Prayer Books
(Taking a brief break from transcribing.)
By the time I was born my father had become an atheist, and remained so for the rest of his life. After he died I found relics of his earlier life in the bottom drawer of his dresser; other items stored there included a tallit (prayer shawl) and tefillin (phylacteries). These books likely traveled with him through Europe during World War II. I was fascinated to find these, since I grew up largely non-observant. My own spirituality is not tied to any one religion, though Judaism (and my interpretation of it) is where my roots lie.
The Jewish Holy Scriptures, Presented by the Army of the United States on the left is hardcover, contains only English text, and was printed by the U.S. Government Printing Office in 1942. It also bears a 1917 copyright by the Jewish Publication Society of America, so was likely also used by Jews fighting in World War I. It contains excerpts from the Tanakh (known more commonly as the "Old Testament"). Photographed in slightly smaller scale, it measures 5-1/4 x 3-1/4 inches.
The Prayer Book Abridged for Jews in the Armed Forces of the United States on the right is paperback, with its spine on the right rather than the left and with its pages numbered from right to left. It contains specific prayers rather than Biblical passages (although it does contain some of the Psalms). These include prayers for the Sabbath and High Holy Days, the Mourner's Kaddish, and others that include a memorial prayer for those fallen in battle, prayer on being delivered from danger, prayers for the sick and wounded, prayer during a sea voyage, prayer for the U.S., prayer for moral strength, prayer for home, etc. Right-hand pages are in Hebrew, left-hand pages in English. This book was published not by the U.S. government but by the National Jewish Welfare Board (printed by the Jewish Publication Society), copyright 1941 and 1943. Its original edition of 250,000 copies had been printed in 1917. The two editions printed during World War II number 400,000 and 800,000 copies, respectively. It measures 5 x 3-1/4 inches.
Prayer Books
(Taking a brief break from transcribing.)
By the time I was born my father had become an atheist, and remained so for the rest of his life. After he died I found relics of his earlier life in the bottom drawer of his dresser; other items stored there included a tallit (prayer shawl) and tefillin (phylacteries). These books likely traveled with him through Europe during World War II. I was fascinated to find these, since I grew up largely non-observant. My own spirituality is not tied to any one religion, though Judaism (and my interpretation of it) is where my roots lie.
The Jewish Holy Scriptures, Presented by the Army of the United States on the left is hardcover, contains only English text, and was printed by the U.S. Government Printing Office in 1942. It also bears a 1917 copyright by the Jewish Publication Society of America, so was likely also used by Jews fighting in World War I. It contains excerpts from the Tanakh (known more commonly as the "Old Testament"). Photographed in slightly smaller scale, it measures 5-1/4 x 3-1/4 inches.
The Prayer Book Abridged for Jews in the Armed Forces of the United States on the right is paperback, with its spine on the right rather than the left and with its pages numbered from right to left. It contains specific prayers rather than Biblical passages (although it does contain some of the Psalms). These include prayers for the Sabbath and High Holy Days, the Mourner's Kaddish, and others that include a memorial prayer for those fallen in battle, prayer on being delivered from danger, prayers for the sick and wounded, prayer during a sea voyage, prayer for the U.S., prayer for moral strength, prayer for home, etc. Right-hand pages are in Hebrew, left-hand pages in English. This book was published not by the U.S. government but by the National Jewish Welfare Board (printed by the Jewish Publication Society), copyright 1941 and 1943. Its original edition of 250,000 copies had been printed in 1917. The two editions printed during World War II number 400,000 and 800,000 copies, respectively. It measures 5 x 3-1/4 inches.