Obj. ID: 39376  Tallit Bag, Algeria, 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. Generally the Tallit is given with a bag with which to carry and store it. This object is such an example.

A large and charmingly embroidered Tallit bag from the first third of the 20th century. The iconography features the hamsa in several forms - as the hamsa itself, in the colored threads of the tail of the roosters and as the tail of the birds. The style and form of the bag indicate the origin in Algeria.

Inscription: H.H Magen David Tzion