The Yeshiva of the Wise Men in Lublin (Yiddish: Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin), founded in 1930 by Rabbi Yehuda Meir Shapiro, was the largest Talmudic institution in the world. Its construction and maintenance required enormous financial resources, which is why fundraising campaigns were conducted in Poland, Europe, the United States, and Canada ( http://teatrnn.pl/leksykon/artykuly/majer-jehuda-szapiro/, accessed on 14 February 2021). One of the ways to raise funds was through charity boxes that were given to Jewish institutions and families, where donations were collected for the needs of the school.
The charity box from the collection of the District Museum in Leszno is made of thin steel sheet painted in a light green colour. On the front side, there is an image of the institution, supported by two hands and depicted against the backdrop of the Tablets of the Covenant. Above it, there is a Hebrew inscription: "School of the Wise Men of Lublin/ DMHR's Shapiro, may the memory of the righteous be blessed". Below the image, there is a Yiddish and Hebrew inscription encouraging support for Torah teaching. On the back side, there are first letters of the Hebrew name of the institution, "J. Ch. L", and the manufacturer's name, "M.E. Ska Warszawa" (at the bottom edge). Above the monogram, there is a mounting plate with two holes for hanging the charity box. On the top lid, there is a rectangular opening for inserting money and a Hebrew text: "In eternal memory of the soul/ of Rabbi's spouse, Malka Toyva Shapiro, may she rest in peace". On both side walls, there are inscriptions in Yiddish and Hebrew, and on the right side, also in Polish: "WYŻSZA UCZ. REL. ŻYD./ JESZYWAS CHACHMEJ LUBLIN im. RABINA MAJERA SZAPIRO/ LUBLIN, LUBARTOWSKA 57/ Zatw. za No 2379/808 3 października 1934”.
The charity box was purchased in 1996 from Aleksander Sanok, a private collector from Leszno. It was brought from the southeastern region of Poland. The previous owner did not specify the exact place of origin of the item.
Dariusz Czwojdrak
