Day 79: Italian Jewish Art

Well I've never been to Italy, but if I visit this place, I might feel like I have.  The Museum of Italian Jewish Art can be found in Jerusalem.  Founded in 1981, this art museum features the art of the Italian Jewish communities from the Middle Ages to the present.  The art collection includes artifacts such as: Holy Arks, Bibles,  prayer books, silver, and textiles.

The founder of the museum was Umberto Nahon, an Italian Jew, who traveled across Italy in the 1950's acquiring the Jewish art. Many of the items were found in deserted synagogues that once belonged to Jewish communities in Italy that had completely lost their members.

In addition to the permanent and temporary exhibits, the museum also has a wood and a textile restoration workshop.  I read that the building, where the museum is located, has an interesting history.  However, they say it is one of those "fascinating stories" that you should hear in person.  So I will wait.

Apparently, the Museum of Italian Jewish Art is one of those little gems that most visitors to Israel don't see.  It's location is off the beaten path, so unless you know about it, you will probably miss it.  So, I am going to make a point of checking this museum out. 

Museum of Italian Jewish Art
27, Hillel Street (parallel to Ben Yehuda)
Jerusalem