Page 54 - HANUKIYA

n a moment, the magnificent living room turns into the sanctity 1. Sacred and
of the synagogue. I stand in respect. Someone brings a sealed preserved. Torah
box into the room. The homeowner, the American benefactor, scroll attributed to
the holy Maggid of
IRabbi Yaakov Hoffman, is very excited. He kisses the box, opens Międzyrzecz, may his
it with awe and reverence, and pulls out two miniature Torah virtue protect us.
scrolls with shaking hands. Each of them has a surprising Hassidic
history. 2. Crown and honor.
Repaired Torah scroll
In the United States, Hassidim know him as the benefactor who of the Apter Rebbe of
supports Torah institutions of Erlau and Ribnitz Hassidim and a patron blessed and righteous
of charitable organizations. But few know that he is on the greatest memory topped by a
collectors of original Judaica in the world. gold crown inserted
with new precious
According to stubborn rumors, there are numerous Israeli and stones.
foreign dealers and top craftsmen who have offered to establish
unique buildings and exhibits for his museum. Rabbi Yaakov demurs. 3. Colored mirror.
Throughout the conversation, he prefers not to talk about himself. Special gold reading
“You are here for the Torah scrolls,” he says with a smile. That is his hand.
way, his associates tell me. He flees from fame. He fears the evil eye. He
prefers deeds to talk.

There is only one subject that he is willing to elaborate on. Jewish
art. I had the privilege of three fascinating hours, which were in effect
a historic-geographical-artistic journey in Israel and the East, which
have reached a conclusion in his home in the United States.

“Here,” he shows me a reproduction. Everything in it – a photograph
of a Jewish boy. A stereotypical picture. A youth with clear eyes and a
kolpik. “I analyzed it for six months,” he says and captivates me in the
world of Jewish art.

That’s the way it is. It turns out that there are many Judaica
collectors in the world, but “scholars” of art, who know how to delve
into and investigate every object and every picture, are few. Most of
them are doctors and art curators. The surprising thing about Hoffman
is his research ability.

“Look at this picture,” he says with his charming smile. “What do you
see?” I strain my eyes and try to say with trepidation what it looks like
to me. Yes, a typical painting of a yeshiva boy from the period – the seat
of the Russian tsar.

Rabbi Hoffman smiles. “If I were to think like you, I am not sure that
I would agree to pay so much for this picture.”

Let us start from the beginning. The name of the artist. “It’s Isador
Kaufman,” he says. “In the art world, it is enough to mention these two
words and everyone will understand. Isador Kaufman was a famous
Jewish-Hungarian artist who worked in Vienna.”

Kaufman’s biography is linked to this painting. He was born in Arad
in the Kingdom of Hungary (now in Romania). Later, he moved the
Vienna, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, where he studied
with Europe’s top portraitists.

1. Sacred and preserved. Torah scroll attributed to the Maggid
of Międzyrzecz, may his virtue protect us

2. Crown and honor. Repaired Torah scroll of the holy Apter
Rebbe, may his virtue protect us, topped by a gold crown inlaid with
new precious stones

“Kaufman,” says Rabbi Yaakov, “belonged to a very fascinating
group of artists of that century.” You have to understand that this was
a period of multiple unnecessary wars. Europe was being torn between
armies and mercenaries. This was the time after the French Revolution.
These artists called for equal rights for Jewish citizens. Emancipation.

This is also expressed in their art and paintings. Many of Kaufman’s
paintings are of East European Jews. In this way Kaufman tried to use

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