Jewish paper cutting

Paper cuts often decorated ketubbot (marriage contracts), Mizrahs, and ornaments for festive occasions.

Paper cutting was practiced by Jewish communities in both Eastern Europe and North Africa and the Middle East for centuries and has seen a revival in modern times in Israel and elsewhere.

The first mention of Jewish paper cutting can be found in the treatise "The fight of the pen and the scissors” by a 14th-century rabbi, Shem Tov ben Isaac ben Ardutiel (1290-1369), who describes how he decided to cut letters in paper when his ink became frozen during a harsh winter.

Similar paper cuttings from Jewish communities North Africa and the Middle East have some characteristic style differences.

It was popular among Jews both in eastern and western Europe as well as in Turkey, Morocco, Syria, Bangladesh, Israel, and North America.

Since the late twentieth century, Jewish paper cuts have again become a popular art form in both Israel and other countries.

The exhibit was curated by Prof. Olga Goldberg, Gabriella Rabbi, Rina Biran, the Giza Frenkel Papercut Archive, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Additionally, a National Science Foundation-funded study called “Tradition and Continuity in Jewish Papercuts” was conducted by Prof. Olga Goldberg.

[4] Artist Oren Loloi writes that the art of Jewish papercutting's resurgence is due in large part to the efforts of Polish-Jewish anthropologist and ethnologist Giza Frankel (see below).

[5] Frankel's 1983 book, The Art of the Jewish Papercut (Migzerot neyar: omanut Yehudit amamit), was produced after 50 years of painstaking research.

[6] Frankel's most significant publications on paper cutting are Wycinanka żydowska w Polsce and Art of the Jewishpaper-cut.

[7] Giza Frankel brought knowledge of Polish Jewish paper cuts with her when she emigrated to Israel in 1950.

Monika Krajewska's interests was focus on symbols related both to Jewish papercut and sepulchral art, according to Wycinanka żydowska.

[16] Waletzky's papercuts differed from "traditional forms in that they are free flowing and less bound to structure and symmetry.

[18] His work belongs to a new aesthetic that bridges the gap between Jewish tradition and the modern resurgence of paper cutting worldwide.

[19] Mazaky is a contemporary Israeli artist, inspired by the works of Yemenite Jews who designed and crafted silver Judaica and jewelry.

His papercuttings showcase excerpts from Biblical sources intertwined with graphic scenes of nature and culture.

[21][22] Depending on their purpose, shape and connection with specific religious and non-religious events, paper cuts are of different types.

Elements of micrography, another traditional type of Jewish folk art, can be seen in these blocks of text created with the artist's knife.

By contrast, the Sephardic compositions were more minimalist, including motifs such as the menorah, columns, arabesques and lanterns.

Others symbols were connected both with tradition and with everyday life: The images are created by cutting a design into a folded piece of paper.