Hello again, I've had at least one response requesting that I forward along to everyone in the group the eventual answer to my question. The 1919 Talmud we have is the second printing ever made in North America, by Hirsch Wolofsky of Montreal in partial partnership with the Agunath Harabonim. Wolofsky owned the Eagle Publishing Company. This Talmud was printed due to an inability to import Talmuds from Europe during WWI.
However, the first Talmud printed in North America was in 1913 in New York City. It was published by the Yiddish Daily called the Jewish Morning Journal (Der Morgen Zhornal). This Talmud went through a second printing in 1917. Thank you to Israel Mizrahi and Michael Kent for this information. Chag Urim Sameach, Josh Jasper Joshua Jasper Librarian Rosen Library Temple Emanu-El 99 Taft Ave Providence, RI On Tue, Dec 27, 2016 at 4:43 PM, Joshua Jasper <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi all, > > I have a research query from a local rabbi that is wondering whether his > all-Hebrew volumes of the Talmud are the oldest all-Hebrew set of Shas > printed and published in America. He told me that the set is from the > Council of Rabbis in the United States and Canada, with the earliest volume > in his possession from 1919. I believe that the publisher may be the > Agudath Harabonim (known in English as the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the > United States and Canada (UOR)). > > Historically, in the late 19th and early 20th century the Talmud had to be > imported from Europe at great cost because none were being produced in > North America. So while 1919 seems awfully late, it is definitely > reasonable that it could be the oldest American printing. > > Please respond directly by email if you have any information that may be > helpful. > > Thanks, > > Joshua Jasper > Librarian > Rosen Library > > Temple Emanu-El > 99 Taft Ave > Providence, RI >
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