Torah mantle

Women and Girls of Culemborg Jewish Community

Item information

Torah mantle

Beige yellow mantle to cover a Torah scroll, trimmed above and below with a fringe and embroidered at the front in gold thread with a crown and a Hebrew text surrounded by foliage stating that the mantle was made by the women and girls of Culemborg Jewish community in 1887.
2067
Jewish ritual objects
Museum Elisabeth Weeshuis

Reconstruction of provenance history

Vóór mei 1940
: Jewish community (collection), Culemborg
:
: Museum inventory; Museum Acquisitions 1940-1948 report, Amsterdam, 1999

1940-05
: Given to the museum for safekeeping by Louis de Beer
:
: Museum inventory; Museum Acquisitions 1940-1948 report, Amsterdam, 1999

1940-05 <> heden
: Museum Elisabeth Weeshuis [nl]
:

Current restitution status

No requests

Research findings

This Torah mantle was entrusted with the museum for safekeeping by Louis de Beer, the shamash (caretaker) of the local synagogue; the mantle belonged to Culemborg Jewish community.

In May 1940, Louis de Beer, the shamash (caretaker) of the synagogue in Culemborg, gave this Torah mantle together with other ritual objects to the Oudheidkamer, predecessor of Elisabeth Weeshuis. The previous museum curator states that they were brought for safekeeping. De Beer survived the war and lived in Culemborg until his death the 1960s. Culemborg Jewish community was dissolved in 1947. No record exists of the museum contacting De Beer to return the objects or to acquire them as a gift. The objects are mentioned in the Museum Acquisitions 1940-1948 report (Amsterdam 1999).
Is part of Collectie Nederland

Partners

Service

About this site