About the Judaica Index
The Judaica Index is an online catalogue of more than 200 Jewish ritual objects relating to synagogue use, home use, lifecycle events, holidays and other religious practices (e.g. tools for preparing kosher food, calendars, head coverings, etc.) Many objects are well known (kippa, menorah, Torah scroll, etc.), and reflect customs across the Sephardi, Ashkenazi, Hasidic, Romaniote, Moroccan or other communities. Some objects reflect new rituals (e.g. Myriam’s cup, fruit plate for Tu B’Shvat), while some traditional objects have been reimagined by contemporary artists (e.g. Torah pointer, Omer counter, Passover plate, memorial candleholder).
Some objects reflect elaborate craftsmanship using precious metals, while others are made of recycled fabric (wedding dress turned into a Torah scroll mantle) or more common materials (tin, wood) that reveal the economic standing of a community.
These ritual objects inform us not only about the practice of Judaism, but also about the social, political and economic history of Jewish communities, regional variations, Jewish languages and vocabulary, artistry around ritual objects, and the evolution of religious practice (the advent of electricity, for example, or the influence of feminism).
How to search the Index
Choose your language (15 options)
Search by object name in the selected language, or in Hebrew transliteration where applicable, e.g. “prayer book” or “siddur”.
Browse by thematic category such as “amulets”, “Sabbath”, “food”, etc.
Once on the object page, the entry features
- a carousel of high-quality images that can be zoomed in
- technical information about each image and which collection it belongs to
- a short definition of the object about its use
- an academic bibliography, including many references available online free of charge
- a video explaining the ritual and its origin (whenever relevant)
- a link to online catalogues dedicated to this type of object (whenever possible)
- translation into 14 other languages
- related objects for further exploration
The Judaica Index is an evolving resource that is regularly updated and enriched with new material.
Credits
Under the leadership of Dr. Brigitte Sion, museum grants manager at the Rothschild Foundation Hanadiv Europe who conceived this project and brought it to fruition, the Judaica Index brought together 15 experts, 14 translators, 3 research assistants, a team of designers and developers, and over 50 museums, libraries, artists and collectors from around the world.
Launched in 2022, the Judaica Index is an initiative of the Rothschild Foundation Hanadiv Europe. Their work includes the support of the conservation, documentation and display of Judaica, books, and archives, and looks for new tools that enable a wider audience to access this historical, religious, and artistic material.
Lord Jacob Rothschild (1936-2024), whose family has been interested in Jewish ritual objects – as collectors and patrons for many generations and across different countries – shared his enthusiasm and hope that “the Judaica Index enriches our collective understanding of the various customs and rites that continue to shape Jewish life”.