Folk

Torah Binder (Wimpel)

This is the wimpel of Joseph Wile, one of nine wimpels of the Wile family in the Spertus collection

A wimpel is a Torah binder formed from cloth wrapped around a male infant during the circumcision ceremony. The cloth is cut into four parts and stitched together to create one long banner.

Noah's Ark

This charming painted wooden ark was created in the Erzgebirge region of Germany, an area famous for its carved wooden toys.

Noah’s arks were a common toy of the late 19th century and were especially used by Christian children for Sabbath play on Sundays.

Hassidic Dance

In this dynamic canvas, Chicago artist Todros Geller paints a traditional Hassidic wedding dance in a modern style influenced by French Cubism and Italian Futurism.

In 1918, Ukrainian-born painter Todros Geller settled in Chicago, where he became an influential artist, a passionate educator, and a tireless promoter of Jewish art.

Caroline’s Dollhouse

This charming, portable dollhouse was made by Holocaust survivors as a gift for a 5-year-old girl.

This dollhouse was made near Hamburg, Germany, as a gift for Caroline Pinder, daughter of Captain Richard and Jessica Pinder, when she was five years old.