Ethiopia Judaica Tapestries

Hand Stitched Tapestry Pillowcases
of Bible scenes
(can also be framed for hanging)
Since they are hand made by a number of individuals, there will be variations in the size, color shades, and detail. The average size is about 18 inches by 17 inches.

Many have chosen to use these as tallit bags. They have a smooth back with a zipper that runs across the center of the case horizontally.

Avraham and Sarah

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry.

$25.00

More Details

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry on front depicting Avraham and Sarah:

Avraham and Sarah sitting in from of their tent having coffee. The little coffee pot in the middle shows a touch of Ethiopian culture in this tapestry, as this is the coffee pot used in most households of Ethiopia, including Jewish homes, to make coffee. (Gen. 11-49)

David and Goliath

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry.

$25.00

More Details

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry on front depicting David and Goliath:

Goliath, on the ground defeated by David. (I Sam 17:50)

Spies returning from Promised Land

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry.

$25.00

More Details

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry on front depicting Joshua & Caleb:

Spies carrying the very large cluster of grapes between two of them to show their fellow Israelite how bountiful the land was that G-d was sending them into. (Num. 13:23)

Baby Moses

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry.

$25.00

More Details

Zippered pillowcase bag that depicts the Baby Moses in the Nile-

Pharaoh’s daughter, accompanied by her servants, is finding baby Moses in the Nile, amongst the reeds. (Ex. 2: 5-6)

Deborah and Barak

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry.

$25.00

More Details

The prophetess and judge, Deborah, told Barak that G-d was sending him to defeat the oppressing king of Canaan. (Judges 4) Deborah is wearing the Ethiopian flag colors.

Deborah was the only female Judge of Israel. She was also a prophet, and held court in Ephraim in a place called "Deborah's Palm Tree," and the Israelites came to her to decide their disputes. Here she persuades the warrior, Barak to fight the King of Hazor, but warns Barak that the honor of conquering Sisera (King Jabin's general) will go to a woman instead of him. Sisera marched his entire army, including 900 iron chariots to the Kishon River. Deborah told Barak "Now is the time for action! The Lord leads on! He has already delivered Sisera into your hand." Barak leads his army down the slopes of Mount Tabor and defeats the enemy. Sisera, who escaped the slaughter by the Israelites, is killed by Jael, a woman, who drives a peg through his head while he is sleeping.

Queen Esther and Mordechai

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry.

$25.00

More Details

Esther and Mordechai-

This exact scene of Esther, Mordechai and King Ahasuerus altogether is not in the Bible, but serves as a reminder of the powerful story of God’s protection of His people. Esther has a Star of David on her crown to symbolize her Jewishness.

9 Branched Hanukkah Menorah with 12 Tribes Looking On

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry.

$25.00

More Details

A prominent golden candlebra with 12 faces (perhaps representing the 12 Tribes of Israel) looking on from behind the menorah.

Jacob Meets Rachel

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry.

$25.00

More Details

Jacob and Rachel Meeting at the Well-
Jacob went to find a wife among his mother’s people.

One of the first people he met near his destination of Haran was Rachel, of his mother’s people, at the well.
(Gen. 19)

The patriarch of the 12 tribes of Israel, Jacob was later known as Israel.

Jacob's Ladder

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry.

$25.00

More Details

Jacob’s Ladder-
Jacob left Beersheba, and went toward Haran. He came to the place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of G-d were ascending and descending on it!
(Genesis 28)

Jacob is sleeping with a stone under his head as described in verse, having the dream in which angels are ascending and descending a ladder into heaven. Also in this dream G-d promised Jacob the land, many descendants and that all the earth would be blessed by his descendants.

Jonah in the Whale

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry.

$25.00

More Details

Jonah-

After avoiding Elohim's call to prophesy to the Ninevites, Jonah is thrown overboard from the ship to appease G-d's judgement of a supernatural storm and is swallowed by a large fish.

Jonah tried to run away from G-d’s command and ended up in the belly of a huge fish for 3 days.

the book of Jonah

Joseph and the Multicolored Coat

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry.

$25.00

More Details

Joseph–
Joseph herding sheep in his richly colored robe that his father, Israel, gave him.
(Gen. 37:3)

Evoking the jealousy of his brothers, Joseph was wearing this coat when they plotted against him.

Noah Receives the Rainbow

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry.

$25.00

More Details

Noah-
Noah in the ark when it has landed on a mountain top.

Shown also are the dove returning with the olive leaf indicating to Noah that there was dry land somewhere and the rainbow, sent by God a reminder that He would never again flood the earth.
(Gen 8-9)

Ruth and Naomi

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry.

$25.00

More Details

Ruth and Naomi-
Ruth and Naomi are shown here standing in a field where Ruth gleaned food.

This is where she met her future husband, Boaz. Despite being a Moabitess, Ruth had accepted the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and became the great grand mother of King David.:
Your people {shall be} my people, and your G-d, my G-d. Ruth 1:16

Samson Destroys the Temple

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry.

$25.00

More Details

Samson-
Colorful rendition of Samson when he brought down the Philistine's Temple to Dagon while thousands were in it, thus destroying many of Israel’s enemies. The blindfold symbolizes his blindness.
(Judges 16:25-30)

Shabbat with the family

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry.

$25.00

More Details

What is better than entering the rest of Shabbat?

Sabbath-
This tapestry is actually named “Shema” by the Bete Israel, because the Shema is said at the synagogue on the Sabbath. In the forefront are the two candles lit in Jewish homes when the Sabbath starts, as well as cup of wine and bread that are taken together (called Kiddish).

The mother is holding her hands over her face as she prays the blessing over the Sabbath and the lighting of the candles.

(Sabbath: Gen.2:3, Ex 20:8-11, Ex 31:12-17, Ex. 35:2, Lev. 23:3, Lev.25:6, Deut. 5:14-15, Is. 56:2-7, Is. 58:13-14, Jr. 17:21-22 Shema: Deut. 6:4- 25)

Moses and the 10 Commandments

Zippered pillow case sleeve with tapestry.

$25.00

More Details

Ten Commandments-
Moses holding the 10 commandments with people looking on. In the background is Mount Sinai with the cloud of G-d’s presence over it.
(Ex. 20)

Large Tapestry of the Lion of Judah

Beautiful, large hand-stitched tapestry.

$70.00

More Details

Symbolizes the Ethiopian Jews:

The lion is the Lion of Judah, holding a flag with the Ethiopian colors.

The building represents Gonder, where the Bete Israel* lived for centuries before migrating to to Addis Ababa either several hundred years ago as workers for royalty or in past 20 years to make Aliyah to Israel.

There are only two of these tapestries in existence, one is hanging in the office building of the Displaced Jewish Development Association located at the Bete Israel synagogue compound in Addis Ababa, and this one.

It measures 36 1/2 inches by 21 1/2 inches.

*(Bete Israel- Term for Jews from which all Ethiopian Jews are descended, currently used for specific Jewish communities in Addis Ababa and Gonder.)

Estranged People

a benefit for the Jews of Ethiopia

Support Ethiopian Jews

Help Affirm Their Dignity

Support our efforts:

Avraham and Sarah

David and Goliath

Spies returning from Promised Land

Baby Moses

Deborah and Barak

Queen Esther and Mordechai

9 Branched Hanukkah Menorah with 12 Tribes Looking On

Jacob Meets Rachel

Jacob's Ladder

Jonah in the Whale

Joseph and the Multicolored Coat

Noah Receives the Rainbow

Ruth and Naomi

Samson Destroys the Temple

Shabbat with the family

Moses and the 10 Commandments

Large Tapestry of the Lion of Judah