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SYNAGOGUES and JEWISH TEMPLES of WORSHIP:
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France: Consistorial Synagogue of Bordeaux, 1810, by Jaley; pewter, 39mm, 23.7g, in F-VF: commemoriates the founding of the Sephardic Jewish Synagogue in the city. French legend on obverse and reverse: "Consistorial Synagogue of Bordeaux" and "Built in 1810 under the reign of Napoleon the Great".
One of the very few Synagogue medals minted in France, and one of only two known to have been struck before the fall of Napoleon (the other is only known through literary sources and does not even exist in any known private collection); Friedenberg suggests this indicates the degree to which French Jewry felt uncomfortable about openly displaying their religious affiliation; JM-71 & 138.
The relatively poor condition of the medal's details may be due more to the manner of its production rather than to actual wear, as other pewter pieces exhibit the same degree of detail.
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Item Code: 0130028 Price: $300
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Netherlands, the Hague/Maastricht; mule of New Synagogue of Maastrict / Moses Jacobus van Gigch medal of honor, 1841 (Polak-26); struck in silvered bronze; by Jewish medallist Jacques Wiener (Belgium); weight: 28.85g; size: 41mm.
Obverse depicts the obverse of Polak-24 (1841), the facade of the New Synagogue of Maastricht, with legend in Hebrew at top "For [the sake of] the House of G-d I Will Ask for Good Fortune for You:", and inauguration date below, 21 August 1840.
On reverse is the reverse of Polak-25 (1841), which is a 10-line dedication with additional legend around the edge: "Hulde der Dankbare Israëliten Te's, Gravenhage Aan Mr. M.J. Van Gigch | Voor Zyne | Menschlievende | Bemoeyingen | Tot Oprigting | En Inwyding | Van Het Israëlitisch | Oude Mannen | En | Vrouwenhuis | Aldaar" ("Tribute of Gratitude by the Jews of the Hague to Mr. M. J. Van Gigch | His Philanthropic Support for the Erection and Inauguration of the Jewish Old Men and Womens Home".
The Maastricht Synagogue medal produced of a Synagogue delegation's audience with King William II, in June 1841. Mr. van Gigch (1793-1858), the person honored by the second medal, was a student of King Louis Napoleon, and distinguished himself as a successful lawyer in the Hague, in the Supreme Court and at the High Council of the Netherlands. He served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Order of Lawyers, as chairman of the Jewish Community's school committee, and as the president and regent of the Jewish old age home he helped found.
This medal is also in the Royal Medals Collection in the Hague. In VF, with a series of knock-marks around the rim, probably from a minter's tool; JMM-49.
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Item Code: 0130594 Price: $1000
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JEWISH RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS, RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS, MIDRASHOT, COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS:
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France: Jewish Charitable Society 25th Anniversary, 1907; cast bronze medal by French engraver Felix Rasumny; 55mm, 71.95g: depicts image of well-composed people seeking assistance from a poetically dressed female "clerk" on obv. and an engraved dedication to "Monsieur G. Straus, Honorary President and Founder" on the occation of the 25th Anniversary (1882-1907) of the "Société Israélite de Bienfaisance".
Ethnic and religious charitable societies were widespread in France during the latter half of the 19th Century and first third of the 20th; although this medal cannot presently be traced to a specific city or country (France, Belgium, Luxembourg), as Rasumny was a French artist, it may be safe to surmise that the medal is French (the phrase "Société Israélite de Bienfaisance" is generic and such societies can be traced to numerous cities, including in French North Africa).
Though not featured in Daniel Friedenberg's books, and Forrer's dictionary does not mention if Rasumny was Jewish, this is possible as among his large body of work he also made a medal to commemorate Alfred Dreyfuss (1898). In VF-EF, with light holder residue on the top left of the reverse.
