Elijah's chair, Bezalel School, Jerusalem, 1916-25 (mixed media)

Walnut wood, leather, woolen carpet, embroidery on silk and velvet, ivory, shell, silver filigree, enamel, and brass, repoussé. According to Jewish tradition, the Prophet Elijah is present at every circumcision, protecting the baby boy. And so “Elijah’s Chair” is the name given to the seat of the godfather who holds the infant during this ceremony. The Elijah’s Chair seen here is one of the most sumptuous items produced by the Bezalel School founded in Jerusalem in 1906. It took several years to create, with artisans from all of the school’s workshops participating in the project. The chair’s regal decoration features appropriate biblical scenes, emblems of the twelve tribes, and cherubs in classic Bezalel style. It is fitting that a chair/altar designed as a symbol of Jewish national revival should be used for the rite of circumcision, which symbolizes the ongoing covenant between God and the Jews.