Jewish Museum of Switzerland
The Jewish Museum of Switzerland in Basel provides an overview of the religious and everyday history of the Jews in Basel and Switzerland using objects of ritual, art and everyday culture from the Middle Ages to the present.
[1] The initiative came from members of Espérance (a chevra kadisha) who visited Cologne to see the exhibition "Monumenta Judaica" in 1963/64.
The interior designer Christoph Bernoulli furnished the space in an "objective" style.
[2] Since 2016, Lubrich has re-organized the permanent exhibit, attracted new visitors and gained the museum media attention.
[4] The museum's collection expanded after 1966 to include objects from Basel and the Upper Rhine, from the two Surbtal villages Endingen and Lengnau as well as from the remainder of Switzerland and Europe.
[6] Highlights of the museum's collection include silver ceremonial objects, richly embroidered textiles from the 17th to the 20th centuries and documents from the cultural history of the Jews in Switzerland.
The monumental medieval gravestones and the Basel Hebrew prints are important historical testimonies.
[8] This embroidered wimpel made of coarse linen dates back to 1744 and belongs to the "Lengnau Mappot."
The inscription reads: "Samuel, son of Meir, who was born under a good star on Friday, Shabbat evening, 2nd Kislew 5505, may he lead a life with the Torah, the Chuppah and good deeds, Amen Selah.
Eine Familie in der Region) 2002: Mesusot 2002–2003: Dining on Shabbat (Speisen am Schabbat) 2003–2004: Jewish Wedding Contracts from the Braginsky Collection, Zurich (Jüdische Hochzeitsverträge aus der Braginsky Collection, Zürich) 2004–2005: Anne Frank.
A Jewish Family History from Frankfurt and Basel (Truhe auf Wanderschaft.
Eine jüdische Familiengeschichte aus Frankfurt und Basel) 2006–2007: Bringing it into the Light.
Auf den Spuren der jüdischen Landgemeinden im Aargau) 2009–2009: Strange.
The Century after the Breakthrough (in cooperation with Kunstmuseum Basel) (Kunst nach Chagall.
How Otto Frank Brought Anne's Voice from Basel to the World (Das Tagebuch.
Wie Otto Frank Annes Stimme aus Basel in die Welt brachte) 2019: ISREALITIES.
Eine jüdische Familiengeschichte aus Frankfurt und Basel 2006: Ins Licht gerückt.
Auf den Spuren der jüdischen Landgemeinden im Aargau 2010: HERZLichen Glückwunsch!
Schutz und Magie – Glaube oder Aberglaube 2014: Gaby Knoch-Mund, Gesucht.
50 Objekte erzählen Geschichte / Jewish Switzerland: 50 Objects Tell their Stories, Basel, Christoph Merian Verlag.