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Item Code: 0130040 Price: $150
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France: "The Benevolent Jew" Society (circa. 1920), silvered bronze medal by French Jewish medalist Emmanuel Hannaux; 48mm x 70mm; 99.95g: artistic award plaque created for a fraternal benefit society ("La Bienfaisante Israélite"), founded in Paris in 1843, and intended to be awarded to a recipient though the field for an engraved dedication (reverse) is blank; possibly awarded around the period to commemorate 75 years to the Society's founding.
Though not mentioned by Daniel Friedenberg in his books on Jewish medalists, the American Jewish Yearbook for 1903 mentions that Hannaux was awarded the Medal of Honor from the Jury on Sculpture at the Salon of French Artists. In VF.
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Item Code: 0130043 Price: $300
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France: Leonard Rosenthal and "Rachel House" (ND), circa. 1920's: silvered bronze plaque by Felix Rasumny (1869-1940); 48mm x 60mm; 80g: commemorating the founding president of the "Rachel Foundation" - a (Jewish) womens' professional school - on the 20th anniversary of the foundation's establishment and issued to General Weiller, a Grand-Officer of the Legion of Honor. In VF-EF.
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Item Code: 0130044 Price: $150
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Germany/Prussia: Jewish Wilhelm School (Wilhelmschule) of Breslau, 1791; silver, size: 28.5mm, weight: 6.7g: one of the only Jewish school medals minted at that time, it commemorates the foundation of the Jewish Wilhelmschule of Breslau in Prussia.
Although the school was supported by the Prussian-Jewish aristocrat Lippmann Meyer, local insecurity over anti-Semitism led the community to pay homage instead (German legend: "Vom Grafen Hoym Veredelt") to the Christian minister, Count Karl von Hoym, of the Silesian government who made the existence of the school possible and who gave the Jews a new constitution in 1790 (JM-70 and 137). In EF-AU with good luster; Heyden-1846.
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Item Code: 0130017 Price: $400
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Germany/Prussia: Jewish Wilhelm School (Wilhelmschule) of Breslau, 1791; silver, size: 21mm, weight: 2.25g, in F-VF: a smaller version of the 29mm medal which commemorates the foundation of the Jewish Wilhelmschule of Breslau in Prussia.
Although the school was supported by the Prussian-Jewish aristocrat Lippmann Meyer, local insecurity over anti-Semitism led the community to pay homage instead (German legend: "Vom Grafen Hoym Veredelt") to the Christian minister, Count Karl von Hoym, of the Silesian government who made the existence of the school possible and who gave the Jews a new constitution in 1790 (JM-70 and 137).
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Item Code: 0130019 Price: $200
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Germany: The New Jewish Hospital in Hamburg, 1841, by Hans Friedrich Alsing; bronze (large size 45mm), 42.35g: with bust of Salomon Heine and legend "Menschenliebe ist die Krone aller Tugenden" (in English: "Human love is the crown of all virtues"); on obverse view of the home with German legend "Frau Betty Heine zum andenken erbaut von ihrem Gatten" (in English: [dedicated to] "Mrs. Betty Heine built in memory of her husband").
Salomon Heine (1766-1844) was a German banker and philanthropist, the uncle of Heinrich Heine, and the principal benefactor of the hospital who dedicated its construction to his deceased wife, Betty. In EF, with some traces of luster.
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Item Code: 0130039 Price: $250
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Germany: Jewish Hospital in Hamburg, 1841; by J.D.; bronze, size: 23mm, weight: 4.05g. With bust of Salomon Heine and view of the home.
Heine was the uncle of Heinrich Heine, and the principal benefactor of the hospital who dedicated its construction to his deceased wife. He established the new hospital in response to the poor medical conditions of the city's own hospital, and the Jewish Hospital was open to all residents of all religions. In VF-EF but with signs of cleaning in places.
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Item Code: 0130015 Price: $50
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Germany: The New Jewish Hospital in Hamburg, 1841, by Hans Friedrich Alsing; silver, large size type - 45mm, weight: 43.75g, in VF: with bust of Salomon Heine and legend "Menschenliebe ist die Krone aller Tugenden" (in English: "Human love is the crown of all virtues"); on obverse view of the home with German legend "Frau Betty Heine zum andenken erbaut von ihrem Gatten" (in English: [dedicated to] "Mrs. Betty Heine built in memory of her husband").
