25. September 11 – December 1, 2006

BEYOND THE SET TABLE:                     

Plates from the Collection of The Temple Judea Museum

A delightful exhibition of wondrous plates and trays…. ancient, historic, and contemporary plates with a Jewish “connection.”

DESCRIPTION: The title of this exhibition derived from a work of the great 16TH century Jewish scholar, Rabbi Joseph Caro, who is best known for his Shulchan Aruch. Briefly, the Hebrew title of his written compilation of laws and commentary translates as the Prepared, or Set Table. Rabbi Caro determined to make complicated and arcane rulings on Jewish laws and practices easily understood, just as anyone can easily obtain food from a set table.

So it is that we SET OUR TABLE with an exhibition that showcased the fabulous assortment of plates that comprise an important part of the permanent collection of the Temple Judea Museum. This was the first time that some of these plates were ever exhibited. Hopefully, this selection broadened the understanding of how plates are integrated into the celebration of Jewish ritual; the commemoration of Jewish history; or the marking of life cycle events. Surely, a religion that celebrates so much of its tradition around the family table must have a rich heritage of tableware!

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