrections, and attempted to soften the harshest of Kirchner’s antisemitic statements. The present volume represents this re–edited version.

[5] ff; 226 pp., [9] ff. + [30] (engraved plates). Approx. 21 cm. Good condition. Stains. Worming (minor damage to printing, mostly to last pages). Handwritten notations (from roughly the time of printing), and inked stamp on title page. Bound in elegant leather binding, decorated, with remnants of gilt. Blemishes and wear to binding and spine.

Exhibition:
• Only on paper: Six Centuries of Judaica from the Gross Family Collection, CD, 2005.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, No. NHB.352.