Elyahu Koren
Encyclopedia
Eliyahu Koren was a master typographer and graphic artist. He was born Eliyahu Korngold in Nuremberg, Germany on July 23, 1907. After studying in Nuremberg, he immigrated to Palestine in 1933. He served as head of the graphics department of Keren Kayemet, the Jewish National Fund
, from 1936 to 1957. He founded Koren Publishers Jerusalem
in 1961, which published the Koren Bible in 1962. He published the Koren Siddur
in 1981, and various religious texts until his death in 2001.
In 1933, when he was an assistant to a professor at the Kunstschule, and a youth leader in the Ezra religious youth movement, Korngold read that Bavarian Jews were being required to carry special secret police travel permits to travel abroad. “I saw by this verdict divestiture of the freedom of the Jewish individual, and decided to leave Germany at the earliest possible hour," he would later recall. Korngold and a group of friends left Bavaria
on April 1, 1933, and arrived in Haifa
, Palestine on May 15 of that year.
For six months, Korngold worked for one of the few graphic designers in Palestine at the time, Rudi Deutsch (Dayan), in Tel Aviv
. Next he prepared illustrations for various books and exhibitions. From 1936 to 1957, Korngold headed the graphics department of Keren Kayemet, the Jewish National Fund
, where he was responsible for graphics, publications, stamps, and the organization's Golden Book. During that time, he also designed the present coat of arms of the city of Jerusalem
.
's 1517 Venice printing, all editions up to the 20th century had non-Jewish publishers or printers, and errors had found their way into the text.
Korngold had been approached by Judah L. Magnes, then president of The Hebrew University in Jerusalem about creating a new font for a new edition of the Hebrew Bible in the 1940s. Korngold set to work on a font and won a competition for the project, but following years of work on the University's Bible Committee, which Korngold chaired, the project moved in a direction that he and many Bible scholars found unacceptable. Rather than create a wholly new edition of the Bible, in 1953 Hebrew University Press published a photographic offset of David Christian Ginzburg's British and Foreign Bible Society edition with additional notations from Moshe David Cassuto's Letteris edition. Korngold resigned from the committee.
He then set himself to the task of producing a new edition of the Hebrew Bible on his own. In 1957, he established an independent studio, and in 1961 founded Koren Publishers Jerusalem. Korngold worked painstakingly on the project, correcting typesetting errors of previous editions, and creating a new font, Koren Bible Type
to enable the text to be as accurate and legible as possible. The text, vocalization, and cantillation were based on a Bible edition of the early 19th century German Jewish
grammarian and masoretic scholar Wolf Heidenheim
. Avraham Meir Habermann, Daniel Goldschmidt, and Meir Medan proofread and edited the text.
In 1962, during the Chanukah holiday, Koren Publishers Jerusalem published the Torah, the first part of The Koren Bible. The entire Bible appeared nearly two years later. During this time, Korngold changed his name to Koren.
The Koren Bible was immediately recognized as the new standard Hebrew Bible. In response to its publication, David Ben Gurion declared, "Israel is redeemed from shame." The Chief Rabbinate of Israel
accepted the edition for reading Haftarah
(prophetic portions) in synagogues when the handwritten parchment scroll is not used. The Koren Bible became the Bible on which the President of Israel
is sworn into office. The Israel Ministry of Education and Israeli municipalities began distributing The Koren Bible as gifts to high school graduates, and the Israel Defense Forces began distributing The Koren Bible to newly inducted soldiers.
Koren Publishers Jerusalem later published a Hebrew/English edition of the Koren Bible with a new translation by Professor Harold Fisch, a Biblical and literary scholar.
.
Jewish National Fund
The Jewish National Fund was founded in 1901 to buy and develop land in Ottoman Palestine for Jewish settlement. The JNF is a quasi-governmental, non-profit organisation...
, from 1936 to 1957. He founded Koren Publishers Jerusalem
Koren Publishers Jerusalem
Koren Publishers Jerusalem is an Israeli publisher of Jewish religious texts. It was established in 1961 by Eliyahu Koren, with the aim of publishing the first Hebrew Bible designed, edited, printed, and bound by Jews in nearly 500 years...
in 1961, which published the Koren Bible in 1962. He published the Koren Siddur
Koren Siddur
The Koren Siddur refers to a family of siddurim published by Koren Publishers Jerusalem beginning in 1981.Eliyahu Koren began work on a new prayerbook in the 1970s. Koren created Koren Book Type for the project, and an innovative design for which the siddur would become famous...
in 1981, and various religious texts until his death in 2001.
Biography
Eliyahu Korngold was born on July 23, 1907 in Nuremberg, Germany. He showed a rare artistic talent from an early age. After studying at the Gymnasium, Korngold attended the Kunstschule der Stadt Nurnberg, the city's School of Graphic and Applied Art, completing a six-year course of graphic art, applied art, and stained glass in three years.In 1933, when he was an assistant to a professor at the Kunstschule, and a youth leader in the Ezra religious youth movement, Korngold read that Bavarian Jews were being required to carry special secret police travel permits to travel abroad. “I saw by this verdict divestiture of the freedom of the Jewish individual, and decided to leave Germany at the earliest possible hour," he would later recall. Korngold and a group of friends left Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
on April 1, 1933, and arrived in Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, Palestine on May 15 of that year.
For six months, Korngold worked for one of the few graphic designers in Palestine at the time, Rudi Deutsch (Dayan), in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. Next he prepared illustrations for various books and exhibitions. From 1936 to 1957, Korngold headed the graphics department of Keren Kayemet, the Jewish National Fund
Jewish National Fund
The Jewish National Fund was founded in 1901 to buy and develop land in Ottoman Palestine for Jewish settlement. The JNF is a quasi-governmental, non-profit organisation...
