Synagogue Service for the New Year

Paul Christian Kirchner

Johann Georg Puschner

Sebastian Jugendres

1724

Image

Print engraving of large group of people in room with vaulted ceiling, raised platform on left side, open Torah ark, and balcony. — This illustration depicting Rosh Hashanah services in a synagogue appeared in the book *Jüdisches Ceremoniel* (*Jewish Ceremonial Customs*), by Paul Christian Kirchner, a Jewish convert to Christianity. The first edition of his book, published in Erfurt, Germany, in 1717, had no illustrations and was critical of Judaism. In 1724, a new edition of the book was published in Nuremberg, Germany. It was edited by Christian Hebraist Sebastian Jugendres, who softened Kirchner’s criticism of Judaism. It included twenty-eight copperplate engravings, which were made in the workshop of Johann Georg Puschner and his son, also named Johann Georg.

Credits

Paul Christian Kirchner, “Das Neue Jahrsfelt,” from Jüdisches Ceremoniel (Nürnberg: Peter Conrad Monath, 1724), p. 110. Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 5.

Preparing for Passover

This illustration depicting Jews baking matzah and cleaning the house for Passover appeared in the book Jüdisches Ceremoniel (Jewish Ceremonial Customs), by Paul Christian Kirchner, a Jewish convert…

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Page with circular drawing divided into three segments bearing Hebrew labels, the top segment depicting the sun, moon, stars, and clouds, the bottom right segment depicting fish, and the bottom left segment depicting other animals.

Illustration from Kehunat Avraham (The Priesthood of Abraham)

Kehunat Avraham (The Priesthood of Abraham), completed in Venice in 1719, is an interpretation and retelling of sections from the book of Psalms in verse. The Hebrew text in this illustration comes…

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Jar with handle and inscribed with Hebrew letters.

Abecedaries from Kuntillet Ajrud

An abecedary is a list of the letters of the alphabet, written in order, for instruction or practice in writing, and perhaps also for other purposes. Four abecedaries were written on this large…

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Creator Bio

Paul Christian Kirchner converted to Christianity in 1709. He is the author of Jüdisches Ceremoniel (Jewish Ceremonial Customs), published in Erfurt, Germany, in 1717, which took a critical stance on Judaism but which was later republished by Sebastian Jugendres with more neutral text.

Creator Bio

Johann Georg Puschner

1680–1749

Johann Georg Puschner was a printmaker who was active in Nuremberg, Germany. The son of a blacksmith, he was also an astronomer. He is best known for his copperplate engravings of the town and university of Altdorf and for landscapes of Nuremberg. He maintained a workshop with his son, who was also named Johann Georg, so it is not always possible to determine which one was the artist of a particular work.

Creator Bio

Sebastian Jugendres

1685–1765

Sebastian Jugendres was a Christian Hebraist, historian, and scholar of heraldry in Nuremberg, Germany. He is known for his reworking of Jüdisches Ceremoniel (Jewish Ceremonial Customs), originally published as an antisemitic tract in Erfurt, Germany, in 1717, into a second edition with a more neutral tone and copious illustrations.