The Jewish Museum of Greece will soon complete 45 years among Greek museums. We have chosen to celebrate this unusual Museums Day, by digitally presenting 18 characteristic and hopefully, interesting artifacts, each one connected to a human story, life and creation, from our Collections and Archival holdings. We have prepared this small offering working remotely, due to the corona virus pandemic measures, to honour the date, 18 May 2020. Furthermore, the number 18 is very significant in Jewish numerology, as it represents the numerical value of ‘hai’, meaning ‘life’, constituting thus the shortest and most potent wish one can express. In celebration of life and health therefore, we dedicate this presentation to museum workers and audiences the world over.
The JMG Team
Bowl for ritual hand washing
This pewter bowl from the JMG Judaica Collection is one of the few items from the Talmud Torah of Thessaloniki that survived its destruction...
Advertising postcard
The JMG recently received a donation of unique archival material from the Greek Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Thessaloniki, containing valuable information on...
Photograph of the Ioannina synagogue.
The JMG Photographic Archive comprises a multitude of thematic categories pertaining to Jewish life in Greece from the early beginnings of the art of...
Megillah case
Among the unique JMG collection of Esther Scrolls, there is this Megillah case decorated with silver filigree and provided with a small plaque, bearing...
Oil painting by Giulio Kaimi
The Contemporary Art Collection of the JMG holds artworks created mainly by various Greek-Jewish artists, including a great part of the oeuvre of Giulio...
Shiviti manuscript
Shiviti plaques are a category of Hebrew manuscripts with devotional and apotropaic character. This small-sized Shiviti manuscript was created by the Chief Rabbi of...
Τhe children of the Cohen family
Dora, Zaddik, Louis and Rachel (from left to right), the children of the Cohen family from Xanthi, dressed up to have their picture taken...
Resistance Fighters: Dr. Manolis Aruch
Dr. Manolis Aruch was one of the most active partisan doctors during WW II, serving in the ranks of EAM. After the War, he...
The Archive of the Jewish Primary School of Athens
The Archive of the 72nd Primary School of Athens constitutes a significant recent acquisition of the JMG, as it includes structured archival content, illuminating...
Μarble funerary plaque from Serres
The JMG Collection of Architectural and Funerary Monuments holds this marble funerary plaque from the destroyed Jewish cemetery of Serres. The tombstone bears a...
Marble funerary plaque from Kastoria
Part of a marble funerary plaque from the destroyed Jewish cemetery of Kastoria is kept today at the JMG Collection of Architectural Funerary Monuments....
Embroidery from Ioannina
Embroidery on cream silk, decorated in appliqué, a technique using mixed material as printed cardboard, cloth and twisted gold thread. Depicted is the biblical...
Entari
The Entari was the common outer coat dress worn both by women and men during the Ottoman period. Examples of Entaris, such as this...
Hebrew song book
Within the well-assorted JMG collection of prayer and liturgical books, there is a rare publication of a Hebrew song book published by the "Ne'im...
Parohet, Torah Ark curtain
During the 19th century, it was popular among Jewish, as well as non-Jewish, brides in the urban centers of the Ottoman Empire to wear...
Mappah, Torah case wrapper
The bride’s trousseau in traditional Greek-Jewish families of the 19th century included a set of gold embroidered articles to be used throughout their lives...
Wedding ring
The JMG Jewellery Collection mainly consists of pieces dating to the 19th and early 20th century, belonging to the Bulgarian Hoard, valuable personal items...
‘Genocide’, by Artemis Alcalay
This mixed-media work of art, entitled ‘Genocide’ was donated to the JMG Contemporary Art Collection by the artist, Artemis Alcalay, in honour of the...
