The CollectorÍs Vision at the Judaica Museum
Ralph and Leuba Baum Collection
Threads of Holiness & A Special Succah

The Judaica Museum at The Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale
5967 Palisade Avenue, Bronx, NY    (718) 581 1787
Sunday, 1-5pm; Mon.-Thurs. 1-4:30pm; Free Admission
To have a vision as a museum demands three qualities. First of all they must have a substantial concept of what they want to exhibit. Secondly they must have both the means and ability to find the objects of art that will fulfill their concept. Finally and optimally the museum with a vision should have a larger idea of what their concept and its realization means. A collection of art objects can be simply interesting or it can point to something larger than the collection itself, an idea or meaning in the world beyond the museumÍs walls. The Bronx is home to such an expansive vision of a Judaica museum at the Judaica Museum in the Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale. Simply put, their concept is that the experience of unusual Judaica will release Jewish creativity and will allow us to reexamine and enrich all aspects of our lives. LetÍs start with The CollectorÍs Vision. It is the reinstallation of the permanent collection of the Ralph and Leuba Baum Collection and contains
thirteen different categories of Judaica that expresses the scope and diversity of Jewish creativity in the plastic arts. Included are; Life Cycle Objects such as elaborately engraved circumcision plates and knives, City of Gold wedding rings; Animal Imagery in Objects such as 18th century Polish Shabbos lamps festooned with birds and splendid 19th century German silver spice boxes in the shapes of fish and lions.

There are, of course, objects for Shabbos and Yom Tov and a special section for Contemporary Judaica. This includes the works of Moshe Zabari (who designed the striking space the Museum occupies overlooking the Hudson River and the Palisades) and Ludwig Wolper, both masters in
modern Judaic silverwork. There is one section devoted to American Judaica that contains a 19th century Tiffany decanter for wine and another section devoted to the Bezalel School of Art in Jerusalem including rare photographs of a 110 year old Jew of Tiberias and of RachelÍs Tomb both taken in 1920 by S. Narinsky. As I looked at RachelÍs Tomb standing alone with one lone tree alongside, I couldnÍt help thinking how different it looks today encased in security fortifications.

There is a section devoted to fakes, reproductions and other oddities of Judaica such as yadim fashioned from 19th century walking stick handles and an extensive collection of over 80 amulets (soon to be a separate special exhibition).

The section on Biblical Stories contains an amazing collection of art objects utilizing Biblical imagery in highly unusual and creative ways. Of special note are two painted glass panels by Joseph Dauhauser of scenes from the Joseph story. These are startling 19th century folk art depictions that first show Joseph and PotipharÍs wife and then Joseph being taken to prison. Everyone is dressed in their European finest, she with an outrageous feathered hat and the soldiers in their Napoleonic military best. Then in the next panel we see Jacob going down to Egypt as an important dignitary riding in a horse drawn carriage with an elegant driver and two footmen at the back of the carriage. To see this narrative cast in ñcontemporaryî dress is to be able to re-imagine it and to understand JosephÍs dilemma in the here and now. We also now see Jacob as a man of power and esteem, an aristocrat of his time. What a find!
Here also is the finest bisomiah collection I have ever encountered. It ranges from the 15th to 20th century in an outpouring of visual invention starting with fantastic architectural motifs and moving on to a Dutch windmill, everyday objects such as a barrel, a book, and a flower to superbly crafted birds in silver. One of the most wonderful (shown here) is of a silver Indian Elephant supporting a spice tower and fluttering banners from 19th century Vienna. The meaning leaps out at me. The spices from the Far East brought to us by an exotic elephant are scents from the distant perfection of Shabbos meant to lift our spirits as we enter the mundane weekday. Could you ever experience Havdalah quite the same?

Finally we arrive back at the entrance where there is the Belle Rosenbaum Mezuzah Collection of over 120 pieces. The mostly contemporary mezuzahs by Ita Aber, Dr. Bernard Bernstein, Barry Shavrick, Hana Geber, Raul Dufy, Steve Medwin, various other artists, and a traditional Moroccan embroidered cloth mezuzah charm us. The entire collection is surrounded by mezuzot rescued from tenements on the Lower East Side and from former Jewish homes in Hungary and Poland. It is an expression of faith and Jewish creativity found in every Jewish home. In addition there are three temporary exhibits that will be shown until January 28, 2001. One is 20th Century Pop, a collection of Rosh Hashanah cards from 1905 to 1950.
Silver Indian Elephant Spice Box, Vienna, 19thc.
The Judaica Museum, the Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale
Then there is Threads of Holiness. It shows about a dozen textiles;
including a beautiful ochre, gold and turquoise silk damask and velvet paroket from 19th century Bohemia, an unusual block printed Passover table cloth from 20th century Persia with the entire Seder service and instructions in Judeo-Persian and, most notably, a splendid round matzoh cover. This piece was made at the Girls Orphan Home in Jerusalem in 1863 and is a masterpiece in blue velvet with a design and lettering done in metallic thread, sequins and carved fish scales. Yom Tov was never so good or exotic.
Finally, the piece de resistance, is a small model of a succah. This is a beautiful detailed reproduction of the Bruno Paperno family succah in Livorna, Italy. The walls are decorated with greetings to the Ushpizin, an elaborate tapestry of a tree of life, and the names of the Paperno family members born or married that year. The table is set with candles, wine, and maritucci (traditional Italian succah bread). The sÍchach is meticulously detailed with multicolored leaves, fruits and branches. And it has all been created from plain sugar by confectionery artist, Deborah A. Bonelli in 1998. The sweetness and transitory nature of Hag ha Succot has been captured in this whimsical masterpiece. The Judaica Museum in Riverdale has a vision that transforms Judaica from simply useful ritual objects into revelatory and exciting experiences. They have fulfilled their vision well and we are certainly richer for their efforts.

Richard McBee
December 24, 2000

Published with permission of the Jewish Press, Brooklyn, New York.
Miniature of Paperno Family Succah, 1998, Sugar Miniature, Deborah A.
Bonelli
The Judaica Museum, the Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale