Torah Pointer (Yad) Silver, 10 ½ in. St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888 B’nai B’rith Klutznick Collection, gift of Joseph B. and Olyn Horwitz 2015.17.470 This yad is engraved with a leaf and vine motif that runs along its entire length. Inscribed on the upper knop is a clue as to how it came to its Russian [...]
Torah Pointer (Yad) Cast brass, 9 in. 20th century, Middle East B’nai B’rith Klutznick Collection, gift of Joseph B. and Olyn Horwitz 2015.17.468 Unlike most yads, which are made of silver, this yad is made of brass with a high copper content, meant to imitate gold. The inscription on the yad says, ‘Adonai is One [...]
Torah Pointer (Yad) Silver, turquoise, and precious stones, 8 ½ in. Israel, 1950 B’nai B’rith Klutznick Collection 2015.17.467 This yad is unique—instead of being made of pure silver or gilt, it is decorated with turquoise and gems.
Torah Pointer (Yad) Silver, 11 1/4 x 1 3/8 in. 20th century B’nai B’rith Klutznick Collection, gift of Joseph B. and Olyn Horwitz 2015.17.358 Engraved with vine and leaf motifs, this ornamental yad is inscribed with the name of a possible former owner—Mr. Evan Morris Kutler/Katler. The knops are articulated with wavy lines.
Torah Pointer (Yad) Cast and filigree silver, 11 ½ in. 19th century, Russia B’nai B’rith Klutznick Collection, gift of Joseph B. and Olyn Horwitz 2015.17.466 Yad means ‘hand’ in Hebrew, indicating the pointing hand on top of the piece. This hand is used to locate the place in the Torah scroll where the baal koreh, [...]
Torah Pointer (Yad) M. Goldsmidt Cast and stamped silver, 12 1/16 x 1 ¾ in. Poland, 1860 B’nai B’rith Klutznick Collection 2015.17.357 This yad would have been the height of Judaic fashion in the 1860s. Its pattern of bulbs along the design was very much in vogue in late 19th century Europe. Its artist, M. [...]
Mizrah Russia, 1810 Ink and gouache on cut paper, h 11 ¾ x w. 15 ¾ in. B’nai B’rith Klutznick Collection of the Skirball Museum; gift of Joseph B. and Olyn Horwitz, TAP 0574 Mizrah is the Hebrew word for “east” and the direction that Jews in the Diaspora west of Israel face during [...]
Untitled White David Einstein (b. 1946) United States, 1979 Acrylic on canvas, h. 49 ½ x w. 37 ½ in. B’nai B’rith Klutznick Collection of the Skirball Museum, TAJ0057 Born in Detroit, Michigan, David Einstein earned his MFA at Wayne State University. Since the 1970s, he has taught at Wayne State, Oakland Community College, [...]
Shofar Ram’s horn Central Europe, 19th century Gift of Joseph B. and Olyn Horwitz B’nai B’rith Klutznick Collection of Skirball Museum The shofar is an ancient musical horn that is blown in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and at the very end of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Like [...]
Spice Container Cast, cut-out, engraved and stippled silver Minden, Germany, 19th century Marks: Minden city mark; 13; two illegible marks Gift of Joseph B. and Olyn Horwitz B’nai B’rith Klutznick Collection of Skirball Museum Spice containers in the shape of towers have been popular in Europe since medieval times, with the earliest known example [...]
