Obj. ID: 36702  Tallit Case, Fes (Fez), circa 1935

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.

The general custom in the urban areas of Morocco was to present the Bar Mitzvah youth with a container to hold his Tallit and Tefilin. This example is quite typical of the form of Tallit container made for young men in Fez. It is constructed from velvet-covered cardboard to which are attached silver panels finished with pierced decoration. This example is one of the more elaborate versions of this type of Tallit case of Fez, being decorated with jewelry type ornaments set with colored stones. In photographs of Bar Mitzvah boys from the 30's and 40's of the twentieth century, the youth is almost always holding such a container. The name of the Bar Mitzvah, Mainom Toledano, is inscribed on the upper portion of the cover.

Inscription: Servant of God, Maimon Toledano, May the Lord sustain him and grant him favor, Amen Kein Yehi Ratzon (abbreviation)