THE LOOTED SEPHER YETZIRAH MS HAS BEEN RETURNED:

Stolen Jewish manuscript returned after 65 years (CNN)
Nazis looted 14th century document from collection in Austria

From Chris Strathmann
CNN
Tuesday, November 18, 2003 Posted: 5:56 PM EST (2256 GMT)
A rare 14th century Hebrew manuscript was returned to the Vienna Jewish community by U.S. Customs officials Tuesday.



NEW YORK (CNN) -- Nearly 65 years to the day after it was stolen by the Nazis, a rare historical Hebrew manuscript has been returned to the Austrian Jewish community.

At a ceremony in Manhattan, officials with the Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement presented the letter-size parchment to Erika Jakubovits, executive director of the Jewish Community Organization of Vienna.

Agents recovered the document in June 2002 after it was smuggled into the United States and slated for sale at auction.

The 14th century manuscript is one of the oldest versions of a Kabalistic text known as Sepher Yetzirah. It's one of the first texts to mention the ancient Jewish mystical movement, according to Ori Soltes of the Holocaust Art Restoration Project. The document is valued at $68,000.

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Not to be snarky or anything, but I do wish reporters would learn to spell "Kabbalah" and its derivatives, especially since the subject seems to be in the news a lot these days. Two Bs, one L. Or, if you must, the older (in English, that is) spelling "Cabala," which looks to me to be Latinized, perhaps via the Christian Kabbalists. Anybody know?

Congratulations to the Vienna Jewish community on the return of the manuscript. Kudos also to the U.S. customs department for recovering it. And boo to Kestenbaum & Company for trying to go through with the sale.