Rare 16th century book returns to Prague Jewish community

PRAGUE – A 16th century book that belonged to Prague's Jewish community before World War II and was considered lost before it surfaced at a New York City auction has returned to the Czech Republic.

Titled "Mikne Avram - Peculium Abrae," the recovered volume is a grammar book published in both Hebrew and Latin in 1523. It was written by Abraham ben Meir de Balmes, an Italian Jew, and published in Italy.

It belonged to the library of Prague's Jewish community before the war, and it is not clear under what circumstances it disappeared.

The book turned up last year at an auction organized by Kestenbaum & Company. Auction house director Daniel Kestenbaum gave it to the Jewish Museum in Prague on Tuesday.