G - Central Europe

Summary

Two items are used to wrap the Torah scroll in central European communities: a binder and a narrow mantle. The binder is bound around the scroll and then the mantle is placed over it. A parokhet is hung in front of all arks. In addition, a kaporet is hung above the parokhet in many of the arks.

Binder, Pelhř imov, Bohemia, early twentieth century (top)

42 × 15 cm

Crimson silk velvet fabric; appliquéd patterns; pieces of leather and embroidery in green silk thread using filling stitch; metal and glass beads; crimson cotton cord; velvetcovered buttons; cotton ribbons

Collection of the Westminster Synagogue, London, no. 166

A rectangular binder finished around its edges with a cotton cord and tied with four ribbons to four buttons at its narrow ends. The decoration consists of many appliqued pieces of leather in foliate and floral patterns, to which are added embroidery in silk thread and metal and glass beads.

Binder, Třebič , Moravia, early twentieth century (below)

Belt: 51 × 12 cm; plaque: 16 × 12 cm Leather; blue silk velvet on a cardboard backing; filling stitch embroidery in yellow silk thread on a linen backing

Collection of the Westminster Synagogue, London, no. 147

The binder consists of a wide leather belt, at the centre of which is a small rigid oval cartouche in blue velvet embroidered in yellow silk thread. The cartouche bears the letters kuf and lamed at the centre, an abbreviation of the phrase kodesh lashem (‘consecrated to the Lord’), and is decorated with a meander pattern round the outside.

Mantle, Prague, 1710/11

97 × 54 cm

Crimson silk velvet; gold embroidery on a variety of backing materials; sewn-on fringe in silver thread; tassels

The Jewish Museum in Prague, no. 12.670

The mantle consists of two pieces of velvet joined at the sides on the upper part, and along three sections along their top edge, leaving openings for the two staves. A fringe is sewn onto the edge of each piece of velvet. The front and the back are divided into upper and lower sections. On both upper sections a dedicatory inscription is embroidered within an oval frame. There is a laver at the centre of the inscription on the front of the mantle, an image generally identified with families of levites.