A kippah, also called a yarmulke or skull cap, is a head cover worn by religious Jewish men for many reasons, one being that it is a sign of one's respect for God.

This crochet kippah was made in Melbourne, Australia. This kippah is made of cotton. It is navy blue and decorated with decorative bands, mauve rose buds, blue leaves and yellow flowers.

This menorah has 7 candle holders joined in a horizontal row, on thin rod stands. The circular holders sit on two flat silver strips that are attached to silver rectangles on either side of the holders, creating a shield-like form on either side of the holder. The stand on which this construction is propped up, is made up of rods that stand vertically on either side of the holders and behind the shields. The rods are intersected by other rod 'lines' that visually weave horizontally across the top half of the stand. Each point of intersection of lines and rod stands is marked by a circular shape. Artist's statement: In terms of the Jewish diaspora, the variety and flexibility of approaches within Judaism has enabled the culture to endure and nurture ever stronger connections despite physical distance. This notion of an enriched connectedness was one of the two central ideas which contributed to the development of this piece. The second was the idea of light and its cultural significance. Light is about both practical illumination and spiritual expression. While revealing and manipulating material and form, light has also come to stand for the triumph of goodness over evil for many cultures, Of utmost importance in Jewish ritual, light and its media are also recognised symbols of connection and interaction for Jewish people throughout the world. (1999, Blessed Be the Work, Australian Contemporary Design in Jewish Ceremony II)

Artist's statement: I chose to make these afikoman pouches even though they may not be familiar to or used by all Jewish families. In these little pouches, a small piece of matzah would be placed in the pouch and then hidden in the house for the children to find during the Passover meal. On finding it, a gift is given. The story of Passover and Judaism in general have been kept alive over the centuries. I wanted to honour the passing down of the Torah through the generations, and, in particular, the role of children in its transmission. I have used the Australian desert as a metaphor for the great wilderness crossed by the People of Israel. A recent trip to Broken Hill and beyond inspired me to work with the subtle colours and textures of that landscape and I have incorporated into the work found objects, stones and beads collected there. (2007, New Under the Sun: Australian Contemporary Design in Jewish Ceremony III)

machine embroidered

To celebrate Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year), Jews eat foods like honey cake and apple dipped in honey. Along with a special prayer, this is a way of asking God for a sweet and happy year ahead.

Our contemporary Judaica collection was developed through a series of exhibitions titled Australian Contemporary Design in Jewish Ceremony I, II and III. For each of the three exhibitions, contemporary artists and crafts-makers were invited to design new objects that could be used to perform the Jewish ceremonies and rituals that had been preserved and developed by Australia’s Jewish community over the last 200 years. This collection now comprises over sixty unique and distinctive objects made using very different methods of production, including tapestry, silver-smithing, carpentry, ceramics and glass-work. These objects have been inspired by a broad spectrum of religious, spiritual, artistic and emotional responses to the ideology and practice of Jewish rituals, as well as deeply considered connections to Australia’s broader culture and landscape.

judaica, ceramics, jewish new year

Our contemporary Judaica collection was developed through a series of exhibitions titled Australian Contemporary Design in Jewish Ceremony I, II and III. For each of the three exhibitions, contemporary artists and crafts-makers were invited to design new objects that could be used to perform the Jewish ceremonies and rituals that had been preserved and developed by Australia’s Jewish community over the last 200 years. This collection now comprises over sixty unique and distinctive objects made using very different methods of production, including tapestry, silver-smithing, carpentry, ceramics and glass-work. These objects have been inspired by a broad spectrum of religious, spiritual, artistic and emotional responses to the ideology and practice of Jewish rituals, as well as deeply considered connections to Australia’s broader culture and landscape.

jewellery, judaica

Diary kept during Prof. Rainer Radok's internment in Australia, following his arrival by ship on the HMT Dunera.

At the end of August 1940 the Hired Military Transport Dunera, a boat carrying around 2,500 European male internees, the majority of which were Jewish, arrived on Australian shores after two arduous months at sea. Although many had made England their home, their German or Austrian background caused these men to be classified as ‘enemy aliens’ by the British Government and sent to Australia without their families. The ‘Dunera Boys’ were interned in camps at Tatura and Hay. Although some internees were released after two years because they possessed specific industry skills which would aid the nation, others were interned for the entire duration of the war. This collection brings together objects, personal effects and documents relating to the journey, internment and subsequent military service in the 8th regiment experienced by the ‘Dunera Boys’. Also included are artworks and poems created by the internees during their interment, which express the thoughts and feelings of the men and document the daily life in the camps.

This is an A5 size notebook of 90 pages, all handwritten in German. Pages are numbered on the upper corners and each entry is dated. Back cover is titled: "Arithmetical Tables" and "Multiplication Table". The blue cover is attached with yellow adhesive tape and is very loose from the inner pages. There are a few drawings throughout.

Handwritten in ink on the front cover is the inscription "Radok 1940-1941." Written below in pencil is the address "16 Grove St. Passaie N.J."

