Sample Sources
The sources below are those contained in our three curated collections—covering themes of Passover, Gender Roles, and Holocaust Resistance. They represent a fraction of the thousands of sources that will be available when the full site launches in 2024.
Torah Case (Kaifeng)
This lacquered, cylindrical case for a Torah scroll was made from a combination of wood, bronze, and iron in Kaifeng, China. (The hard-sided Torah case was a Sephardic tradition. It offered more…
Torah Crown (Bolzano)
This copper Torah crown was made in Bolzano, Italy. An excellent repoussé piece, its delicate pierced and traced decorations are adorned with floral arrangements of leaves and vines. The shape of this…
Torah Crown (Padua)
This silver Torah crown from Padua, Italy, is decorated with images of the tablets of law, incense utensils, the ark of the covenant,
and the headdress of the high priest.
Torah Crown (Poland)
This partially gilt-silver Torah crown from Poland is studded with semi-precious stones. Its two-tiered base is typical of Torah crowns from Eastern Europe. It is inscribed in Hebrew with the words,…
Torah Crown (Amsterdam)
This Torah crown from Suriname was made originally in Amsterdam by Evert van Heerdan (active 1644–1683). It is a fine repoussé piece exemplifying the mastery of Dutch silverwork. Inscribed on the…
Torah Crown (Amsterdam)
The purpose of the Torah crown is visually to augment the status of the Torah scroll, emphasizing its importance and centrality to Jewish life. These magnificent silver ornaments are placed over the…
Torah Binder (Italy)
This Torah binder is one of the earliest examples from Italy. The binder (also known as a wimpel) was intended to accompany the male child through his lifetime, through the stages of his circumcision…
Torah Binder (Rechnitz)
This richly decorated Torah binder is thought to be from Rechnitz, based on its dedication as a gift from Gitl bat Samuel for Samuel ben Leib of Rechnitz in 1750. The Torah binder (also known as a…
Torah Binder (Italy)
The Torah binder (also known as a wimpel) was intended to accompany the male child through his lifetime, through the stages of his circumcision, bar mitzvah, and wedding. This linen Torah binder from…
Torah Ark Curtain (Prague)
Made in Prague, this Torah ark curtain is exquisitely ornamented with embroidery of silk, silk velvet, and metallic thread. Set against a vivid red background, its borders and central panel are…
Torah Ark Curtain (Gördes)
This Torah ark curtain from Gördes, Turkey, features an archway flanked on either side with double columns and a hanging lamp, a motif common to both Islamic prayer rugs and mats and Ottoman Torah ark…
Torah Ark Curtain (Kriegshaber)
This splendid Torah ark curtain, made in Kriegshaber, Germany, is the work of the embroiderer Elkana Schatz Naumberg of Fürth, whose name appears in an inscription in the central bottom section. It is…