The Cairo Geniza

The 1896 discovery of the Cairo Genizah was one of the greatest Jewish treasures ever found. It has provided the world with the some of the most important documents of the medieval Middle East.

A genizah,for "hiding place," is a depository for sacred Hebrew books that are no longer usable. Since they cannot be thrown out because they contain the name of G-d, these documents, often called shemot or "names," are put in a genizah.