In late 2021, the AIU decided to sell the manuscript at to alleviate financial debt and ensure the survival of its library and schools.
Originating in Southern Germany (Bavaria) in the late , the Mahzor is a prayer book containing the liturgy for the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur . It is one of fewer than 20 such illustrated Ashkenazic mahzorim known to exist. In late 2021, the AIU decided to sell
The , a 700-year-old medieval Hebrew manuscript, made headlines in 2021 and 2022 when it was sold at auction, leading to its departure from France where it had been housed for over 150 years. A Relic of Medieval Judaism The , a 700-year-old medieval Hebrew manuscript, made
The departure of the Mahzor from France raised broader questions about the in the country. While the sale secured the AIU's operations until roughly 2030, critics lamented the loss of public access to a "jewel" of medieval Jewish history. : The manuscript is famous for its "human
: The manuscript is famous for its "human bodies with animal heads," a common medieval motif used to avoid depicting the human form in religious texts.
: The petition failed, and on October 19, 2021, the Mahzor sold for $8.3 million —a record price for a Hebrew manuscript at the time—to an anonymous American private collector. Cultural Impact