Obj. ID: 18563
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Torah shield, Turkey, 1913

The silver oval Torah shield consists of a plate

The center depicts a bouquet of three big flowers and leaves radiating from a basket. The basket is decorated on its upper and lower edges with bands of dots and bears on its center an inscription: "5673" [1913]. Two "s" shaped handles are atached to the basket. Two long branches rediate from the basket and encircle it symmetricaly. The branches bear leaves and flowers which fill most of the surface of the shield. The shield is framed with an undulating grooved band.

The decorated part of the shield is surmounted by an arch whithin a dedicatory inscription in three lines ,in square filled letters. It reads from right to left: "הקדש##לק"ק )לקהל קדוש( בית ישראל יב"ץ )יראו בנחמת ציון(##מהאדון בכור יעקב בינאראנה הי"ו )השם ישמרהו ויצילהו( לע"נ )לעילוי נשמת( מ' )מרת( רושא ת'נ'צ'ב'ה )תהא נשמתה צרורה בצרור החיים(" "Dedicated to the holy congregation Beit Israel may they witness the comfort of Zion from Mr. Bechor Jacob Binarana may the lord protect him and save him for the exaltation of the soul of Mrs. Rosha may her soul be bound up in the bond of life.

Five rings with bells are attached to the lower part of the shield. A long chain is inserted through two rings connected to both ends of the arch which tops the shield.