Exhibition Lecture | Jews as Citizens of the World

Prof. David Kraemer will explore what the books produced by Jewish communities through the ages teach us about their experiences in various diasporas.

Jews have lived in homes around the world from antiquity to the present. What do the books they produced and what they said in those books teach us about the Jewish diaspora experience? in this lecture, David Kraemer will consider the evidence preserved in the JTS library's treasures, on display, as well as testimonies from Jews in their various homes. The picture that emerges is a far richer, more affirmative one than we might guess.

David Kraemer is Joseph J. and Dora Abbell Librarian at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he also serves as professor of Talmud and Rabbinics. His most recent book is Embracing Exile: The Case for Jewish Diaspora (Oxford, 2025).

Embracing Exile: The Case for Jewish Diaspora (Oxford, 2025) will be available for purchase and signing.

Registration

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We appreciate your interest in the Grolier Club’s programming on the art and history of the book. For over 130 years we have offered our exhibitions and lectures to the public, free of charge. If you have enjoyed these offerings, and would like to support that tradition, and help ensure that it continues, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Grolier Club.

Accessibility

An ADA-compliant lift from street level to the lobby is available to anyone with mobility issues. All desk staff should be ready and able to assist you in operating the lift, with or without advance notice.

A “T-Coil” assisted listening system is available to anyone attending a lecture in the Exhibition Hall. Visitors with hearing aids should turn their devices to the “T” setting in order to access the system; visitors without hearing aids may request a “loop receiver” with earphones.

Environment

The temperature and humidity in the exhibition hall are tightly controlled for the sake of the valuable items on display, and this may cause the room to feel chilly, particularly in warmer weather, to those coming in from outside. Members and visitors are advised to bring a light wrap when visiting an exhibition, or attending an event in the hall.

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