Obj. ID: 54548
  Printed Books  Yom Chag Shavuot, Jerusalem, circa 1925

The following description was prepared by William Gross:

The tradition of printing special forms to be given to institutional supporters by institutions in Eretz Israel in general and in Jerusalem, in particular, was a custom of long standing. The phenomenon began in the 19th century and continued for many decades into the 20th. This example is a very impressive colored membership certificate originally printed to be given to those who contributed to the yeshiva (Hebrew studies academy) of Etz Chaim (Tree of Life). The scenes illustrated are both holy sites and buildings belonging to the institution, which supported Torah studies. In addition to the above, some typical Jewish symbols are used as well, such as the crown, lion, deer, and tablets of the law. All of this is presented in a large-dimensioned sheet with a fine, balanced design printed in attractive colors.

In this example, the center text has been eliminated and the blank space has been painted with large letters to make a colorful poster for the Shavuot holiday. In another example in the Gross Family collection, the center has been used to make the sheet into a Mizrach.

Sponsoring Institution:   Etz Chaim Yeshivah