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Codex Sassoon, oldest copy of the Hebrew Bible, could fetch $50M at auction this spring
(JTA) — The oldest complete copy of the Hebrew Bible as we know it today is about to go on sale — and it could well become the most expensive book or document ever sold.
Written by a single Jewish scribe on 400 pages of parchment about 1,100 years ago, the Codex Sassoon is estimated to fetch $30 million to $50 million when it is sold by Sotheby’s auction house this May.
Before then, the book is embarking on a worldwide tour that will include stops in London, Tel Aviv and more. Those who view it will lay eyes on one of only two known ancient manuscripts comprising almost the entire Hebrew Bible — along with the Aleppo Codex, which is incomplete after hundreds of pages went missing in the 20th century.
“Now that the Codex has been definitively dated as the earliest, most complete text of its kind, it stands as a critical link from the ancient Hebrew oral tradition to the modern, accepted form of the Hebrew Bible that remains the standardized version used today,” said Richard Austin, Sotheby’s global head of books and manuscripts.
The Codex Sassoon is named after the book collector David Solomon Sassoon, who acquired it in 1929 for 350 British pounds, the equivalent of about $28,000 today, when it resurfaced after 600 years.
Sassoon added his bookplate to the inside cover of the binding, extending a centuries-long string of inscriptions detailing the book’s Jewish ownership, much of it throughout what is present-day Syria. The record does not show what happened between when the synagogue where it had been housed was destroyed and Sassoon’s acquisition.
The Codex Sassoon is the oldest, most complete link between the ancient oral tradition and the modern rabbinic tradition. (Courtesy of Sotheby’s)
But for the last century, it has been in private collections, in contrast to the other books near its caliber which are owned by major museums and are on display. What remains of the Aleppo Codex can be viewed at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, while a later but more complete copy is on display in Russia.
The book’s latest owner is Jacqui Safra, part of the storied Jewish banking family, who paid for carbon dating that put its age at about 1,100. The book was briefly displayed at the British Museum in 1982.
Its value won’t be determined until after the auction on May 16, but Sotheby’s officials said they believed that its final price could top the $43.2 million that the CEO of a hedge fund paid in 2021 for a first-edition copy of the U.S. Constitution sold by the auction house.
Its value, they say, goes far beyond the page.
“Codex Sassoon marks a critical turning point in how we perceive the history of the Divine word across thousands of years,” said Sharon Mintz, Sotheby’s senior Judaica specialist for books and manuscripts, “and is a transformative witness to how the Hebrew Bible has influenced the pillars of civilization – art, culture, law, politics — for centuries.
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English Premier League’s Arsenal Hosts Over 100 Soccer Professionals to Discuss Tackling Antisemitism
Emirates Stadium, Arsenal’s home stadium. Photo: Nazmi Amin-Tai via Wikimedia Commons
The English Premier League powerhouse Arsenal hosted more than 100 professionals from across English soccer last week for a symposium on how to combat antisemitism in sports.
The event on Dec. 4 was attended by senior figures from soccer clubs, leagues, governing bodies, associations, and fan groups. They discussed antisemitism in British sports; the experiences of Jewish athletes, staff, and supporters; and how to develop new strategies for creating safer and more inclusive environments for the Jewish community.
As a result of the symposium, an industry toolkit was developed for clubs and governing bodies that will serve as a resource for how to include antisemitism awareness in equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives, improve communication and reporting strategies, and guarantee that Jewish fans and staff feel “safe, represented, and included.” Each delegate vowed to implement at least one action in their organization.
The symposium was coordinated in partnership with Maccabi GB and the British government’s independent adviser on antisemitism, John Mann. Maccabi GB is Britain’s leading charity dedicated to Anglo-Jewish sports, health, and wellbeing, according to its website. It aims to create inclusive sporting, community, and educational environments for the Jewish community.
“Bringing people together to learn, share experiences, and commit to practical action is how we create a better future for Jewish players, staff, and supporters,” Maccabi GB chief executive Ashley Lerner said at the symposium. “In partnership with Lord Mann’s office, we are determined to ensure that the conversations held today lead to meaningful change across the sporting world.”
