The subject of this portrait was the first Jew to graduate from Yale University.
Sigmund Waterman (1819-1899) was born in Bruck near Erlangen, in Bavaria, Germany. He studied in the University of Erlangen before emigrating in 1840 to America, where he settled in New Haven.
The design shows clasped hands of a woman and man, crown, and extensive inscription. The bridegroom is Aaron Jacob, son of David; the bride is Edel, daughter of Joel Hirsch.
The Wedding Ring has a wide band of heavily textured silver with a twisted rope design. Individual letters in Hebrew spell “Mazel tov” (Congratulations).
This pewter Levitical pitcher was used to wash the hands of the kohen (priest) in preparation for the priestly benediction of the congregation
This is perhaps the only ritual object remaining from a synagogue built in 1887 in Gemünden-am-Main in Unterfranken, Bavaria, Germany, where an organized congregation was established in the 1870s.
This silver comb was used in the preparation of a corpse for burial
The inscriptions on this comb identify it as belonging to the Burial Society of Mattersdorf (today Mattersburg), one of the so-called seven communities of the Burgenland (West Hungary).
This monumental Hanukkah lamp was created for synagogue use, modeled after a biblical menorah of pure gold. It was used at the White House Hanukkah celebration in 2003.