, where he was responsible for graphics, publications, stamps, and the organization's Golden Book. During that time, he also designed the present coat of arms of the city of Jerusalem
Coat of arms of Jerusalem
The emblem of Jerusalem was designed in 1950-51 by Eliyahu Koren, the founding director of the Jewish National Fund's graphics department and, later, an influential typeface and book designer. The lion, shown rampant, represents the lion of Judah, the background represents the Western Wall, and the...
.
The Koren Bible
By the mid-late 1950s, Korngold had begun to work on what would become his most significant work, The Koren Bible. Korngold was committed to publishing a Hebrew Bible designed, edited, printed, and bound by Jews—something that had not been accomplished in nearly 500 years. The first printed Hebrew Bibles from Italy (1488) were printed by Jews, but after Daniel BombergDaniel Bomberg
Daniel Bomberg was an early printer of Hebrew language books. A Christian, born in Antwerp, he was primarily active in Venice between 1516 and 1549....
's 1517 Venice printing, all editions up to the 20th century had non-Jewish publishers or printers, and errors had found their way into the text.
Korngold had been approached by Judah L. Magnes, then president of The Hebrew University in Jerusalem about creating a new font for a new edition of the Hebrew Bible in the 1940s. Korngold set to work on a font and won a competition for the project, but following years of work on the University's Bible Committee, which Korngold chaired, the project moved in a direction that he and many Bible scholars found unacceptable. Rather than create a wholly new edition of the Bible, in 1953 Hebrew University Press published a photographic offset of David Christian Ginzburg's British and Foreign Bible Society edition with additional notations from Moshe David Cassuto's Letteris edition. Korngold resigned from the committee.
He then set himself to the task of producing a new edition of the Hebrew Bible on his own. In 1957, he established an independent studio, and in 1961 founded Koren Publishers Jerusalem. Korngold worked painstakingly on the project, correcting typesetting errors of previous editions, and creating a new font, Koren Bible Type
Koren Type
Koren Type refers to two Hebrew fonts, Koren Bible Type and Hebrew Book Type created by Israeli typographer and graphic designer Elyahu Koren. Koren created Koren Bible Type for the specific purpose of printing The Koren Bible, published by Koren Publishers Jerusalem in 1962...
to enable the text to be as accurate and legible as possible. The text, vocalization, and cantillation were based on a Bible edition of the early 19th century German Jewish
History of the Jews in Germany
The presence of Jews in Germany has been established since the early 4th century. The community prospered under Charlemagne, but suffered during the Crusades...
grammarian and masoretic scholar Wolf Heidenheim
Wolf Heidenheim
Wolf ben Samson Heidenheim was a German exegete and grammarian born at Heidenheim am Hahnenkamm At an early age Heidenheim was sent to Fürth, where he studied Talmud under Joseph Steinhardt, author of Zikron Yosef, and, from 1777, under Hirsch Janow...
. Avraham Meir Habermann, Daniel Goldschmidt, and Meir Medan proofread and edited the text.
In 1962, during the Chanukah holiday, Koren Publishers Jerusalem published the Torah, the first part of The Koren Bible. The entire Bible appeared nearly two years later. During this time, Korngold changed his name to Koren.
The Koren Bible was immediately recognized as the new standard Hebrew Bible. In response to its publication, David Ben Gurion declared, "Israel is redeemed from shame." The Chief Rabbinate of Israel
Chief Rabbinate of Israel
The Chief Rabbinate of Israel is recognized by law as the supreme halakhic and spiritual authority for the Jewish people in Israel. The Chief Rabbinate Council assists the two chief rabbis, who alternate in its presidency. It has legal and administrative authority to organize religious...
accepted the edition for reading Haftarah
Haftarah
The haftarah or haftoroh is a series of selections from the books of Nevi'im of the Hebrew Bible that is publicly read in synagogue as part of Jewish religious practice...
(prophetic portions) in synagogues when the handwritten parchment scroll is not used. The Koren Bible became the Bible on which the President of Israel
President of Israel
The President of the State of Israel is the head of state of Israel. The position is largely an apolitical ceremonial figurehead role, with the real executive power lying in the hands of the Prime Minister. The current president is Shimon Peres who took office on 15 July 2007...
is sworn into office. The Israel Ministry of Education and Israeli municipalities began distributing The Koren Bible as gifts to high school graduates, and the Israel Defense Forces began distributing The Koren Bible to newly inducted soldiers.
Koren Publishers Jerusalem later published a Hebrew/English edition of the Koren Bible with a new translation by Professor Harold Fisch, a Biblical and literary scholar.
The Koren Siddur
Koren began work on a new prayerbook in the 1970s. Koren created Koren Book Type for the project, and an innovative design for which the siddur would become famous. Rather than allow the text to run continuously across page turns, Koren maintained lines and paragraphs within individual pages. He set individual sentences line by line, according to their meaning. The result was a prayerbook, published in 1981, that facilitated uninterrupted prayer and elucidated the underlying meaning of the text. The siddur became one of the most widely used prayerbooks in Israel. In 2009, Koren Publishers Jerusalem introduced a new Hebrew-English edition of the Koren Siddur, the Koren Sacks Siddur, with an introduction, translation, and commentary by Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, Rabbi Lord Jonathan SacksJonathan Sacks
Jonathan Henry Sacks, Baron Sacks, Kt is the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. His Hebrew name is Yaakov Zvi...
.