We can see a Star of David in the middle of the plate. We can also see some text in English.

Look closely, what do you see?

This decorative plate was given to the well-known writer and political activist Israel Zangwill in 1915 by Morris Myer, editor of the Yiddish newspaper, Di Tsayt. Look closely to find the Star of David in the centre of the plate. The Star of David is found on many Jewish cultural and religious objects.

There are twenty circles with different images inside them in a ring around the plate.  These images include a menorah, lamp, tree and lyre.

On top of the Star of David is the text written upon a white shape.  This shape reminds us of the stone tablet the Ten Commandments were written on.  You often see this symbol in Synagogues.

There are three languages written on this plate.  The text painted onto the ivory panel is in English which is the language the quote was spoken in. The writing in a circle around the Star of David is in Hebrew and reads ‘Israel Zangwill’.  Remember that Hebrew is read right to left.  The writing around the edge of the plate is in Yiddish and says ‘In remembrance of the day (25^th February 1915) when Israel Zangwill was publicly insulted as a Jew and answered with pride as a Jew. From the editor and colleagues of Di Tsayt.’

We might wonder why this plate was made? We also might wonder how Zangwill might have felt when he received the plate?

What do you wonder?

Object name: plate

Date: 1915

Catalogue number: 1989.292

Material(s): wood, ivory, leather, metal.

Made by: Lazar Berson in 1915

Size: 36cm in diameter and has hooks in the back in order to hang the plate up on a wall.

On display in the Jewish Museum? Yes

Israel Zangwill was born in poverty in the East End of London in 1864 and educated at the Jews’ Free School, Zangwill grew up to become a writer, campaigner and a playwright. He told society what life was like for the Jewish Community and he also campaigned for important causes such as peace and women’s rights.

Morrie Myer asked the artist Lazar Berson to make the plate to remember what Zangwill had said to a heckler at a public meeting who had described him as “an alien Jew”. In the centre of the plate is the text of what Zangwill’s response to the heckler.

The heckler’s comment reflects how worried people were about the eastern European Jews moving to Britain from the late 19th century. People complained of an “alien invasion”, accusing immigrants of taking jobs and housing. The Aliens Act, the first peacetime law to control immigration to Britain, was passed in 1905.