Torah scroll from Beth Shalom B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation
date: label: Date
content: ca. 1850
name: label: Created by
content: Unidentified
label: Owned by
content: Beth Shalom B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation, American, founded 1984
notes: label: Description
content: A handwritten Torah scroll containing the five books of the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) handwritten in Hebrew on parchment. The scroll is rolled onto two wooden shafts topped on either end with four plates. The shafts and plates are known as Torah rollers [atzei chaim or "trees of life"]. The wooden and metal plates at the top of the left and right shafts are identical. The exterior sides of the top plates have been finished with two bands of inlaid metal resembling rope. Between the bands there is an alternating pattern of decorative brass tacks and larger white-coated, round bores holes that expose the metal plates beneath the wood. Inside the decorative bands near the center of the plates, are paper disks, inscribed in Hebrew and covered with protective clear, plastic film disks that have been secured in place with brass nails. At the top of the left roller, the finial is missing due to loss and has been wrapped in white, cloth tape. The spindle-shaped finial of the right roller is a wooden peg, covered with a length of metal tubing and three differently colored spindle-turned elements. The finials at the bottom of the Torah are both spindle shaped with matching plates but mismatched spindle-shaped handles. The left handle is darker than the right, has a different design and is shorter in length than the right handle.
place: label: Place used
content: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America
label: Place made
content: Poland, Europe
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Black Hebraic religions
label: Topic
content: Identity
label: Topic
content: Judaism
label: Topic
content: Religion
label: Topic
content: Worship services
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Sacred and Ceremonial Objects
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture; Gift of Rabbi Capers Funnye and the Beth Shalom B’nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2011.88.1
objectType: label: Type
content: scrolls (information artifacts)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No Known Copyright Restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: wood and ink on parchment and sinew with alloy steel, brass, metal, paper and plastic
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 37 11/16 × 14 3/4 × 6 11/16 in. (95.7 × 37.5 × 17 cm)