On the Ideological and Practical Significance of Siddur Inner Cover Illustrations in Modern Eretz Israel

Abstract

This study focuses on one visual component within the envelope of the siddur (the Jewish prayer book) that has yet to receive scholarly attention: the artistic illustration appearing on its inner cover (for the siddur in Hebrew, on the first left page). Specifically, it examines the inner cover illustration of six modern Ashkenazi prayer books from Eretz Israel, delving into the marketing and ideological messages embedded within each illustration. The comparative study of these six Ashkenazi siddurim – most of which were created at a time when the liturgical and ideological design of the prayer and synagogue in Eretz Israel was being re-examined, affecting also the design and identity of each siddur – allows us to make an in-depth comparison between the different illustrations, placing each of them within a specific, comparative context.