Creation: And There Was Light David Holleman (Arlington, MA 1927–2020 Lexington, MA) USA, 1969 Stained glass with epoxy edge gluing mounted on plate glass, h. 8 ft. x w. 5.5 ft. Dedicated in memory of Celia and David Shauffer, Minnie and Samuel Rappeport, and Rose and Morris Steir. Cincinnati Skirball Museum, gift of Congregation Beth [...]
Jacob’s Ladder: How Awesome is this Place David Holleman (Arlington, MA 1927–2020 Lexington, MA) USA, 1967 Stained glass with epoxy edge gluing mounted on plate glass, h. 8 ft. x w. 5.5 ft. Dedicated in memory of Dr. Max Goldman Cincinnati Skirball Museum, gift of Congregation Beth Shalom of the Blue Hills, formerly Temple Beth [...]
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 [...]
Tas (Torah Breastplate) Tas (Torah Breastplate) Andrew Messmer Cincinnati, 1899 Silver and semiprecious stones, h. 10 ½ x w. 6 ¼ in. Cincinnati Skirball Museum, gift of the Society of Talmud, 7.4 The use of a tas, or breastplate, began in the sixteenth century when many synagogues had more than one Torah scroll, and an [...]
Hank Greenberg (1911–1986) Hall Reed (Oklahoma 1921-California 2003) USA, 1991 Bronze, h. 1 ¾ x w. 1 ¾ in. Cincinnati Skirball Museum, Jewish-American Hall of Fame Collection, gift of Mel and Esther Wacks, Debra Wacks, and Shari Wacks, 2019.7.45 Born in New York City, Henry Benjamin Greenberg was known as “Hammerin’ Hank” due to [...]
Gershom Mendes Seixas (1745–1816) Gerta Ries Wiener (Germany 1898-2000 New York) USA, 1975 Bronze, h. 1 ¾ x w. 1 ¾ in. Cincinnati Skirball Museum, Jewish-American Hall of Fame Collection, gift of Mel and Esther Wacks, Debra Wacks, and Shari Wacks, 2019.7.13 Among the earliest Jewish communal leaders born and educated in the United [...]
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 [...]
Torah Crown (Keter) Cast, repoussé, hammered and engraved silver, h. 7 ½ x w. 5 3/8 in. Mantua, Italy, ca. 1810 Marks: R3 7329 (800/100 standard; in use in Italy 1810-1872), 7391 (Mantua), and SIC1 Gift of Joseph B. and Olyn Horwitz B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum Collection, 2015.17.359 Torah finials evolved from knobs [...]
