A Jewish art collection valued at 600,000 pounds, which is to form the basis of a Jewish museum was presented to the Palestine government by Moses S. Salomon of London. In making the presentation. Mr. Salomon announced it as a token of friendship between the British and Jewish nations, and in recognition of Britain’s part in reestablishing Palestine as a home for the Jews.
Mr. Salomon, who is an ardent beliver in the seventh dominion idea stipulates, in making his $3,000.000 gift, he declared in an interview with a correspondent of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, that the collection shall remain in Palestine so long as that country is under the British flag.
In the collection is a Sefer Torah, encrusted with gold, dating from the fourth century, said to be the oldest of its kind extant. Some of the pieces were made before the Christian era and many belong to early centuries of the Christian era.
Salomon, who was born in Brest-Litovsk and studied at the Yeshivah there, states he is proud of his Jewish lineage.
The collection which he presented is now housed in a special room at the newly opened International Art Gallery which Salomon owns. The Gallery itself is an impressive temple of art designed in the Jewish style. The Jewish motif is repeated both in its inner and outer decoration. Ornaments in bronze repeating the Biblical and cabalistic symbols are found in the gallery. Salomon states the theory that Jews possess no art, no style and no monumental treasures of which they can be proud of has no foundation. and that the art collection which he has presented is proof to the contrary.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
