Define “Diaspora.”

• How and why does it happen?• What would be some of the effects on a

people if they are forced to relocate and scatter?

• What are some examples of diasporas?

di·as·po·radīˈaspərə/nounnoun: diasporaJews living outside Israel.the dispersion of the Jews beyond Israel.the dispersion of any people from their original homeland.plural noun: diasporas"the diaspora of boat people from Asia"

Judaic Artifacts

Hirbet Qeiyafa (near Temple Mount)

Earliest example of Hebrew writing: 1000 BC

Translation: “cheap wine”

Temple Mount, Jerusalem

Temple Mount - Jewish tradition:

• Where God created Adam and Eve• Abraham tried to sacrifice son Isaac• King Solomon built his temple (First Temple)

ca. 1000 BC• 528 BC – Second Temple built

Western Wall on Temple Mount is remnant of expanded Second Temple, ca. 19 BCE and is the holiest site of Judaism

Western Wall

Temple Mount Christian tradition

• Jesus threw out the money-changers• Jesus was crucified a few hundred yards away

Muslim Tradition

• Prophet Muhammad ascended to The Divine Presence on the back of a winged horse

Earliest depiction of a menorah:

Ca. 1000 BCE

Dead Sea ScrollsC. 300 BCE – 100 AD

Earliest known menorah, ca. 100

BCE • Maccabeean Revolt,

167 – 160 BCE• Excavated near

Temple Mount

Early Jewish sites:Synagogue of Dura-Europas 244 AD

Torah shrine

Beit Alpha Synagogue, Israel, ca. 500 AD

What makes art “Jewish”?

What makes art Jewish?

Subject matter: • religious themes and artifacts, like menorahs,

torahs and torah ornaments.• Also subject matter: history of the Jewish

people (i.e., images about the Holocaust or a shtetl scene)

What makes art Jewish?

Subject matter: • religious themes and artifacts, like menorahs,

torahs and torah ornaments.• Also subject matter: history of the Jewish

people (i.e., images about the Holocaust or a shtetl scene) or scenes from their lives.

• Creator of the work – if he/she is Jewish• Cultural connection to the lives of Jews

Unique quality of Jewish art

• Jewish people have had to move from nation to nation throughout their history.

• Their own unique culture has become integrated with the culture of the place they live in.

• Art that can be considered “Jewish” layers their unique culture over the culture of their country. For example:

• CA. 400 AD• Rome• Glass w/gold

Torah of Sefad, Israel ca. 1500

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNqO578oLqI

• Oldest complete Torah ca. 1150 AD

Cervera Bible, ca. 1300

• Combines Muslim illuminated manuscript style with Jewish content.

• Majolica ware 1300s Spain

Córdoba, Spain Jewish Quarters

Menorah from 1300s AD

Realejo, Granada, Spain

Portion of synagogue wall, Persia (Iran) 16th century

Left, German Torah case;right, Libyan Torah case

17th century Dutch

Arabian tilesTorah Case, 1919Jerusalem (under ArabControl)

Torah ornaments; Torah finials

Germany, 1700s

France or Italy, early 1800s

Wall Menorah, Mizrahi styleUkraine, 1700s

copper alloy