Aliyah (ascension) plaque

The term aliyah (עליה ) means “ascent” and typically refers to the immigration of a Jewish person to the Land of Israel ( ארץ ישראל). This particular plaque honors the aliyah of a Kurdish Jew in the 1920s. The front of the plaque bears an inscription of the Ten Commandments, a reminder of the covenant between God and the Jewish people. On the reverse, an inscription can be found, presumably referring to the plaque’s wearer, “Esther, daughter of Rachel” (אסתר בת רחל ). Plaques and amulets containing scripture and the wearer’s name are plentiful in Jewish tradition and were typically made for a specific purpose, such as to provide protection or comfort on a journey.