Papercut Omer Calendar, Jakob Benjamin Brandeis, Breslau: 1876

This vibrantly colored papercut created by Jakob Benjamin Brandeis (1835-1912) contains the prayers to be said during the the forty-nine days of the Omer, a period that begins on the second night of Passover and ends with the holiday of Shavuot. With its bright palette of colors and folk-art style this lively Omer calendar may have been made by Jakob for his personal use.

Jakob Brandeis was born in Prague into a distinguished Jewish family. His father was a Captain in Napoleon's army and later worked at banking houses in Vienna and Prague. His grandfather, Baruch Brandeis, was a member of the rabbinical court of the Prague Jewish community and the author of Leshon Hakhamim and Zedah Baruch.  Jakob also married well. His father-in law was Wolf Pascheles (1814-1857) an author, publisher and bookseller who had opened the first Jewish bookstore in Prague in 1837.  Jakob soon joined the firm of Pascheles & Sons, and in 1864 he established his own printing house in Prague.  Several years later, he opened a branch of his publishing firm in Breslau.  Jakob's business label with the address of his Breslau firm is affixed to the lower border of this artwork.