Yosef Goldman
Encyclopedia
Yosef Goldman is a scholar of American Jewish history
and the author of the two-volume reference work, Hebrew Printing in America 1735-1926: A History and Annotated Bibliography
(2006). This work is usually cited by auctioneers and rare-book dealers. His collection of early American Judaica and Hebraica is said to be one of the most comprehensive in the world.
(also known as Newpest), a District of Budapest
, Hungary
, into a Hasidic family. His father, Rabbi Lipa Goldman
, was a Chief Rabbi and Av Beis Din of an Orthodox Jewish community in Újpest. In 1950, his family emigrated to the United States
and lived in the Lower East Side
neighborhood of New York City
. Goldman studied at Beth Medrash Elyon
of Monsey, New York
, at the time an elite Rabbinical seminary.
By profession, Goldman is a dealer of rare Jewish/Hebrew books and manuscripts and is known as a leading figure in this field.
for $358,000 from the well-known auction house, Christie's
of New York. In May 2006, Bibliothèque Nationale de France
(National Library of France) filed suit
against Goldman, claiming ownership of the manuscript and demanding its return. This lawsuit was filed after a former chief curator
of the library's Hebrew collection, Michel Garel, was convicted in March 2006 of stealing ‘Hebrew 52’, a Biblical manuscript known among experts. After pleading innocent, Garel was ultimately convicted, fined $500,000, and given a two-year suspended sentence
. The lawsuit against Goldman alleged that the manuscript Goldman purchased was the one known as ‘Hebrew 52’. In July 2006, Goldman sued Christie's in Brooklyn
Supreme Court
, saying the auction house knew before consignment that the manuscript was stolen, that it should never have accepted consignment of it for auction, and that he should be refunded $358,000 in return for the manuscript.
In January 2007, The New York Times
reported that a settlement had been reached. After complex negotiations between French officials, Christie’s and Goldman, the manuscript was returned to the library, and Goldman received a refund. Library officials said that Mr. Goldman purchased the manuscript in good faith
and had resold it before its theft was discovered. France reportedly agreed to cover some of Mr. Goldman’s legal expenses.
In January 2007, Michel Garel, the former chief curator, was sentenced to 15 months in jail. He was convicted on appeal and immediately taken into custody. He was also handed an additional 15-month suspended sentence and fined 75,000 euros (100,000 dollars) for "aggravated theft".
History of the Jews in the United States
The history of the Jews in the United States , has been part of the American national fabric since colonial times.Until the 1830s the Jewish community of Charleston, South Carolina was the most numerous in North America. With the large scale immigration of Jews from Germany in the 19th century,...
and the author of the two-volume reference work, Hebrew Printing in America 1735-1926: A History and Annotated Bibliography
Hebrew Printing in America
Hebrew Printing in America, 1735-1926, A History and Annotated Bibliography is a history and bibliography of Hebrew books printed in America between 1735 and 1926 by Yosef Goldman, with research and editing by Ari Kinsberg...
(2006). This work is usually cited by auctioneers and rare-book dealers. His collection of early American Judaica and Hebraica is said to be one of the most comprehensive in the world.
Biography
Goldman was born in 1942 in ÚjpestÚjpest
Újpest may refer to:*Újpest, a district of Budapest, Hungary.*Újpest FC, a football team based in Újpest....
(also known as Newpest), a District of Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, into a Hasidic family. His father, Rabbi Lipa Goldman
Lipa Goldman
Rabbi Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Goldman was a renowned Orthodox rabbi, dayan, and publisher in Hungary and the United States....
, was a Chief Rabbi and Av Beis Din of an Orthodox Jewish community in Újpest. In 1950, his family emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and lived in the Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
neighborhood of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Goldman studied at Beth Medrash Elyon
Beth Medrash Elyon
Beth Medrash Elyon is a yeshiva in Spring Valley, New York. It was considered one of the elite yeshivas during the 1950s and 1960s. It closed in the 1960s due to disagreements among the leaders of the yeshiva. Its Roshei Yeshiva have included Rabbis Reuven Grozovsky, Gedalia Schorr, and Yaacov...
of Monsey, New York
Monsey, New York
Monsey is a hamlet , in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the state of New Jersey; east of Suffern; south of Airmont and west of Nanuet...
, at the time an elite Rabbinical seminary.
By profession, Goldman is a dealer of rare Jewish/Hebrew books and manuscripts and is known as a leading figure in this field.
"Hebrew 52" lawsuit
In May 2000, Goldman bid on and purchased a 13th century Biblical manuscriptManuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
for $358,000 from the well-known auction house, Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
of New York. In May 2006, Bibliothèque Nationale de France
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
(National Library of France) filed suit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
against Goldman, claiming ownership of the manuscript and demanding its return. This lawsuit was filed after a former chief curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
of the library's Hebrew collection, Michel Garel, was convicted in March 2006 of stealing ‘Hebrew 52’, a Biblical manuscript known among experts. After pleading innocent, Garel was ultimately convicted, fined $500,000, and given a two-year suspended sentence
Suspended sentence
A suspended sentence is a legal term for a judge's delaying of a defendant's serving of a sentence after they have been found guilty, in order to allow the defendant to perform a period of probation...
. The lawsuit against Goldman alleged that the manuscript Goldman purchased was the one known as ‘Hebrew 52’. In July 2006, Goldman sued Christie's in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
Supreme Court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
, saying the auction house knew before consignment that the manuscript was stolen, that it should never have accepted consignment of it for auction, and that he should be refunded $358,000 in return for the manuscript.
In January 2007, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reported that a settlement had been reached. After complex negotiations between French officials, Christie’s and Goldman, the manuscript was returned to the library, and Goldman received a refund. Library officials said that Mr. Goldman purchased the manuscript in good faith
Good faith
In philosophy, the concept of Good faith—Latin bona fides “good faith”, bona fide “in good faith”—denotes sincere, honest intention or belief, regardless of the outcome of an action; the opposed concepts are bad faith, mala fides and perfidy...
and had resold it before its theft was discovered. France reportedly agreed to cover some of Mr. Goldman’s legal expenses.
In January 2007, Michel Garel, the former chief curator, was sentenced to 15 months in jail. He was convicted on appeal and immediately taken into custody. He was also handed an additional 15-month suspended sentence and fined 75,000 euros (100,000 dollars) for "aggravated theft".