Obj. ID: 55236
  Ephemera  Ushpizin plaque, Jerusalem, circa 1900

The following description was prepared by William Gross:

The Ushpizin (Aramaic for guests”) is a short ceremony of welcome on Sukkot. With a formula established by the kabbalists in the 16th century, based on the earlier Zohar, on each night of Sukkot we invite one of seven exalted men of Israel to take up residence in the sukkah with us. The texts for welcoming each of the renowned figures from Jewish history were often printed on a plaque, often decorated, to be hung in the Sukkah. From the middle of the 19th century, a wide variety of such plaques were printed and used.

Printing in the holy land began only in 1841, but by the end of the century, there were several printing houses and a large quantity of printed books and single sheets to serve a variety of purposes. A great many of these printed items were decorated by vignettes of Holy Land sites. This single sheet, printed for use in the sukkah, is typical of many of the items prepared in Jerusalem.  They were often sent abroad as souvenirs or fundraising devices by the many Jewish religious, self-help and charity organizations operating in the Holy Land. This sheet is printed with a large image of the Kotel.

“Baruch Ata Bevo’acha Baruch Ata Betzetcha”/ “BeSuccot Teshvu Shiva’a Yamim”. Zuckerman printing press, Jerusalem, [late 19th century, ca. 1890]. Printed leaf. Includes the prayer “Tefila keshenichnas la Succah”, Kidush LeLayl Yom Tov, Seder Ushpizin, “LaMenatze’ach” Menorah, and illustrations of the holy sites. The inscription “Basucot teshvu shiva yamim” (an illustration of the Succah appearing above it) are printed in golden ink. 48X63.5 cm. See similar plates in the catalog: Omanut Ve-Umanut Be’Eretz Israel Ba-Mea Ha-Tesha Esreh [Arts and Crafts in Eretz Israel in the 19th century (Hebrew)], (The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 1979), picture plates 192-194.