Obj. ID: 36701  Tallit Case, Fes (Fez), circa 1930

The following description was prepared by William Gross:

The Tallit is a Jewish prayer shawl, worn on the shoulders over the outer clothes during morning prayers and on a few special occasions as well, such as Yom Kippur evening or the wedding ceremony. Traditionally the Tallit is made of wool or linen, but sometimes from other textiles as well, such as silk or polyester and cotton. In most cases, the Tallit is worn from the time of the Bar Mitzvah and is often a gift from father to son on that occasion. Many adult Jewish males own their own Tallit and carry it to the synagogue for prayer. Most utilize some sort of container in which to place the Tallit for the journey.

This is a container for the Tallit, fashioned from pierced silver sheet, work similar to mezuzah covers, and silver Chanukah lamps in the Gross Family Collection. Silverwork of this type was done by Jewish artisans in the city of Fez. This container is lined with green velvet and made for the Bar Mitzvah boy Pinchas ben Yizri, whose name is recorded on an attached piece of silver pierced with the Hebrew letters of his name. These containers were generally constructed from velvet-covered cardboards to which were attached pierced silver panes. This example is fashioned entirely from silver and is therefore quite unusual. This was a standard gift for the Bar Mitvah youth in Fez and the surrounding area.

Inscription: Pinchas ben Yizri, May the Lord sustain him and grant him the favor.