The Ben Ezra Synagogue; in Cairo; is best known as the synogogue in which the 'Cairo Geniza' was found—an astonishingly rich store of ancient books; manuscripts; correspondences; and records dating back to the tenth century. Copiously illustrated with plans; engravings; and photographs; Fortifications and the Synagogue describes the recent restoration of this ancient synagogue; as well as the historical and archaeological research essential to its preservation and to an understanding of the religious communities that founded modern Cairo. The work is unprecedented in its comprehensive examination of the subject; presenting the first measured survey and photographic study of the fortress and synagogue; the first thorough study of the Geniza manuscripts; and a complete history of the synagogue from the Geniza period to the present.
#157820 in Books 1995-02-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.30 x 6.00l; 1.70 #File Name: 0912006838456 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Excellent account of the Aleutian WWII campaignBy John in BethesdaI bought this to read during a trip to Alaska. This is one of the better books that I have read about WWII. The war in the Aleutians is mostly a forgotten part of the war. The author paints an unvarnished picture of the war: the waste of man and material; the political infighting among American services; the mistakes made both by Americans and Japanese; and the botched attacks and defenses. He also calls out names of those that did well and those that did not - unvarnished and no rah-rah.A constant theme throughout the book is the extreme difficulty that both sides experienced fighting a war in this hostile climate. Ground crews would drain the engine oil from returning aircraft; keep it heated; and return it to the engines before the next take-off - otherwise; the oil would thicken so much in the cold that the engines could not turn over. Living conditions were constantly cold and damp. Landings on the islands were hazardous as best. Planes were lucky if they could find the next island.I highly recommend this book and I hope that you enjoy it.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Have you ever heard of the northern north Amercian front ...By CustomerHave you ever heard of the northern north Amercian front in WW II? Well I hadn't until I visited the Alaskan War Memorial this summer. Now having read this summary; I am in awe as to how much action took place; the significance of it; the possible exponential expansion of it and how close each side was to using this front to gain control over territory of the other. You also get the plus of the author's reviewing the work years after original writing as new documents have been released and comments for participants have been received. This book is a must to understanding the compete meaning of "World" in World War II.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. The Aleutian Front-a Long; Hard; Victorious; and Unsung CampaignBy Carl RobinsonA cousin of mine-my grandmother always told me-was killed in Alaska fighting the Japanese. Yes; Alaska was invaded by the formidable foe in WWII. Large Japanese garrisons were occupied Attu and Kiska Island and the Northern Pacific was under air raid thread from the Japanese Air Force.Brian Garfield relates the tale of how the Americans fought back and re-won the Aleutians. It is a tale of cold weather; fog; logistical excellence; naval battles; and air raids with obsolete or second hand aircraft. The scope of the campaign involves thousands of troops and a thousand miles of front over barren wilderness.This is the definitive work on the Aleutians Campaign and a must read for anyone interested in the Pacific War.
