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Jewish Studies

This guide will introduce concepts and resources for research in Jewish Studies at York University.

Omni Searching Books/E-Books

Omni, available via the library home page, is the new search tool shared by 18 Ontario university libraries. With a single search you can find a variety of resources held at York University Libraries and the other Omni partner libraries.

To find books or e-books follow these steps:

Step 1: Apply the Relevant Search Scope

Omni can be used to search for books or e-books in three different domains, equivalent to search scopes:

  1. York Libraries
  2. York Libraries + Omni Libraries (default search mode)
  3. Course reserves

In general we advise that you choose the first option. If you cannot find what you need this way, choosing the second option will find more books and e-books, which may be available using inter-library loan options linked from system records.

Step 2: Conduct your search

Results are automatically sorted by relevance including:

  • Frequency of matching search words
  • A value score (query words in author, title, subject, plus date)
  • Proximity of search words to one another 

 If you sort by the newest date, you lose the relevance ranking.

Step 3: Avail of the Search Filters and limit to Books & E-Books under Resource Type

These search filters appear once results load along the left-side of the screen

Use our Omni Guide to learn more about effective search strategies in Omni. Key terms to know are Search Scope, Facet, Boolean, Truncation, Wildcards, and Limits.

Gunther Plaut Collection - Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections

Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections has a large collection of books (monographs) and periodicals that were donated by Rabbi Wolf Gunter Plaut's Library Collection.

Rabbi Wolf Gunther Plaut was a Reform rabbi and author. An important figure in the history of the Jewish community in Toronto, he served as rabbi of Holy Blossom Temple from 1961 to 1977 and later as a Rabbi Emeritus and Senior Scholar of the temple. Plaut's collection consists of 3585 books and other printed materials.

The original order in which Rabbi Plaut arranged his books was also preserved, reflecting his intellectual process and how he conceptualized certain issues. As well as a constant interest in theological issues, the library reflects Plaut's interest in contemporary politics, the social sciences and the arts. The range of subject matter also reflects Plaut's ongoing efforts at social reform and campaign against intolerance and his advocacy of interfaith dialogue. The library also reflects some of his lighter entertainments: the odd pulpy mystery novel from the 1950s and a scattering of books about chess.

The collection can be searched via OMNI. It is stored on-campus but needs lead-time to be pulled, please email Archives in advance with specific call numbers/titles.