JERUSALEM.- The oldest known Book of Jewish Prayers is on display in "The Book of Books" exhibition at the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem for four weeks only.

This unique Medieval Manuscript of Jewish Prayers and other Texts is approximately 50 pages long and dates to the first half of the 9th century CE. The manuscript, written on parchment, includes a number of liturgical and non-liturgical compositions which appear to be Babylonian in style and content. A partially preserved Shaharit (morning) prayer for the Sabbath and a Haggadah for Passover appear in this manuscript—making them the earliest attestation of these primary liturgies in the history of Judaism. In antiquity, this manuscript most likely belonged to an individual or a family and was probably handed down from generation to generation throughout the centuries. In-depth research is currently being carried out on the manuscript.

An exciting new exhibition displaying 2000 years of the Bible, through some of the most important biblical texts ever to be seen in Israel in one show.

On display are original fragments from the Septuagint, the earliest New Testament Scriptures, exquisite illuminated manuscripts, rare fragments from the Cairo Geniza and original pages from the Gutenberg Bible. This exhibition traces the Jewish roots of Christianity and the dissemination of monotheistic faith.

"For the teaching (Torah) will go forth from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem " (Isaiah 2:3)

For the last two thousand years, the Bible has been considered the greatest literary creation that humanity has known. Looked upon by many as the word of God, the Bible has been civilization's cornerstone and a standard against which all else is measured. The Bible has been an everlasting and unchanging force that has impacted and shaped humanity both on an individual and collective level for over two millennia. Its books, chapters and verses have been the ultimate source of law, knowledge and wisdom, love, mercy and forgiveness, but also the cause of much pain and suffering. Two of the greatest monotheistic religions, Judaism and Christianity, are based on the Bible, the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and Christian Bible (Old and New Testament) respectively. It is the most popular, translated and printed book in history – it is The Book of all Books.

The Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem presents this exhibition on the Bible and its people. Starting from the Second Temple period, the time of the writing of the Dead Sea scrolls and the birth of Christianity, through the Middle Ages, invention of printing until modern times, the exhibition explores the development of the Bible side by side with the spread of Judaism and Christianity from the Land of Israel to the rest of the world.