CECIL ROTH: A MAN WITH A COLLECTION OF INFORMATION

Walk of Fame | Annabelle Kolomeisky

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In the field of Jewish history, it is difficult to explore the subject without referencing the work of Dr. Cecil Roth. Dr. Roth was a British Jewish historian who worked on a variety of projects which have strongly influenced the field of Jewish history to this day, and whose legacy lives on through his countless publications and his rich collection of artifacts.

Cecil Roth looking at a book | Source

Born in 1899 to immigrant parents, Cecil Roth grew up in a family that was very dedicated to education and Jewish life. Throughout his academic career he learned a variety of subjects, however he eventually seemed to find his way towards history. He picked up a variety of languages including Hebrew, Italian and Latin to help him research historical texts. His education took a pause during the world wars which he served in before he returned to Oxford to complete his undergraduate degree.

In his post-graduate work, Cecil found himself doing research in Italy, a country who he fell in love with, on the last Florentine Republic. However, it was not until he was working on his doctoral thesis in Italy that he began to engage with the local Jewish community. During this time, he began to realize the significance of studying Jewish reactions to environmental culture while becoming more interested in Jewish art. Roth's interest in Jewish history and art is seen in his various publications throughout his career such as Jews in the Renaissance, and the Short History of the Jewish People. These works were considered to be very important contributions in the field of Jewish studies.

 

Cecil Roth working in his office | Source

Being the avid learner that he was, Cecil Roth created a large collection of Jewish artifacts from his travels around the world throughout his 40-year career. This collection consisted of items from places like Italy, France, Egypt, and Israel and many more, providing a very diverse and unique look into Jewish life. Roth's collection included priceless artifacts that add incredible depth to stories of Jewish history such as a hand-illuminated Scroll of Esther from the Jewish community of China and over a hundred illuminated marriage contracts with the oldest one dating back to 1645 in Venice.

In 1962, Cecil Roth was retiring from his teaching position at Oxford University and his collection of Jewish historical artifacts was made available. Through a series of quick actions and a bit of luck, the Beth Tzedec Congregation in Toronto, Ontario was able to purchase the collection with the help of local members Samuel and Israel Shopsowtiz. Following the acquisition of the collection, Beth Tzedec created a museum within the walls of the synagogue called the Reuben & Helene Dennis Museum which can be visited today.