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Tallit: The tallit is a prayer shawl with fringes on the corners that has been worn by Jews since biblical times. The commandment to wear tzitzit (fringes) is found in the Torah (Numbers 15:37-41). The threads of the tzitzit are wound and knotted in a way that represents the 613 commandments (mitzvot) in the Torah.
Kippah or Yarmulke: Kippah is the Hebrew word for skullcap, also referred to as a yarmulke in Yiddish. It is traditionally worn by men to cover their head as a sign of respect and reverence for God.
Mezuzah: A mezuzah (meaning doorpost) is a piece of parchment with Hebrew verses from the Torah (Deut. 6:4-9 and 11:13-21) in a decorative case that is attached to the doorpost of a Jewish home. The mezuzah not only is a reminder of God’s presence, but also that the home is a holy place and one should act accordingly when coming home or going out into the world.
THE TORAH
Torah: This Torah scroll, from Romania, is over 100 years old. The Torah (literal meaning “Teaching”) is Judaism’s central sacred text. Revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai, the Torah contains narratives and God’s instructions (statements of religious law and ethics) to the Jewish people recorded in the first five books (Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) of the Hebrew Bible.
Torah Construction: Handwritten in Hebrew by a scribe, the parchment scrolls are skins from a kosher animal that are attached to two wooden rollers (etz chayim meaning trees of life). The ink is created from natural materials. Sinew is used to sew the portions of the scroll together.
Torah Binder: A strip of fabric used to protect and keep the scroll closed while not in use.
Torah Cover: The scroll is kept covered with fabric (Eastern European or Ashkenazi style) and is often ornamented with silver crowns on the handles of the scrolls. The silver breastplate on the front has two lions representing the Tribe of Judah (one of the 12 tribes of Israel) and the symbol for authority and strength, with an olive branch symbolizing peace.
Yad: A yad, literally meaning hand in Hebrew, is a Jewish ritual pointer shaped like a hand to represent the hand of God. It is used to follow the text during the Torah reading and to protect the scroll from damage caused by the oils from our skin.
Kiddush Cup:
Challah:
South-West Corner of Temple: This view of the Temple Model shows the south end of the Temple Mount containing the Triple Gate, which was the main entrance to the complex.
On the left of the photo, you will see the reconstruction of Robinson's Arch, constructed as part of King Herod's renovation and expansion of the Second Temple. It was built to link the Tyropoeon Valley street, a major traffic artery in the Second Temple Period, with the Royal Stoa at the southern end of the Temple Mount platform.
Western Wall: The wall was originally erected as part of the expansion of the Second Jewish Temple begun by Herod the Great, which resulted in the encasement of the natural, steep hill known to Jews and Christians as the Temple Mount, in a huge rectangular structure topped by a flat platform, thus creating more space for the Temple itself, its auxiliary buildings, and crowds of worshipers and visitors. Of the four retaining walls, the western one is considered closest to the former Holy of Holies, which makes it the most sacred site recognized by Judaism outside the previous Temple Mount platform.