Salomon Heine (1766-1844) was a German banker and philanthropist, the uncle of Heinrich Heine, and the principal benefactor of the hospital who dedicated its construction to his deceased wife, Betty.
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Item Code: 0130024 Price: $650
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Germany: Hirsch Berend Oppenheimer medal by (Carl Heinrich?) H. Lorenz, 1868; struck in bronze, size: 45mm, weight: 40.15g: commemorating the Oppenheimer Housing Trust, founded in 1868 to provide subsidized flats for needy members of the German Jewish community.
Only orthodox Jews who observed Judaic law, and who had lead a clean life were considered by the trust, and those who had been reduced to poverty through not fault of their own were given precedence. The trust's tenants were obliged to attend all religious services.
In AU-UNC with lovely patina and luster; a few very light rim nicks and a few very light hairline scratches; signs of possible cleaning in a few places; Antoine-Feille (1908) #3827.
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Item Code: 0130012 Price: $600
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Germany: World War I tallion "In Recognition of the German-Jewish Kindergarten of Limburg an der Lahn", circa. 1914-1916; zinc(?), 27mm, 8.3g: depicts an 'eternal flame'(?) with the date "August 1914" (i.e. the month the 1st World War began) on the obverse, and the German legend "In Anerkennung Der Deutsch-Israelitischer Kinderhort Limburg a.L." surmounting an Iron Cross.
The medal's reference to the "Kinderhort" is probably to the better-known "Deutsch-Israelitischer Kinderheim" of Limburg zu Diez an der Lahn, founded in 1886 as a Jewish house of education for orphans and children from poor families and forceably closed in 1935.
In the absence of available information documenting a special contribution of the kindergarten to the war effort, a good supposition for this medal's purpose is that it either commemorates the institution for sending young graduates from its house to the army for military service (at that time children aged 16 were recruited for front-line service), or for providing beds/food for soldiers.
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Item Code: 0130031 Price: $150
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Germany: Work Creation Charity of the Berlin Jewish Community, 1935-36 [5696]; cast bronze, size: 60mm, weight: 78.95g: obverse depicts image of mother helping support small child with German legend "Aufbringungswerk Judische Gemeinde Berlin" ("Work creation Jewish Community Berlin"); reverse shows image of Star of David with Hebrew prayer around the Star and German translation of the prayer inside the Star: "You [the Lord] open Your hand and sustain all living things".
The prayer text is a key portion of the "Psalm of Praise of David", of the daily morning "Shacharit" prayer service; the prayer, "Ashrey Yoshvey Beitecha..." is recited three times a day and the reciter is said to be eligible to reach the next world. A rare medal given the period of its mintage, in Nazi Germany, just after the restrictive Nuremberg Laws (of 1935).
The probable chairperson of this charity in this period was Rabbi Meir (Martin) Salomonski (1881-1944), a former German Army field Rabbi in World War I and subsequent founder of the Liberal Synagogue of Berlin in 1923. As head of this charity he tried to raise money from donations and collections to preserve the financial stability of Jewish institutions. No maker-mark; in EF-AU.
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Item Code: 0130033 Price: $750
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Germany: Farewell Medal for "Des Philanthropins" School of Frankfurt; tombak (no maker-mark), 80mm, 120.2g: the "Das Philanthropin zu Frankfurt am Main" (also known as "Real- und Volksschule der Israelitischen Gemeinde") was one of the largest and longest-lasting Jewish schools in Germany, founded in 1804 by Siegmund Geisenheimer (and inaugurated by Moses Mendelssohn); closed by the Nazis in 1942, the building was re-opened as an administrative center for the Jewish community in 1954 and sold to the municipality in 1978 (being subsequently re-opened again 2006 as part of the I. E. Lichtigfeld School).