“Sport has a unique ability to bring people together — but it can also expose the prejudices that exist in wider society,” said Mann. “That is why this partnership with Maccabi GB is so important. We are equipping clubs, leagues, and governing bodies with the knowledge and confidence they need to identify antisemitism early and tackle it decisively. The willingness of football leaders to engage so openly today is not just encouraging — it is essential. We now have the opportunity to ensure that the lessons of the past translate into meaningful, measurable change for the future.”
The symposium took place on the 90th anniversary of the England–Germany match at White Hart Lane in London in 1935, when the visiting German team performed the Nazi salute on the pitch. Stephanie Peacock, the British minister for sport, tourism, civil society, and youth, spoke at the event about the British government’s commitment to working with those in sports and the Jewish community to address antisemitism.
“Sport should always be a place of belonging, pride, and unity,” Peacock said. “Antisemitism has no place in football or in British society, and I welcome the leadership shown today by Maccabi GB and Lord Mann. The government is committed to supporting this work, ensuring that clubs and governing bodies have the capability, confidence, and frameworks to prevent discrimination and respond effectively when it occurs. Tackling antisemitism strengthens not only Jewish participation in sport, but the integrity and inclusivity of the game as a whole.”
Last week’s symposium was held as part of a larger project called Tackling Antisemitism in Sport, which was established in September 2023 as a partnership between Maccabi GB and Mann’s office. More than 4,000 soccer professionals have participated in the program’s workshops, including all 20 Premier League clubs.
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Israel to Reopen Jordan Border Crossing for Passage of Aid, Goods After Terror Attack
Israeli police officers stand next to their cars at the scene of a fatal shooting at the Allenby Crossing between the West Bank and Jordan, Sept. 18, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Oren Ben Hakoon
Israel is set to reopen the Allenby Crossing with Jordan to the passage of goods and aid on Wednesday, an Israeli security official said on Tuesday.
The border crossing has been closed to aid and goods since September, when a driver bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza opened fire and killed two Israeli military personnel before being killed by security forces.
The security official said the crossing would have tightened screening for Jordanian drivers and truck cargo, and that a dedicated security force had been assigned to the crossing.
The Allenby Bridge is a key route for trade between Jordan and Israel and the only gateway for more than 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank to reach Jordan.
The crossing reopened to passenger traffic shortly after the attack, but had remained closed to aid trucks. The UN says the crossing is a major route for bringing food, tents, and other goods into Gaza.
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US Imposes Sanctions on Network It Accuses of Fueling War in Sudan
A bronze seal for the Department of the Treasury is shown at the US Treasury building in Washington, US, Jan. 20, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
The US on Tuesday imposed sanctions on actors it accused of fueling the war in Sudan, taking aim at what it said was a transnational network that recruits former Colombian military personnel and trains soldiers, including children, to fight for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
The US Treasury Department in a statement seen by Reuters said that it imposed sanctions on four individuals and four entities that were part of the network, which it said was largely comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.
The Treasury said that since at least 2024, hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have traveled to Sudan to fight alongside the RSF, which the US has accused of committing genocide.
The Colombians have provided the RSF with tactical and training expertise and served as infantry and artillerymen, drone pilots and instructors, among other roles, with some training children to fight for the paramilitary group, according to Treasury, which added that Colombian fighters have participated in battles across Sudan, including in the capital Khartoum and al-Fashir.
“The RSF has shown again and again that it is willing to target civilians — including infants and young children. Its brutality has deepened the conflict and destabilized the region, creating the conditions for terrorist groups to grow,” Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, John Hurley, said in the statement.
Among those targeted was Alvaro Andres Quijano Becerra, who the Treasury said was a dual Colombian-Italian national and a retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates. It accused him of playing a central role in recruiting and deploying former Colombian military personnel to Sudan.
The UAE has been widely accused of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied.
“The United States again calls on external actors to cease providing financial and military support to the belligerents,” Treasury said in the statement.
The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF erupted in April 2023 out of a power struggle and has triggered famine, ethnic killings, and mass displacement. In November, US President Donald Trump said he would intervene to stop the conflict.
The United States, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia – known as the Quad – earlier in November proposed a plan for a three-month truce followed by peace talks. The RSF responded by saying it had accepted the plan, but soon after attacked army territory with a barrage of drone strikes.