Woodstock Theological Library recently received a marvelous gift from our colleague Sandy Hussey: the B’midbar volume of the Mikraʼot gedolot. The title page, displayed here, is beautifully illustrated. What is unique about this volume is the history of the printing press that produced it: Aḥim Leṿin-ʻEpshṭayn = אחים לעווין עפשטיין. This printing press was founded in 1880 in Warsaw by Elihu Zeev Halevi Levin-Epstein and, as is evident, was eventually taken over by his sons. The press focused on producing rabbinic commentaries and Talmudic literature and flourished until 1930. Elihu Levin-Epstein was not only devoted to printing but was also committed to Zionism and published articles about the benefits and importance of returning the Land of Israel. In 1890 Epstein immigrated to Israel and was one of the founders of Rehavot, which still flourishes today. Levin-Epstein’s archives are held at the The National Library of Israel.
Entry authored by Amy E. Phillips, Rare Materials Cataloger for WTL on 7/22/2016