Hiddur

Things That Make Judaism Beautiful

[avtherav]

Been bouncing around my head for a while.

[avtherav]

This modern seder plate was designed by Israeli silversmith Jacob Greenvurcel in 1981. Born in Poland in 1952, Greenvurcel came to Israel at age 5 and attended the Bezalel Academy of Art, graduating in 1980. His contemporary Judaica is prized for its sleek refinement and interlocking forms, and is featured in many public and private collections. The Spertus collection is home to eleven works by Greenvurcel including several hanukkah lamps, a hand-washing set, and a set of torah ornaments comprised of finials, shield, and pointer. This extraordinary seder plate holds the symbolic seder foods in its base and matzah in its upper receptacle. When viewed from above, the superimposed upper and lower triangles form a Star of David.

[speciesbarocus]

Regula emblematica Sancti Benedicti (1783). [x]

[avtherav]

From Michael Zimring 

[avtherav]

Also clean, slightly irreverent, but very modern. From Yaacov Greenvurcel. I'm sure i'll feature more of him soon enough.

[avtherav]

Christofle. Simple. Clean. Beautiful.

[avtherav]

Kestenbaum is holding an auction of some rare and beautiful Judaica, the kind that current silversmiths attempt to copy all the time. The filigree work on some of these pieces is magnificent. Above is a sofa-style menorah from the late 18th century.

[heavyanddissolved]

A Guide for the Perplexed by Maimonides or Mosheh ben Maimon.

Here an edition made in Barcelona, 1347-48.

+

[avtherav]

Temple Sholom - Chicago

I teach here and I pass by the building on a regular basis when I'm running. Its roof always reminds me of this post by visualculturist.

Note that the original roof (as seen in this postcard) was much more ornate.(postcard from the National Museum Of American Jewish History).

[avtherav]

Jewish Museum Exhibit

In 2010 Daniel Libeskind created a flame inspired display for the Jewish Museum's annual exhibit of Menorot (the 2011 one was curated by Maurice Sendak). The designs are a mixed bag with some really great standouts. like the superlimited Richard Meier. Apparently they do this every year but I cannot seem to find any info about this year's exhibit.  NYTimes reported about it here.

[avtherav]

Before I begin to showcase menorot throughout the coming month, I would like to share with you this sobering reassessment from Design Observer

[brokenprayer]

The Hebrew text of the Old Testament in CB 21 originated in Moorish Spain: Al-Andalus. Unlike most similar surviving manuscripts, it does not belong to the Ashkenazic tradition, but rather is an artifact of the Sephardic book culture of the 13th century. The decoration is strongly influenced by calligraphic art.

[avtherav]

Nice!

[avtherav]

From Yitzchok Moully. I have this on my wall in my dining room. The way the faces becomes abstracted in the piece reminds me that I need to subsume my self to the greater community sometimes. It also makes the piece a little less “pop” and more fresh than some of the other works that he has available. His juxtapositions, such as the zippo and the shabbos candles are cute, but not entirely to my personal liking. I’m sure some people gobble it up and in truth I’d much rather this sell than another trite “little girl lighting shabbos candles with her Imma” done in an imitation old masters style.

[avtherav]

Amy Reichert, a Chicago based architect has some wonderful Judaica displayed on her website. She blends an innate understanding of the nature of the wood and silver she uses with a deep conceptual understanding of the rituals that the items are used for. I imagine that using these objects inevitably heightens any ritual activity.

Here is her kiddush cup and her description:

This vessel embodies the act of reciting kiddush, the moment of separation between profane and sacred time.  Here, the wood block, material and earth-bound, represents the quotidian.  During the week, the silver cup nestles in this wooden shell. On the eve of Shabbat, the cup is filled with wine, and liberated from its everyday housing; it becomes a shimmering sign of the spiritual. 

http://judaica.amyreichertdesign.com

[avtherav]

Cymbalista Synagoge / Jewish Heritage Center / בית הכנסת והמרכז למורשת היהדות ע"ש צימבליסטה by Vexela on Flickr.

[hiromitsu]

[avtherav]

The Cymbalista synagogue at Tel Aviv University

more pics:

[avtherav]

Herend mezuzah