JUDEO-ALSACIAN MUSEUM
28 aout 2023
Miniature models
The museum has some miniature but three-dimensional models representing scenes of daily life such as birth, marriage, etc. or religious scenes, made especially for the structure. They tell the story in their own way.
TISHA BEAV
9 Av commemorates sad dates in Jewish history, such as the episode of the explorers, the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, numerous pogroms, but above all the destruction of the Holy Temple of Jerusalem by the Romans in the year 70 CE.
On this day, Jews fast, do not wash (except their hands), do not put on leather shoes.
Until the middle of the day we do not sit on a chair but only on a small stool or on the ground, as a sign of mourning and we read the Lamentations of Jeremiah (Megillat E'ha).
THE RELIGIOUS MAJORITY
The Shabbat when he turns 13 “bar-métzwe” is, for the first time, called to “ascend to the Torah”, to sing the blessings and to read from the scroll. The Rabbi, in a “droshe”, a speech, urges him to make good resolutions and to keep them… A “kedish” (wine, cakes…) is offered to all those present.
THE WEDDING
Jewish weddings are celebrated under the Chuppa, the nuptial canopy.
The canopy symbolizes the ancient groom's tent in which the bride was brought. After signing the “ketouwe”, the marriage contract, the fiancé is led under the canopy by the father and the father-in-law, the fiancée, by the mother and the mother-in-law. The bride describes seven circles around the bridegroom. The Rabbi sings the blessing over the wine. The groom places the ring on the finger of the bride. The “ketouwe” is read.
The bridegroom crushes a glass under his heel: no perfect joy without the Temple of Jerusalem. The assistants shout “mazel tov!” We kiss…
LERNEN (meaning learning) refers to the study that accompanies many Jewish holidays.
The men meet, with family or neighbours, until late at night.
1
THE SHABBES
Every Friday, and one hour before dark, all work ceases in honor of Shabbat.
The master of the house (dressed in the "Shawes glaad", the Shabbat habit) after having gone to the "shule" (the synagogue) to "welcome" the Shabbat returns home to bless his children with the words used by the Patriarch Jacob to bless Ephraim and Menashe.
He then sings a long poem to honor his wife, the mistress of the house before savoring, all together, the dishes prepared especially for this day.
The meal ends with the "benshe" (from the Latin "benedicite") sung together.
Rosh-Hashana AND YOM KIPPUR, or New Year and Judgment Day.
“On Rosh-Hashana is written, on Yom Kippur is sealed, who will live, who will die…” These dreadful days are those of introspection, of repentance. Before dawn, the faithful leave for the “shule”
The Jew is clothed in his white "sargeness" which will accompany him even in death.
He is on his knees and bows down to ask forgiveness and divine clemency.
Sukkot or the feast of the huts
Sukkot is one of the three pilgrimage festivals prescribed by the Torah and where the Jews celebrate one by the divine assistance received by the children of Israel during the Exodus and the other by the harvest.
During this festival, corresponding to the month of September or October depending on the year, the Jews built a "Sékke" (a hut) covered with branches in the courtyard or used their attic. The hut was decorated by the children.
All meals were taken there for a week. The goal is to live under the stars, that is to say under the protection of God.
The Seider is the occasion of a communion of generations around the head of the family, reader of the story: “whoever is hungry come and have Easter!” The account of the exodus from Egypt is read in the “gode”, the Hagada. it is followed by psalms and chants.
The “dildo” is often stained with wine at the evocation of the ten plagues that struck the Egyptians, 10 drops are withdrawn from its cup - of its joy - out of compassion.
The haulkreiche
In Alsace, the girls also had the right to their ceremony, it was the haulkreiche ceremony, it was believed for a long time that it came from the top of the crib, but the origin of this word is to shout loudly, one raises three times the cradle of the child, calling out his name.
