The Belfast Jewish Record and the Jewish Gazette are incredible resources for anyone interested in the Jewish community in Northern Ireland during the 20th century and onwards. They provide content as wide-ranging as spiritual guidance, political concerns, Rosh Hashanah recipes, children's quizzes, theological discussions, and a variety of fundraising and social events. There is some very straight-talking and plenty of humour, but what stands out clearly is the diversity of viewpoints and the vibrancy of the Jewish social scene set against the challenge of a shrinking community.
Both journals have been digitised and are now accessible online.
The Jewish Gazette (Jan – Dec 1933 and Feb 1934), published online by Queen’s in 2017, was the first journal of Jewish interest in Ireland. It was originally published in Belfast on the brink of a tragic historical era for European Jews.
The Belfast Jewish Record (1954 – 2015), a journal published by and for the Belfast Jewish community, is being released online for the first time in June 2019.
This 1957 bequest by John Ross (formerly Rabbi Jacob Rosenzweig) comprises his collection of monographs, periodicals and facsimiles on or relating to a variety of Hebrew and Jewish subjects and studies.
It is a visually beautiful collection and was believed at the time to be the most complete collection of books about the Dead Sea Scrolls in Northern Ireland, and perhaps further.
All titles in this collection can be found in the Queen's library catalogue and are prefixed t/.