Who knew that the textile field was strongly rooted in Italian Jewish tradition, or that embroidery was one of the few Jewish figurative arts Jews were free to practice from the late medieval period until the Emancipation? Embroidery was practiced in Italy by men, and only in the 16th century did it become an important part of women’s education. Since then Jewish women supplied embroidery for Italian synagogues, and became custodians of Jewish heritage in Italy. A unique precious textile exhibition introduces us to a number of Italian Jewish women who sought to leave a lasting mark of their devotion, love, and labor through fabrics and textiles. Founded in 1983, and housed in a 300-year-old synagogue, the Umberto Nahon Museum of Italian Jewish Art in Jerusalem collects, preserves and displays objects pertaining to Jewish life in Italy from the Renaissance to the present. Through December 22, 2019.