The medal commemorates the then sad occasion of the building's closure and is engraved a "Farewell Medal" on the obverse with the founding and ending dates of 1804 - 1979, and on the reverse a darkly comical image adorned with the legend "in the beginning there was the idea... in the end it was [just about] money". The grind-box says "Public Opinion". In UNC with a few traces of holder residue.
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Item Code: 0130046 Price: $75
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Hungary, "National Hungarian Jewish Relief Action" (OMZSA) appreciation medal, 1940; cast in bronze; by Jewish medalist Örkényi Stephen (István) Strasser (1911-1944); weight: 72.55g; size: 59.5mm.
Obverse depcits mother and daughter figures with exhortation in Hungarian "Testvéremet Ne Hagyd El!" ("Do not abandon your brother"), and artist's name behind the figures.
On reverse large device (probably organization emblem) with "OMZSA" and the name "Dukesz Ákos" inscribed above, with Hungarian legend around rim "Ezen Érem Tulajdonosa Teljesítette Kötelességét az OMZSA-val Szemben" (loosely translated, "The OMZSA is indebted to the person awarded this medal", the Hebrew date "5700" [1940] and a small Star of David engraved at base.
Although Hungarian Jewry was largely Hungarianized and patriotic, within the Jewish community there were two main groups which didn't cooperate well together: the Orthodox Jews, who were traditional, well established in financial circles and mostly anti-Zionist, and the "neologue" Jews of the middle class, with a Zionist orientation.
The "Országos Magyar Zsidó Segítő Akció" (OMZSA) was a pre-war fund-raising agency dealing with Jewish welfare and social work, and associated with the neologue community, and worked closely with the Hungarian Jewish Advocacy Office (Magyar Izraeliták Pártfogo Irodája) which distributed those funds (and in turn worked closely with the "Joint American-Jewish Distribution Committee").
During the Holocaust, in 1939 the Hungarian government forbade Jews from serving in the armed forces and instead conscripted military-aged Jews into forced labor battalions; by 1940 this obligation was extended to all able-bodied male Jews, and that same year Jews were expelled from holding certain professions.
Around the time the OMZSA undertook welfare activities for both the conscripted laborers and their families which they left behind, and this medal was part of the fund-raising effort; one source estimates about 3,000 Jews received assistance from the OMZSA in this period.
It appears the number of Stars etched on the reverse had something to do with the degree of assistance (or stature) of the recipient: an identical medal awarded to the Chief Rabbi Ferenc Hevesi bears three Stars. In UNC. The Jewish artist of this medal, Orkenyi Strasser, was killed in 1944, but the recipient may be the same person listed on Hungarian cemetary records, and survived the war (1892-1952).
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Item Code: 0130606 Price: $500
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Hungary: Pest Israelite Jewish Community High School sports medal, circa. 1920s; bronze, 38mm, 23.45g, in AU-UNC: depicting the "realgimnazium" building on obverse with Hungarian semi-abbreviated legend "A Pesti Izr [Izraelita] Hitk [Hitközségnek] Realgimnaziuma" ("From the Pest Israelite Jewish Community High School") and "Ero Az Ifju Di'sze" ("Encourage the Young") and Hebrew legend "To the glory of boys like you"; and reverse an image of a shot-putter.
By the engravers' names the obverse may have been created by G. Szekely (perhaps a relative of the Hungarian-Jewish female olympic swimmer Eva Szekely, b. 1927) and the reverse by Puderi. The realgimnazium is probably the new Jewish high school of the Jewish congregation of Pest, which was founded in 1919 and taught its courses in Latin, German, Hungarian and Hebrew.
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Item Code: 0130026 Price: $200
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Hungary: Centennial Budapest Rabbinical Seminary ("Beit Midrash" - "Place of Religious Study"), 1977; uniface, .835 silver, size: 27mm, weight: 7.2g, in AU-UNC (luster and shine): with image of the Beit Midrash surmounted by legend in Hungarian "Azorsz Rabbikepzo Intezet Centenauriumara" with Hebrew legend beneath "Beit HaMidrash Le Rabbanim BeBudapest 1877-1977". Silver and mint marks on reverse.
The institute is known variously in English as the "Rabbinical Seminary of Budapest" and the "Jewish Theological Seminary - University of Jewish Studies in Budapest": in its time one of the most important Jewish institutions in the world for the training of Rabbis, which combined religious studies with general education and which shaped the outlook of Hungarian Jewry (but was nevertheless boycotted by the Orthodox Jewish community).
Among its notable staff members was its founding president the Chief Rabbi Dr. Joseph Shweizer, Dr. Ignaz (Yitzhak) Goldziher and Professor Alexander (Sandor) Shaiver. A rare medal: among the communist-bloc countries of eastern Europe, Hungary was unique in that the Rabbincal Seminary and the "Anne Frank" Jewish high school continued to function under the period of Communist rule. AU-UNC.
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Item Code: 0130003 Price: $200
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Israel: False Half Shekel, 1955, issued by the "Leader Ha-Ari Foundation" ("HaAri" - the initials of "Rabbi Yitzhak Lurie"); cast copper-nickel(?), 38.5mm, 33.65g, in UNC: as per the legend in Hebrew, it was minted "In preparation for the 3000th year of Jerusalem the Capital's existence" by the "Machon Nasi HaAri YaHabetz [meaning of these initials unknown]", and "Half a Shekel 5715 (1955)".
The obverse legend, featuring the image of Rabbi Yitzhak Lurie Ben Shlomo further reads "Rabbi Yitzhak Ben Zvi Ashkenazi - Member of Horowitz [family]" - this may be a play on names, using the then Israeli President's name, Yitzhak Ben Zvi; the legend continues: "Founder of the World Knesset Israel Center in Jerusalem So Says He (sic), Tel Aviv P.O.Box 3085".
The closest relevant connection to the name Horowitz is Rabbi Yeshayahu HaLevy Horowitz (1558-1630; also known as the "Hashlah" for his book "Shney Luchot HaBrit" - The Two Tablets of the Ten Commandments), who was a contemporary of Yitzhak Lurie (1534-1572): he accepted and promoted the Kabbalism taught by Rabbi Lurie.
The reverse depicts the two Tablets, the Lions of Judea, a Judaic Menorah, ancient Jewish coins and other images of Judaism; the ribbon in the center reads "Mercaz Knesset Israel HaOlamit HaAri YaHabetz" (same legend as on obverse), and is surmounted by the Hebrew legend "Half a Shekel (with the Aramaic numeral) - Remember the Holy City of Jerusalem - Kingship of Judea and Israel".
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Item Code: 0130021 Price: $100
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Israel: "Heichal Shlomo Jerusalem" medal; size: 30mm, weight: 18.15g: medal of the complex ("Hall of Shlomo") which serves as the seat of the Israeli Chief Rabbinate since 1958, named after Shlomo Wolfson, the father of Sir Isaac Wolfson, who donated the money for the contruction of the building.
The complex includes the offices of the Chief Rabbinate, the High Court of the religious Jewish judicial system, the chief Jewish library of Israel, and Synagogue. The medal depicts an image of the building on the obverse with the emblem of the Chief Rabbinate surmounted by a quote from the Bible "And They Judged the Nation with Fair Justice" (Deuteronomy/Dvarim 9-7, 18) and Hebrew legend "Heichal Shlomo Jerusalem" on the reverse. In UNC with some light holder residue on surface and edge.
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Item Code: 0130006 Price: $75
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Libya: Talmud Torah School ("Beit Sefer Talmud Torah") in Tripoli, 1933-1934; silver, size: 27mm, weight: 8g, in F: a "Prize" medal awarded by the famous Jewish Torah studies ("Talmud Torah") school in Tripoli, Libya for the year 1933-34; the obverse legend in Hebrew says "A Smart Son Makes a Father Happy" (in Hebrew: "Ben Hacham Yismach Av"), surmounting a tablet of the Ten Commandments with "Book of Proverbs 12" ("Mishlei yud-alef") in Rashi script below.
