The four-sided collection tin made of sheet metal, painted. The top and bottom edges of the box are visibly protruding. The joints of the sides are slightly rounded. At the top of the tin there is a narrow, rectangular opening for depositing donations. At the back of the tin there is a visible mechanism (lock) enabling its opening. The entire surface of the box is covered with gold-coloured paint (underpainting). The back wall does not have any additional decorations. The front wall shows a representation of the building of Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin (Hebrew: ישיבת חכמי לובלין, the Lublin School of Sages). It occupies the air space of about 2/3 of the height of the wall (from the top). Below it, on a gold background, there is also an inscription in black. The building is in the colour of écru, behind it a fragment of the blue sky is visible, in front of it a fragment of a garden (lawn and bushes in the colour of green). On the right and left sides of the representation there are columns of the height of the building, which form the frame of the picture. At the top, the representation is crowned by a semicircular plaque in the colour of the building. It bears an inscription in black. Underneath, the image is separated from the background only by a thin dark line. Along the top and bottom edge of the box there is an additional geometric decoration. In the middle of the height of each of the narrower walls there is an Aron ha-kodesh in blue. In the middle of the object the Star of David is visible, held by two lions. To the right and left are decorative branches, also in blue. Above and below the representation there is a black inscription. The bottom of the box is slightly concave, to the thickness of the protruding edges.
The collection tin was used to collect donations for the construction of Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin. Founded by Rabbi Majer Yehuda Shapira in 1930, Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin was the largest Talmudic university in the world. The collection of funds for the construction of the university was initiated by the Rabbi himself, who donated the money inherited and received from his in-laws and parents for this purpose. Beginning in 1924, donations were collected in houses, shops and workshops in Lublin. Then the collection of donations continued throughout Poland. Moneyboxes specially prepared and marked for this purpose appeared. The design of the building (front wall) was placed on specially prepared moneyboxes, as well as common symbols referring to Jewish tradition. The representation of the Aron ha-kodesh refers to the gates leading to the sanctuary of the Temple of Jerusalem. Lions holding the Torah symbolise the power of knowledge. Bribes for the construction were also collected by other organisations and associations, e.g. the Linas Hacedek Hygienic Society of Lublin.
Marta Frączkiewicz
