STaM Exhibition
A. Workshop for Bar-Mitzvah Boys
Program Goal:
Assimilation of Jewish values, in particular the art of Jewish scribal work. STaM stands for Sefer Torah, Tefillin, and Mezuza/Megilla. These are the main Jewish sacred scrolls, which have accompanied us since we left Egypt.
3,500 years ago we were commanded in the Torah to tie the tefillin “boxes” as a sign on our hand, opposite the heart and on the forehead between the eyes. The mezuza must be fixed on every doorpost. Both the mezuza and tefillin contain a small parchment on which a section of the Torah is written whose main message is belief in God and His Torah, remembering the exodus from Egypt, etc.
How does the skin of an animal become a parchment or a sacred “box”, a vessel for prayer and protection of the house, an object which a Jew treats with sanctity and kisses lovingly? Part of the secret of STaM is in their production process. It is not produced in a factory, it is an involved process which involves full intention of having the mitzvah in mind.
During a tour of the STaM museum we will get to know the stages of preparing Torah scrolls, tefillin, and mezuzot. Starting with processing the animal’s skin until reaching the finished product, we will get to know the technical equipment and the delicate tools of this trade and the methods and techniques that are used. Each stage is accompanied by detailed laws and by the thought that the work is being done “for the purpose of the mitzvah”, enabling the skin to become a sacred object.
Practical Side:
Challenging experience of writing with a quill and ink on parchment made from a kosher animal.
B. Lecture Accompanied by Presentation
Ancient Synagogues in the World
Goal of Lecture:
A gathering of ancient synagogues, explaining that the synagogue is the place that connects Jews all over the world.
Photographed models and reconstructions of synagogues from all over the world are presented. These represent a variety of communities, lands and styles of construction. Nevertheless, they illustrate the unity and continuity of the Jewish heritage.
The lecture presents slides of these models and reconstructions, through which one can conduct a historical and geographic journey between different communities: visit their synagogues, be impressed by the style of building and decorating, get to know Jewish life in each place, and learn about the figures connected with synagogues and communities.
- The lecturer is from Nezach Zecharia Religious Training Center and STaM Institute.
- Cost: 25 NIS per student, minimum 20 students.
- Transportation from Rehovot costs 280 NIS, up to 16 places.