Georg Chodziesner made this chanukiah in Hay Camp in 1940. It was made to celebrate the Jewish festival of Chanukah. Georg was born in 1900 in Berlin to a prominent Jewish advocate Justizrat, Ludwig and wife Elise. Fearing arrest at the outbreak of war, Georg fled Germany to the United Kingdom. His wife, Dorothea, and son, Wolfgang Benno, emigrated to Chile. Like many German Jewish men, Georg found himself on board the HMT Dunera, bound for interment at Tatura. On release, Georg joined the Australian Army 8th Employment Company in which he served for the remainder of the war. Georg sought permission for his son to join him in Australia, and the pair were reunited in Melbourne in May 1945. Dorothea had passed away from illness in 1943. After settling in Australia, Georg worked as a Patent Attorney and remained working at the same firm until his death in 1981.

This Chanukiah was cut from a kerosene tin using nail scissors and mounted on a wood block base. Medium: Wood, tin and ink

The Chanukiah is embossed with a Magen David, the Star of David, and the wooden base has a poker work inscription: "Hay 5701 / 1940".

dunera, wwii, internment, jewish history & people

At the end of August 1940 the Hired Military Transport Dunera, a boat carrying around 2,500 European male internees, the majority of which were Jewish, arrived on Australian shores after two arduous months at sea. Although many had made England their home, their German or Austrian background caused these men to be classified as ‘enemy aliens’ by the British Government and sent to Australia without their families. The ‘Dunera Boys’ were interned in camps at Tatura and Hay. Although some internees were released after two years because they possessed specific industry skills which would aid the nation, others were interned for the entire duration of the war. This collection brings together objects, personal effects and documents relating to the journey, internment and subsequent military service in the 8th regiment experienced by the ‘Dunera Boys’. Also included are artworks and poems created by the internees during their interment, which express the thoughts and feelings of the men and document the daily life in the camps.

Velvet, silk, silk embroidery thread, cotton thread, silk cord, leather, cotton and wood

This chess set was carved from local wood with bases made from halved cotton reels. The chess pieces take the shape of Australian animals, and Aboriginal men and women. The set was presented to Mr. Benzion Patkin, Honorary Secretary of the Zionist Federation of Australia, by Tatura internees in recognition of his assistance, in particular, his assistance in facilitating the emigration to Palestine. According to Mr. Patkin, he received the chess set in a wooden box inscribed, "With our sincerest thanks from your Zionist friends - Tatura, on the way to Eretz Israel, per Leonhard Levin, 20.11.1942.".

Written in pencil UR corner, upside down: (22) Printed in black ink: "B. & H. PATKIN Flat (printed 2 corrected in pen and ink 4) 313a Dandenong Road Windsor 3181 Victoria Australia Tel: Home 51 - 5671 Bus 63 - 8959"

dunera, wwii, internees, jewish history & people

Mounted watercolour and pencil on paper.

Signed and dated (LR): "Lowit15/VI 43"

second world war, 1939-1945, jewish history & people, holocaust, czech republic

Mounted watercolour and ink on card.

Handwritten in Czech on a globe of the world: "Emigration to the whole world from Theresienstadt"

second world war, 1939-1945, jewish history & people, holocaust, czech republic

Mounted ink and wash on paper.

Handwritten (LR): Löwit Other Inscriptions: Center, inscribed on a wall: "Ich habe mehere Nächte darüber nachgedacht - und bin nun endlich auf eine hervorragende Idee gekommen - das Problem der imme anwachsenden Insassenanzahl im Ghetto zu lösen es wird notwending sein: (1) die Insassen schichtenweise quer uber einander zu legen, was bei einer durchschnittlichen Hohe der Raume von etwa 3m ganz besonders günstig sein durfte --- und (2) schlage ich vor, während der Winter monate alle Boden in heizbare Raume zu verlegen" [I have pondered for many nights and have finally come up with a great idea for the problem of the ever-increasing population of the ghetto. It will be necessary: (1) to stack the inmates at right angles on top of each other which should prove particularly useful in rooms approximately three meters high, and (2) I suggest that during the winter months all attics be made into rooms that can be heated] Center, inscribed on a selection of files: "GHETTO AUFBAU ROBERT MUNORY" [Ghetto Construction, Robert Munory]

second world war, 1939-1945, jewish history & people, holocaust, czech republic

Mounted watercolour and pencil on paper.

Handwritten (LL): "Pali Schwarz 1944 Terezin" On reverse, handwritten in pencil: "Theresienstadt: Im Schatten des Kastanien" [Under the Shade of the Chestnut Tree]

second world war, 1939-1945, jewish history & people, holocaust, czech republic

Mounted watercolour, ink and pencil on paper.

Signed and dated on right image (LR): "Pali Schwarz 1943" UL image: Reinigungdienst [Cleaning Squad] CL image: Auskunftei des Orientierungsdienstes B.V. [Information and Orientation Booth- Magdeburger Barracks] Other Inscriptions: LL image: Eigene Aufwarmekuche in L124 [Private kitchen for warming up food in L124] Image on right: CIII. Frauen-Kaserne/Hamburger/Haupteingang: Allabendlicher Abscheid: Wenn's 20 Uhr Wird [CIII. Women's Barracks/Hamburger/ Main entrance: Nightly farewells at 8 pm]

holocaust, second world war, 1939-1945, czech republic, jewish history & people