Protectzia (aka Jeremy’s Kings College card) allowed us to walk through the grounds of Kings College Cambridge on graduation day where students milled around in black gowns accompanied by proud parents. We walked to the University Library where we joined a group from HGSS for a tour of the Cairo Genizah fragments. A Genizah is a place – a cupboard, box, small room – for worn out holy texts and scrolls.

We were privileged to hear a lecture from an archivist who has been working on the fragments (all digitalised) for over 12 years. We were then allowed to view the letters, scrolls and texts about which she had spoken. It was thrilling and moving ……especially the last letter from David,the brother of Moses Maimonides, before he drowned at sea in 1170.

Prenups, advice on health, a letter from a teacher to parents about their wayward son, poems, holy texts, amulets all feature in the collection. Plus ca change.