OXFORD UNIVERSITY CHABAD SOCIETY LAUNCHES NEW OXFORD JUDAICA LIBRARY AS 174TH LIBRARY IN OXFORD

OXFORD UNIVERSITY CHABAD SOCIETY LAUNCHES NEW OXFORD JUDAICA LIBRARY AS 174^TH LIBRARY IN OXFORD

Oxford University Chabad Society opened the first Judaica lending library, “The Samson Judaica Library”, in the centre of Oxford, becoming the 174^th library in the city. The library was founded with the help of the Samson family, whose daughter, Alana, attended the launch on behalf of the Samson family, and is situated at the David Slager Chabad Centre, 61 George St, in the heart of medieval Oxford.

The library, which currently has over 2,000 books on over 40 subjects, has been developing since 2005 with the help of a Jewish student library committee and has recently been fully catalogued.

The launch is the beginning of its growth into a major library that, with the help of the founder and other donors, has ambitious plans to rival other major special interest libraries in Oxford in the not-too-distant future.

The launch that took place on Sunday, 17 February, hosted three prominent Oxford Jewish dons, historian Dr. Abigail Green, who spoke on Moses Montefiore and Human rights; the father of Quantum Computers, Professor David Deutsch, Clarendon Laboratory, on the Fabric of reality; and Professor Laurence Dreyfus FBA, Magdalen College, on Herman Levi and Wagner.

Over a hundred students, faculty and community, including several Oxford librarians, attended the launch, which began with a buffet dinner and opening ceremony, followed by lectures.

The evening was chaired by director of the Oxford University Chabad Society, Rabbi Eli Brackman, who explained that “the opening of a major exclusive Judaica library in Oxford helps recreate Oxford as a centre of Jewish scholarship that existed in medieval times”.

The student library officer, Economics student, Gaston Yalonetzky, Oriel College, welcomed this major achievement, and viewed is as a significant contribution to Jewish life in Oxford, making Oxford feel all the more like a second home for Jewish students”.