Jewish communities along the Mediterranean basin as well as in Asia house the Torah scroll in a wooden case called a tik. This example, created in Iraq, is covered in silver, richly decorated, and mounted with two silver Torah finials, or rimonim in Hebrew. It was commissioned by Aaron Shalom Gabbai, a prominent Baghdadi living in India, who donated it to a synagogue in Calcutta in memory of his son, who died prematurely. Although the MFA’s Judaica collection is diverse in its geographic span, this tik is the first object from Iraq—home to the earliest forced Jewish diaspora in the world.

Wood, silver, partially gilt.

Jetskalina H. Phillips Fund.

2023.66a-c