Torah Crown (work of art)
Artwork Info
Key Ideas
- This futuristic-looking Torah crown is made from one continuous piece of reflective silver. The artist was inspired by the space age explorations of the 1950s and 1960s. Instead of using traditional bells, he used starlike pearls that dangle when the Torah is moved.
- Moshe Zabari is an Israeli silversmith. He is best known for his modernist take on ritual Jewish objects.
- It is traditional for Jewish communities to place decorations on their Torah scrolls. One of the most common ornaments is a crown (or keter in Hebrew). Crowning the Torah is a symbol of honor.
Learn More
In Jewish synagogues a scroll of the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) is often decorated and honored with a crown. This modern example was created by an Israeli artist who is based in the United States. The crown is part of a set that includes a shield to hang on the Torah. According to the artist, the shield’s form “is based on the Hebrew letter ש (shin), for God’s name, thus emphasizing the fact that God controls the universe.”
Moshe Zabari studied modernist art at the New Bezalel School in the mid 1950s. Modernist art emerged in the late 19th and early 20th century. Modernist artists reacted to major social and political changes, often challenging the traditional idea that art should realistically reflect the world. Founded in 1906 and located in Jerusalem, this art school specializes in painting, traditional sculpture, and metalsmithing. Many Yemenite Jews (including Zabari) have a long history of working with silver.
Zabari sculpts smooth shapes in his silverwork. His work is unbroken by decorations or embellishments. Every piece he creates is functional. When he graduated from Bezalel, Zabari came to the Tobe Pascher Workshop of The Jewish Museum in New York. Dr. Abram Kanof founded this organization in 1957 to promote the growth of modern Jewish ceremonial art. Zabari worked with many different artists at the workshop and observed a variety of art-making styles. His workshop experience helped him develop a unique style that was different from the Judaic art that was popular in Israel. Zabari spent nearly 30 years as the director of (and artist-in-residence at) the Tobe Pascher Workshop in The Jewish Museum.
tags: function, power, ritual, variation
Additional Resources
Resources for Teachers
- Watch a video of Zabari speaking about his work on Kiddush cups.
- Read an article about teaching liberation through the study of art.
- View a slideshow of Jewish ritual objects from the Bezalel School.
Resources for Students
- Read an overview of the artist’s life and background.
- Watch a video of a congregation in Australia taking out a fully decorated Torah.
Images
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Torah Crown
Two identical silver cylinders are shown side by side on a thin base. A thin silver wire begins at the top of each cylinder, intertwining in looping patterns and joining in the middle. Throughout this crownlike shape, there are a few floating pearls that serve as decoration.