Skip to content

Mahzor Corfu 350r

Origin
Greece
Time Period
18th Century
Language
Hebrew
Medium
Parchment
View Full Catalog Entry

The word “Mahzor,” means “cycle" and is familiar to most Jews as the term used for the prayer book for the High Holidays and festivals. However, in medieval times, the term Mahzor was used to refer to prayer books that contained the complete cycle of prayers for the entire year.

Corfu is an island off the west coast of Greece, near the narrow passage between the Adriatic and Ionian seas. Corfu had a small but vibrant Jewish community from the time of Venetian hegemony (14th century) until the Holocaust. In its time, it served as a refuge for Sephardic Jewish refugees. 

This page is the culmination of the narrative outlined in earlier illustrations of biblical scenes. Here you see Jerusalem, with the prophet Elijah on his donkey, preceded by a servant blowing a horn, approaching the gate of the city to announce the coming of the Messiah