Object numberM2019/028
DescriptionOrnately carved Dead Sea stone Kiddush cup, with Hebrew inscriptions 'Jerusalem'; 'May it be rebuilt speedily in our days'; (from Psalms 122) 'Our legs will be pillars at the gates of Jerusalem', and 'From this time and forever'.
According to the donor, the cup came to Australia with either Samuel or David Cohen in the 1830s. The donor is a descendant of David Cohen.
David Cohen was born in London in 1818, the fifth of ten children born to Barnett and Sierlah Cohen. He arrived in Australia in 1839 as a free settler. Seven of his siblings migrated to Australia, two of his brothers, Samuel and Lewis, had already arrived in the colony and purchased land in Maitland. David took over Lewis's part of the business and helped establish the store David Cohen & Co. In 1842 he is also listed as the owner of a shop in King Street. Cohen married Julia Nathan. They had five sons and three daughters. They returned to England in 1857, and remained in close contact with the family business.
Kiddush (Hebrew for ‘sanctification’) is a blessing recited over wine or grape juice to sanctify the Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Many families have a special goblet or glass for the blessing, this vessel is called the Kiddush cup. Traditionally, a Kiddush cup will be crafted out of gold or silver, however they can also be crafted from pewter, fine china, or pottery. They are often ornately decorated with fruit - grapes to symbolise the wine. A Kiddush cup can come in a variety of forms and sizes. It is just as common to have a stem on a Kiddush cup as it is to have a stem-less Kiddush cup. The crucial thing for a Kiddush cup is its size; it must hold a revi’it of liquid. A revi’it is approximately between 90.7 millilitres and 161.5 millilitres.
According to the donor, the cup came to Australia with either Samuel or David Cohen in the 1830s. The donor is a descendant of David Cohen.
David Cohen was born in London in 1818, the fifth of ten children born to Barnett and Sierlah Cohen. He arrived in Australia in 1839 as a free settler. Seven of his siblings migrated to Australia, two of his brothers, Samuel and Lewis, had already arrived in the colony and purchased land in Maitland. David took over Lewis's part of the business and helped establish the store David Cohen & Co. In 1842 he is also listed as the owner of a shop in King Street. Cohen married Julia Nathan. They had five sons and three daughters. They returned to England in 1857, and remained in close contact with the family business.
Kiddush (Hebrew for ‘sanctification’) is a blessing recited over wine or grape juice to sanctify the Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Many families have a special goblet or glass for the blessing, this vessel is called the Kiddush cup. Traditionally, a Kiddush cup will be crafted out of gold or silver, however they can also be crafted from pewter, fine china, or pottery. They are often ornately decorated with fruit - grapes to symbolise the wine. A Kiddush cup can come in a variety of forms and sizes. It is just as common to have a stem on a Kiddush cup as it is to have a stem-less Kiddush cup. The crucial thing for a Kiddush cup is its size; it must hold a revi’it of liquid. A revi’it is approximately between 90.7 millilitres and 161.5 millilitres.
Production placePalestine
Production date 1850 - 1850
SubjectJudaism, Jews in Australia, Ritual Object, sabbath
Object nameKiddush cup
Materialstone
Dimensions
Language
- Hebrew Bottom: Jerusalem, followed by: “May it be rebuilt speedily in our days”
Middle: From Psalms 122: “Our legs will be pillars at the gates of Jerusalem” (?)
Top of rim: “From this time and forever”
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by David Cohen