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Massive silver Kiddush goblet. Vilna, 19th century.

Celebrating

the Holidays

Silver Chanukah
menorah. Germany,
with Judaica c. 1910.

Left: A silver
etrog container.
Germany, c. 1880.
By Jonathan Greenstein

he practice of Judaism commands a variety of generation to generation or as descendants become less
ceremonies throughout the calendar year. Many of interested, these family heirlooms were put up for auction.
Tthese rituals involve the performance of certain Throughout Jewish history, since medieval times, there
physical acts in conjunction with prayer. The majority of has not been a particularly Jewish style of art. Being
these revolve around the Jewish Sabbath which takes place somewhat nomadic, Jews have adapted to whatever country
from sunset Friday night to sunset Saturday night. The rest and time they found themselves in and, therefore, adopted
are performed on special holidays such as Chanukah and the host society’s style of art. For instance, if one were to
Passover or during life cycle events such as circumcisions find an antique menorah in Germany around 1910, it
and marriage. Some take place in the synagogue, but the would most likely be in art nouveau or art deco form. If we
majority of them are based in the home. found it in Poland, it would tend to be folksier, in line with
Each of these various ceremonies has traditional objects the craftsmanship of the time.
that are usually associated with them. For instance, in many The most common Judaica objects to collect are
Jewish homes, the Sabbath is welcomed by reciting the Kiddush cups, spice boxes, Chanukah menorahs, Purim
prayer of the Kiddush which is iterated over wine in a scrolls, and silver used to decorate the Torah.
special silver cup. On
Saturday nights, we bid Kiddush Cups
farewell to the Sabbath with Kiddush cups are the most basic
the Havdalah ceremony in Jewish ceremonial object and A silver goblet by
which, like Kiddush, we therefore one of the most popular Lazarus Posen.
recite a prayer over wine in a items to collect within the field of Frankfurt-Au-Main, 1937
special cup. In addition, Judaica. The wine cup is symbolically
another blessing is made over and spiritually rich for the Jews.
clove spices, usually housed When a cup is raised in a Jewish
in a special decorative ceremony, G-d is honored. His
container known as a spice day of rest is proclaimed, the
tower, to mark the departure division between the Sabbath and
of the Sabbath. On the rest of the week is recognized,
Chanukah, we kindle the a biblical holiday is ushered in, a
menorah, on Passover we use Bris Milah is performed, or
a Seder dish to hold the Large sterling Kiddush beaker perhaps a wedding is taking place.
symbolic foods during the by Wood and Hughes. The Kiddush cup, thereby, becomes
festive meal, and on Purim, American, c. 1860. a sanctified object, no longer part of
where the Jews celebrate the anxious victory over evil in the mundane, pedestrian world but rather
ancient Persia, we read the Megillah scroll. In Judaism, belonging to a holy one. Even when the
there is a concept called hiddur mitzvah, which literally cup is not filled for the performance of a
means “beautification of the mitzvah (ritual).” This holy obligation or ritual, the Jew will say
concept encouraged the use of art to enhance the ritual “L’chaim,” “To life,” ever grateful to
objects used in the ceremonies previously described. The our Creator for granting us life.
more common term for a Jewish ritual object is “Judaica.” Kiddush cups from various
Judaica can be any object that is used in a Jewish ritual or parts of the world are invariably
can sometimes be a secular item that is decorated with different. Ones crafted in Germany
Jewish motifs. are usually on a stem. These models that date to the 18th
Unfortunately, much of the antique Judaica that was and early 19th centuries are often octagonal in shape and
created throughout history was destroyed while their owners on a highly decorated foot. They are usually engraved with
were being murdered in Europe during World War II. This a variety of Sabbath-related epithets such as “Remember
is generally what makes antique European Judaica extremely the Sabbath Day to its Holiness” or “Shabbos Kodesh.”
rare. Those pieces now in public hands generally date after Sometimes they are engaged with other holiday-related
the late 17th century. Many have survived the war by scriptural writings relating to the exodus from Egypt when
coming to America during the great wave of immigration the cup is meant for Passover use. Similarly, one can find A giant covered pineapple
around the turn of the 20th century, and have been handed cups inscribed with sayings relating to the sukkot holiday, shaped Kiddush goblet.
down in the family; however, as estates passed from
Rosh Hashanah, or the Festival of Weeks. These 18th Nuremberg, 19th century.

34 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles