Moveable Ark
Dublin Core
Title
Moveable Ark
Subject
Religious Ark
Description
This ark belonged to Dr. David Nemtzow, who was both a chazan and shofar blower for a Havurah Simchah group he led, which met at Touro Synagogue for many years and then moved to Middletown. It is on loan from the Rhode Island Jewish Museum, which received it from Dr Nemtzow’s nephew, Martin.
The engraving in the center is abstract, since no human image can be used. The turquoise stones are for decoration.
The twelve tribes move around the ark, as follows:
Right hand column from top to bottom:
Judah with the lion
Dan with the snake
Ephraim with grapes
Issachar with the donkey
Asher with the olive tree
Bottom row, from right to left:
Gad with the building/tent
Zebulun with the boat
Left hand column, from bottom to top:
Benjamin with the animal/wolf
Manasseh with the date tree
Gad with the tents again
Asher with the olive tree again
Naphtali with the deer
Top row, from left to right:
Reuben with the sun
Simeon with a pitcher
It is interesting that there is repetition of Gad and Asher, but Levi does not appear. Efraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, are depicted instead of Joseph. Some of the symbols are different from the ones we commonly see; for example, Simeon usually has a walled city, whereas here there is a pitcher.
The inside has the Ten Commandments, 5 on each side, with the shofar blower painted in the center. The entire ark is made of wood, etched and painted.
The engraving in the center is abstract, since no human image can be used. The turquoise stones are for decoration.
The twelve tribes move around the ark, as follows:
Right hand column from top to bottom:
Judah with the lion
Dan with the snake
Ephraim with grapes
Issachar with the donkey
Asher with the olive tree
Bottom row, from right to left:
Gad with the building/tent
Zebulun with the boat
Left hand column, from bottom to top:
Benjamin with the animal/wolf
Manasseh with the date tree
Gad with the tents again
Asher with the olive tree again
Naphtali with the deer
Top row, from left to right:
Reuben with the sun
Simeon with a pitcher
It is interesting that there is repetition of Gad and Asher, but Levi does not appear. Efraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, are depicted instead of Joseph. Some of the symbols are different from the ones we commonly see; for example, Simeon usually has a walled city, whereas here there is a pitcher.
The inside has the Ten Commandments, 5 on each side, with the shofar blower painted in the center. The entire ark is made of wood, etched and painted.
Creator
Unknown
Publisher
Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association
Date
Unknown
Type
Jewish
Files
Collection
Citation
Unknown, “Moveable Ark,” Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association, accessed April 28, 2024, https://rijha.omeka.net/items/show/9.