The Sefer (book) Mishlei is also known as one of the Books of Wisdom of the Bible, which encourages the reader to lead a life of intellect. The reverse reads in Hebrew "Prize 5694" (1933-1934) and "Beit Sefer Talmud Torah Tripoli". Rare.
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Item Code: 0130018 Price: $500
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Netherlands: Dutch Judaic medal for the Jewish Hospital and Home, circa. 1938; bronze, 60mm, weight exceeds 3g and is probably half a kilogram; in EF: bronze medal in heavy octagonal base, depicting elderly person lying in bed with Star of David, setting sun and the letters "JL" ("Joodse Invaliden" - Jewish Disabled) in the background. The Dutch legend below says "Peaceful Twilight Hours".
According to the Dutch Jewish Museum, the society sponsoring this hospital was founded in 1911 to provide shelter for the frail and elderly in a Jewish environment but funding was entirely from private (not governmental) sources and the difficulty in raising the needed funds delayed its establishment until 1926, and the hospital-home moved to a newer building in 1938, the event which is probably commemorated by this medal (only 100 were struck); in March 1943 the entire staff and patients of the home were deported.
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Item Code: 0130008 Price: $200
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Romania: Jubilee of 25th Anniversary of the (Jewish) Society of the "Sacred Duty" ("Datoriile Sacre") in Bucarest; 32.5mm, 14g, in VF: medallic tallion with Star of David on obverse surmounted by Romanian legend "25th Anniversary 1901-1926" and on reverse "Society of the 'Sacred Duty' Bucharest" in Romanian with Hebrew legend in center (a segment from a ritual prayer - the expected duties/good deeds of a Jew), "Visiting of the Sick, Burial of the Dead" ("Bikur Kholim, Halvayat HaMet").
There is no engraver's mark on the medal, though judging by an error in the Hebrew (intead of the letter "Kh" in "Kholim" - "Sick", the engraver used the Hebrew letter "H"), the engraver was probably not Jewish.
Although the Jewish community of Romania was significantly large in the 20th Century, few researched medallic objects exist and little or no historiography in any language about its past activies is accessible. Originally a silvered medal, now with some surface wear and a few rim nicks; VF+.
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Item Code: 0130004 Price: $700
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United States: (Rabbi) Isaac Mayer Wise / Hebrew Union College 70th Anniversary commemorative medal, 1945; struck in bronze; no marker/artist mark; 63mm, 88.35g: with façade of the Hebrew Union College and Hebrew legend at base, "Source of Living Waters", with dates of commemoration (1875 - 1945) on obverse, and bust of Rabbi Wise on reverse. The legend in English on obv. "Three Score and Ten" (i.e. 3x12 + 10) may refer to 46 years since Wise's passing away.
Isaac Mayer Wise (1819-1900) was a Bohemian-born Rabbi with a reformist orientation who emigrated to the States to become Rabbi of Albany where he led a groundbreaking reform Jewish congregation. Wise was active in trying to establish unity among the diverse congregations of the United States, and wrote one of the first widely accepted and used prayer books among the American Jewish congregations ("Minhag America"). Wise's reforms were not all greeted with favor and following a fist-fight between himself and his congregation's president, he became the Rabbi of Bnei Yeshurun congregation in Cincinnati. Working tirelessly to create a theological seminary for the training of Rabbis, Wise eventually succeeded in founding the Hebrew Union College in 1875, and also succeeded in founding the Central Conference of American Rabbis (1889).
Exquisite detail and well designed (unlike many contemporary American commemorative medals). In AU-UNC, but with a surface scratch(?) or metal imperfection on obverse; laquered finish. Rare.
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Item Code: 0130263 Price: $400
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JEWISH FUNDRAISERS & CHARITIES:
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United States: Harry S. Truman, 1960: 40mm, with bust of Truman and legend "Man of the Century", and Menorah. Issued during the State of Israel Bonds drive in Chicago to commemorate the former US President for his support of Israel.
