The Habonim Committee searched world-wide for two years to find a ner tamid (eternal light) that would link our congregation to Jewish peoplehood and Jewish history. The committee was made aware that this historic ner tamid was going to be part of a major auction of Judaica just weeks before the new building was scheduled to open.
The story of this piece begins in 1934 or 1935 when a Frenchman by the name of Mr. Cohen commissioned this piece to be made in memory of his deceased wife, Aziza (1933) and his deceased daughter (1934). We know this from the beautiful engraving and cut-out work at the top of the piece on the two scroll-like extensions. The piece was manufactured in French Morocco and then imported into France, where it must have hung in a synagogue until War War II began. We can assume, based on its very large and unusual size of 24” tall, plus another 32” including the chain and the top piece from which it hangs, that Mr. Cohen’s synagogue was one of the larger and wealthier ones in France.
The next thing we know about the piece is that it was imported into Holland in 1953. It bears an important mark with this information. We don’t know how it survived the War, or how it was smuggled out of France and into Holland.
Jump ahead almost 30 years and it next appears in an auction, where it is purchased by a Holocaust Survivor by the name of Mr. Rubin. Mr. Rubin is a Hasidic Jew who lives between New York and Florida, and who had held onto this piece until 2010. Just like Mr Rubin 30 years earlier, the temple acquired this ritual object at an auction in New York City.
