By Mimi Pollack
SAN DIEGO — My maternal grandparents were born in the 1800’s in the land that today is known as Israel. They passed away before I was born, and I regret I never got the chance to talk with them and hear their stories.
Thus, it is with great interest that I perused the splendid catalog that showcases the exhibit at the Mingei Museum in Balboa Park, Israel-70 Years of Craft and Design. The exhibit runs until September 3.
Because of my grandparents, I was particularly intrigued by the more ancient items being shown, starting with the rare pair of silver finials from the Kabbalistic town of Tzfat where my grandmother was born. These finials were made during Ottoman rule. In addition, I loved the amulet with 19 magic charms to protect from the “evil eye” as well as other amulets shown. Several pieces from the Belazel School also caught my eye.
Both the catalog and exhibit honor all seven decades of Israel and the craft and design expressed in many different forms. It honors the rich melting of the people in Israel, including Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Yemenite, Christian, and Arabic. Finally, what is nice about the catalog is that it is not only a way to remember the exhibit, but also a way to see some of the items up close with greater detail.
To order the catalog, the link is https://cottageofisrael.com/70-years-of-craft-and-design
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Pollack is a freelance writer who may be contacted via mimi.pollack@sdjewishworld.com