Gragger (Noisemaker) Peter Ehrenthal (1920-2022) USA, 1960 Silver B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum Collection, gift of Joseph B. and Olyn Horwitz, 1980, TAP 0072 The Jewish festival of Purim celebrates the continued resilience of the Jewish people. The Purim story is related in the Book of Esther, a melodramatic tale of court intrigue in [...]
Hanukkah Lamp Robert Lipnick (b. 1951) USA, 1992 Glazed earthenware, h. 17 in. B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum, TAP 0060 Hanukkah is a postbiblical festival that recalls the deliverance of the Jews from the tyranny of the Syrian-Greek government in 165 B.C.E. This triumph is the first time in recorded history that a people [...]
Dreidel (Top) Peter Ehrenthal (1920-2022) USA, 1960 Cast silver, 4 5/32 x 1 25/64 x 1 25/64” B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum Collection, gift of Joseph and Olyn Horwitz, 1980, 2015.17.427 The Jewish festival of Hanukkah commemorates the miraculous military victory in 165 BCE of a small number of Jews, led by Judah Maccabee, [...]
Seder Plate Germany, late 19th century Silver, silver mail, velvet, h. 15 x dia. 13 in. B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum Collection, 2015.17.425 On the first and second nights of Passover, Jews around the world engage in a methodical meal call the Seder. Seder in Hebrew means order. The Passover seder follows a specific order to [...]
Circumcision Set Case: wood, l. 8 ½ x w. 1 11/16 x d 5/8 in.; instruments: silver; prepuce holder: l.3 1/16 x w. 5/8 x d. ¼ in.; container: l. 2 ½ x w. 1 1/6 x d. 15/16 in.; spoon: l. 3 ½ x w ½ x d. ¼ in. Israel, ca. 1950 B’nai [...]
Head Covering (Sterntichl) Poland, 18th century Baroque and seed pearls, rose diamonds, and gold wire on velvet, l. 10 x w. 4 x d. 2 in. B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum Collection, gift of Joseph B. and Olyn Horwitz, 2015.17.143 Pious Jewish women cut their hair and cover their heads after they marry as [...]
Marriage Ring Hungary, ca. 1850-1950 Silver, 2 9/16 x 1 9/16 x 61/64” Inscriptions on 4 sides in Hebrew; translation: “to the bride and groom”; “joy and happiness”; “good luck” B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum Collection, gift of Philip Lax, 2015.17.229 The wedding ring is an integral part of a Jewish wedding ceremony which [...]
Esther Scroll Ze’ev Raban (Poland 1890–1970 Israel) Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts, Jerusalem, 1927 Case: cast silver with applied silver balls and filigree, l. 4 1/8 x w. 15/16 x d. 7/8 in. Scroll: watercolor, pen and ink on parchment Inscriptions: Exterior: Hebrew and English above and below center decorative element: “Membership in Bezalel 1927”; stamped on scroll [...]
Shofar Central Europe, 19th century Ram’s horn, l. 26 ¼ x w. 6 ½ in. x h 5 ½ in. Gift of Joseph B. and Olyn Horwitz B’nai B’rith Klutnick National Jewish Museum Collection, 2015.17.263 A shofar is an instrument made from the horn of a ram or other kosher animal. It was used in [...]
Elijah Cup Robert Lipnick (b. 1958) Ceramic, h. 5 3/5 x w. 3 ½ in. United States, 1991 B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum Collection, 1992.007 Passover, or Pesach, is a seven-day festival that marks the beginning of spring and recalls the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt. The Passover seder, meaning order, retells [...]
