Three Notable Digitized Judaica Collections

The long-serving CEO of Brooklyn real estate firm E&M Associates, Irving Langer has a strong interest in Jewish heritage and culture. Irving Langer is an enthusiast of Jewish historical archives and Judaica collections. 

To preserve the historical archives of Jewish history for future generations, many universities and Jewish cultural centers have digitized all or a portion of their Judaica collections. Some significant digitized archives include:

- The Jewish Diaspora Collection (JDoc). This online database is a collaboration between Jewish historical organizations and institutions in the American Southwest, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Funded with a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, JDoc has also digitized portions of the Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica.

- Judaica Digital Collection. Housed at the Harvard University Library, this collection contains millions of historical documents and materials, including photographs, books, and sound recordings. Much of the collection focuses on Jewish life and culture in Israel. 

- National Library of Israel Digital Library. This diverse collection of Judaic historical documents includes books, newspapers, and ancient maps. Accessible on the National Library of Israel website, this also has an impressive collection of Hebrew manuscripts and marriage documents.

Columbia University Judaica Collection

Since 1972, Irving Langer has served as founder and CEO of E&M Associates, a real estate company with thousands of properties across the United States. Outside of his professional life, Irving Langer stands out as a prominent member of the local community who has made significant gifts to Jewish organizations such as OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services. He also maintains a deep interest in Judaica and Judaica collections.

As the city with the largest Jewish population in the United States, it comes as no surprise that New York City hosts some of the country’s largest and most important Judaica collections in the world. One of the premier Judaica collections anywhere exists at Columbia University in Upper Manhattan. Dating back to the 18th century, the collection began when Samuel Johnson donated his Judaica collection to the college.

Since that time, Columbia’s Judaica collection has expanded through the acquisition of rare books and documents from numerous sources, most notably when Temple Emanuel donated the historically significant Almanzi Library, comprising more than 2,500 rare volumes, to the university library. Other important gifts to the library included donations from Richard Gottheil, Baruch Spinoza, and other major scholars and collectors.

Today, Columbia’s Judaica collection stands as one of the largest in North America and holds more manuscripts than the combined collections of Harvard, Yale, and the Library of Congress. Spanning the 10th to the 19th centuries, the collection includes important works related to topics such as Jewish law, kabbalah, philosophy, and poetry.

BWRAF Safety Checks Before Diving

Irving Langer has spent nearly five decades as chief executive officer of E & M Associates, a real estate owner and management firm in Brooklyn, New York. Beyond his professional activities, Irving Langer enjoys spending time on the water. He is particularly interested in fishing and scuba diving.

The buddy system is one of the most important aspects of scuba diving safety. The buddy system goes into effect long before divers enter the water. Buddy safety checks, for example, involve making sure a dive partner is adequately prepared for a safe dive. Dive partners should follow BWRAF guidelines while checking a friend to ensure total diver safety.

To begin, divers should check for BCD/buoyancy by testing the inflator button, all deflate valves, and general connectivity and functionality among all BCD components. Next, individuals should ensure that their partners have weights and that all weights have been securely attached. Similarly, all releases must be thoroughly vetted, including the tank strap and chest straps.

Following a thorough inspection of a diver’s air system, including physical verification of a properly functioning cylinder valve, the BWRAF check concludes with a final assessment of both diver’s gear and overall level of preparedness before entering the water. First-time divers may find it helpful to use the mnemonic device “Begin with Review and Friend” in order to remember BWRAF.