The "Israel Bonds" is an informal name for the agency (Development Corporation for Israel - DCI) which underwrites Israeli bonds in the US. The "Bonds" was launched in 1950 as a fund-raising initiative to help the new State recover from her War of Independence and the absorption of a massive influx of immigrants, and bonds "drives" featuring dinner banquets keynoted by major statemen is one of the main fundraising events of the Bonds.
As Harry Truman supported the recognition of Israel (against serious opposition from his closest aides, like Secretary of State George Marshall), among other accomplishments, it's probably in recognition of his stance that he is featured on this token as "Man of the Century".
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Item Code: 0130035 Price: $30
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JEWISH CULTURAL and RELIGIOUS EVENTS, WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARIES, COMMEMORATIONS:
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Austria-Hungary (Ukraine), Galicia, Brody (or Vienna); 50th Wedding Anniversary medal of Fischel Landau and Clara neé Kallir, 1899; struck in bronze; by C[arl] M[aria] Schwerdtner (Vienna); weight: 155.05g; size: 69.5mm; thickness: 5mm.
Obverse depicts double portrait of Fischel and his wife, with legend punctuated by Star of David "Fischel Landau * Clara geb. Kallir", and the dates of commemoration (1849-1899) on ornamental ribbon device below.
On reverse 6-line quotation in Hebrew from "Mishlei" (one of the Books of Wisdom of the Bible) separated by stalks of wheat "In a crown of glory which comes by the way will you find rightousness: grandchildren are a crown to grandparents and fathers are a glory to their children", and legend in German around the edge "As a token for your golden anniversary".
One interpretation of this quotation is that the "children of children" [grandchildren] surround the grandparents like a crown and are a sign of honor for them because it is a great undertaking to not only raise children of one's own, but to raise them in such a way that they succeed in raising and educating worthy children of their own.
Indeed, in this instance the quotation was prophetic: Fischel (died 1920) and Clara (1829-1909) are the grandparents of Ludwig Heinrich Edler von Mises (1881-1973), an Austrian economist and philosopher who had a significant influence on the libertarian economic movement and the Austrian school of economic thought.
The Landau and Kallir families became affluent and influential from their commerical activities in the free trade city of Brody, eventually became ennobled, and in the 1873 elections to the Austro-Hungarian parliament, two of the three Jewish members of parliament from Galicia were from the Landau family.
In AU-UNC, with some surface residue from the medal's holder. The reverse is very similar in style to Samuel Friedrich Beer's commemorative medal for the 2nd Zionist Congress (1898 - see item 0130253), though Forrer praises him particularly for his sculptoral skills (p.439).
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Item Code: 0130609 Price: $800
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Germany, Berlin; Lina Jaffé and Jacob Alexander marriage token, 1882; struck in gilded bronze; no marker marks; weight: 11.65g; size: 28.25mm.
Obverse bears two city coats of arms (probably representing the hometowns of the bride and groom) - Posen (Posnan) and Hamburg, with Hebrew legend in wreath above, "Mazal Tov" ("Good Luck"), and an abbreviated dedication below, "Gewidmet | v.E. & R.M.".
on reverse an 11-line legend in German announcing the wedding, surrounded by wreath.
No biographies appear for either Jaffe or Alexander, and Lina Jaffe is not / directly related to Pauline Jaffé (1819-1854) who established the Paulinenstift Jewish Girls' orphanage in Hamburg. In UNC with luster; a small dirt mark on obverse rim; Grunwald p.138, Gaedeschens 2229. Oddly, this token is catalogued as a Hamburg piece although it commemorates an event in Berlin.
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Item Code: 0130611 Price: $100
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Germany, Bavaria, Fürth(?); 50th Wedding Jubilee of Dr. Samuel Berlin Hofrath medal, 1891; struck in silver (.990); no maker marks; weight: 22.6g; size: 40.5mm.
