Thursday, April 5, 2012

Sabbath meal




A vintage scrap showing a Jewish family at the table (click image to enlarge). I see what looks like a loaf of bread in front of the woman in red, so that tells me this is not a Passover seder. The candelabra does not have the nine arms of the Chanukah menorah, so it is not that holiday, either. Now I am just realizing that the whole scene is framed by trees and leaves, and so it leaves me to believe this family is celebrating Sukkoth, an autumn festival. From the Encyclopedia Britannica:
The festival is characterized by the erection of huts made of branches and by the gathering of four species of plants, with prayers of thanksgiving to God for the fruitfulness of the land.
A lovely scrap that might have been a merit award from a Hebrew school, according to the dealer who had it for sale.  Below, another vintage scrap showing Jewish men at prayer.


3 comments:

  1. What a fascinating piece of investigative work. So much interest out of such a small scrap of paper

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  2. I rarely encounter any cards or memorabilia relating to Jewish holidays, so it's wonderful to see these.

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  3. Great finds.
    The bottom image shows the Tashlikh - A symbolic casting off of sins, into a large, natural body of flowing water.

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