"A rich, medieval Facebook" - Times of Israel | "Erudite and Entertaining" - Times of Israel | "Meticulously researched, with a cast of engaging experts who enlighten and entertain with this extraordinary story." - Take One, Cambridge Film Festival Reviews
Ancient Manuscripts • Lives of Jews, Christians & Muslims • Islamic Rule • Islamic Studies • Anthropology • Religion
Date of Completion: 2019 | Run Time: 57 minutes | Language: English | Captions: Yes | Includes: Transcript | Producer & Director & Cinematographer: Michelle Paymar | Editor: Edwin Ochmanek
Reveals the untold story of an astonishing treasure trove of ancient manuscripts hidden for centuries in the sacred storeroom of an Egyptian synagogue. The Cairo Geniza is described as a “medieval Facebook,” and contains a staggering array of sacred literature and documents that illuminate the daily lives of Jews, Muslims, and Christians in Cairo a thousand years ago.
The Times of Israel | Renee Ghert-Zand
"A rich, medieval Facebook"
The Times of Israel | Sheldon Kirshner
"Erudite and Entertaining"
Take One, Cambridge Film Festival Reviews | Nick Kitchin
"Meticulously researched, with a cast of engaging experts who enlighten and entertain with this extraordinary story."
"A story of archaeological discovery and of social history, of religious belief and humanism, of outsiders and pioneers, and at its heart, people."
Cambridge University | Professor Stefan Reif
"A lively, deeply informed introduction to one of the world's most astonishing collections of documents about the Middle East."
Cambridge University | Professor Ben Outhwaite
"The first fully comprehensive film to examine the whole history of one of the world’s most remarkable, but least known, collections."