Between Hand & Scroll: Torah Pointers from the Barr Collection

This first major exhibition of Judaica at the University of Virginia presents a selection of more than 80 Torah pointers (yads), collected and commissioned by Clay Barr in honor of her late husband Jay D.A. Barr, a double alumnus of UVA. The collection features traditional antique Torah pointers as well as modern and contemporary works commissioned as recently as 2024. The exhibition includes pointers made of gold, silver, pearls, and jewels as well as badger hair bristles, a whale’s tooth, porcupine quills, whitefish vertebrae, recycled cans, and even a skateboard. This presentation offers expanded possibilities for what a religious ritual object can be. A yad is used in Jewish synagogue services when reading aloud from the Torah. It takes the place of the reader’s hand as it glides along the text, and the tip of the yad often resembles a hand with a pointing finger. Additionally, yadsassist in protecting the integrity of the quilled letters and the delicate vellum. Using a yad helps the reader keep their place in the text and maintains ritual separation between hand and scroll, reflecting a broader Jewish religious theme of distinguishing the realm of the sacred from the everyday.  The exhibition is curated by Wendy Ligon Smith, guest curator at The Fralin Museum of Art and Assistant Professor in the Engagements program, with Lise Dobrin, Professor of Anthropology and the students of the fall 2024 Curating Culture course all at the University of Virginia. The exhibition is supported by the Endowment of the Volunteer Board at The Fralin Museum of Art and sponsored by a grant from Virginia Humanities. Related academic programming has been sponsored by the Office of the Executive Vice President and the Provost at UVA, with special thanks to The Barr Foundation for loaning the collection for this new exhibition.