U. Nahon Museum of Italian Jewish Art

U. Nahon Museum of Italian Jewish Art

מוזיאון יהדות איטליה על שם ש. א. נכון
The German hostel, one of the museum buildings, serves as the synagogue's residence as is the custom of Italian Jews
Established	1981 (1981)
Location	25 Hillel St Jerusalem, Israel
Type	Art museum
Website	www.moija.org

The Umberto Nahon Museum of Italian Jewish Art (Hebrew: מוזיאון יהדות איטליה על שם ש. א. נכון; Italian: museo di arte ebraica italiana u. nahon) is a museum dedicated to preserving the heritage, art and culture of the Jews of Italy, located in Jerusalem, Israel. The museum houses cultural and spiritual treasures of Italian Jewry, from the Renaissance to the present day.

Opened in 1981, the museum's collection was transferred from Italy to Israel in the 1950s and 1960s. This transfer, initiated by Dr. Umberto Nahon and other members of the Italian Jewish community in Israel, was a rescue operation to prevent the destruction and loss of these items due to neglect after World War II. The collection includes Holy Arks and hundreds of other items.

The museum, including its synagogue, is dedicated to the cultural assets of the Jewish communities in Italy, serving as a significant resource for learning about and preserving the rich heritage of these communities. It is unique as the only museum in the world that presents a comprehensive collection from all Jewish communities in Italy.

The collection

The ancient synagogue of Conegliano fully restored in the Museum of Italian Jewish Art

The museum's collection contains many Judaica items; among others, it features the complete contents of the ancient synagogue of Conegliano, Veneto, which was built in 1701. The synagogue ceased functioning at the beginning of the 20th century because there were no Jews left in Conegliano. It was brought in its entirety to Israel in 1952. The Holy Ark in the synagogue is older than its other decorations and furniture and is dedicated to the memory of Rabbi Nathan Ottolenghi, who served as the head of the yeshiva in Conegliano, and passed away around 1652. This synagogue is active on Shabbat and holidays, with prayers conducted according to the custom of the Jews of Rome.

The museum's collection includes Holy Arks, religious artifacts, Judaica items, documents, books, manuscripts, clothing items, art objects, and everyday items. While the collection is based on the items brought to Israel in the 1950s and 1960s, it continues to grow, absorbing many items, including artworks by Italian Jewish artists such as Emanuele Luzzati and Leo Contini.

Items from the collection

• Holy Ark from San Daniele del Friuli, built in the 17th century.
• Plaque "Know Before Whom You Stand", from 1450, which was fixed above the Holy Ark in the Great Synagogue of Padua.
• Tedeschi Parochet, the oldest parochet in the world, created in 1572 in Ferrara.
• Ancient Holy Ark from Mantua from 1543, the earliest dated Italian Holy Ark in the country. The ark is similar in design to the Italian Holy Ark in the Ponevezh Yeshiva hall, also from Mantua.
• Sukkah that belonged to a Jewish family from Venice, named Solam, from the late 18th century.
• Charity box from the "Matir Asurim" synagogue in Florence, from the 17th century. Split into a row of small boxes with wooden doors, according to the purpose of the donation
• Torah crown decorated with cannons, dedicated by the Jews of Alessandria in Piedmont in 1849 in memory of King Carlo Alberto, who granted emancipation to the Jews in Italy and became an admired figure among them. According to the story, upon his death, Jews were allowed to fire salutes in his memory at a synagogue memorial, and as a memento, they decorated the Torah crown with cannons.