Feb 28
Torah shields from 16th century Eretz Yisrael
one / two
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from T1
seen from Russia
seen from T1
seen from China
seen from Saudi Arabia
seen from United States
seen from Italy
seen from United States
seen from Japan
seen from China
seen from Spain
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Netherlands
seen from Saudi Arabia
seen from Bangladesh
Torah shields from 16th century Eretz Yisrael
one / two
Silver Torah shield from Rhodes, then in the Ottoman Empire, now Greece, 1859/60.
This Torah shield was dedicated to the Kahal Gadol Synagogue of Rhodes by Michael Hayyim David Soriano. The shield was probably once a mirror-back. Since superstition dictated that mirrors be turned to face the wall when not in use, Ottoman mirror-backs were often lavishly decorated.
Torah shield made from a mirror, late 1800s, Turkey.
Comfort in Symmetry
A Silver Gilt and Enamel Torah-Shield. Possibly Ottoman, 20th century. The pierced Tas centered with an enameled Magen David with the word Tzion, above which are the Tablets with the Decalogue flanked by "stones" (garnets?) surmounted by a stylized 7-branched Menorah from to which is attached a chain with a bell.
Silver Torah shield from Turkey, ca. 1865.
Inscribed in Hebrew with the names of “the righteous women” who donated the shield.
Torah Shield, 1795, Poland.
Silver Torah shield from Ukraine (?), 1783.