Obverse depicts two coats of arms (on left, of Ansbach; on right, of Fürth) with crown above, and legend around rim on matte, coarse surface "Hofrath * Dr: Samuel* und * Zerline * Berlin".
On reverse ornate flowery wreath with pair of hands shaking and legend "Zur Erinnerung an die Goldene Hochzeit 23. Nov. 1841 1891".
The names and association with the mentioned cities suggest that this medal relates to Dr. Derlin (1807-1896), German jurist who was born in Bamberg and died in Furth; was the "Landesrabbiner" (county Rabbi) of Cassel, received his degree in law at the University of Munich and became the first Jewish lawyer in that kingdom.
He later served as the president of the "Gemeindecollegium" (Community College) in Ansbach from 1860 to 1869. Berlin's biography in the Jewish Encyclopedia mentions that he changed/added to his name the name "Hofrath" but does not elaborate why. Hofrath is a Hungarian surname and Berlin may have adopted it as a sign of sympathy with the ethnic minorities who rose up (and were surpressed) in the 1848 revolution. In AU, with near mirror-like surfaces; a few light scratches on the rim; marked "0,990" with silversmith mark on rim.
More pictures: obverse of medal, reverse of medal
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Item Code: 0130613 Price: $500
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Germany, Merzig (Saarland), Clara Weiskopf and Moses Schnerb wedding token, 1896; cast(?) in copper; no maker mark; weight: 16.85; size: 33mm.
Obverse depicts Jewish "Khuppa" (wedding canopy) with partially abbreviated 5-line Hebrew legend inside "Day 2 2[sic] of the new month ["Rosh Khodesh"] | [text unclear - "from generation to generation"?] | in the year | of happiness | ["le prat katan" - an abbrevation used in place of using a full Hebrew year]", and transliterated German/Yiddish in Hebrew letters on left and right sides of edge: "Clara Daughter of the Honorable Rabbi, his Honor Shay | Moshe Son of the Honorable Rabbi, his Honor Chaim Gershon, Blessed be the Memory of this Rightous Person".
on reverse 12-line legend in German announcing the wedding of Clara and Moses (of Frankfurt) in the city of Merzig on 10 August 1896.
Of note, the Schnerb family was a prominent Jewish family from Merzig, Moses's father Gershon was a well known Cantor, and Moses himself eventually conducted the Frankfurt Synagogue choir until his death in 1937. In VF: some pockmarks on rim and surfaces - unclear if from a cast manufacture.
More pictures: obverse of token, reverse of token
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Item Code: 0130610 Price: $350
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Netherlands, Laeken/Rotterdam; Henry Levyssohn and Elizabeth Lavino marriage 50th jubilee medal, 1842; struck in bronze; by Jewish engraver Jacques Wiener (Belgium); weight: 29.65g; size: 38.75mm; thickness: 4mm.
On obverse 6-lined legend in center (with a tiny dot in between) "Aan | Hun Tal Ryk | Bemind | en | Teeder Lievend | Kroost" ["They are rich with many loved and tenderly loving offspring"], with legend around edge "Ter Herinnering Aan Hunne Gouden Bruiloft | Gevierd Te Laeken I January MDCCCXLII" ["In memory of their golden wedding | Celebrated in Laeken January 1842"].
On reverse 4-lined legend in center "Aan God Is | Onze Dankbaarheid, | Deez' Penning | Ons Geslacht Gewyd!" ["Our gratitude to G-d is on this medal"] with Henry and Elizabeth's names the date of the wedding in Rotterdam, 1 January 1792.
Lavino's original surname may have been Levy, and changed later to the Sephardic-sounding name Lavino. Friedenberg considers Jacques Wiener and his brothers to have been "the foremost Jewish medallists of the 19th Century" (JMM-52); of interest here is that this piece is one of Jacques' first works, as he began engraving medals at the end of 1840; Forrer vol. 6 pg. 489 and Polak-28. In AU-UNC with traces of luster; the lettering on reverse is doubled.
More pictures: obverse of medal, reverse of medal
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Item Code: 0130595 Price: $800
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