“The Four Sons of Chevra Keren HaYesod.” Hebrew text. Designed by Nachum Gutman, after his Passover Hagadah.

(ISRAEL, STATE OF).

Circa 1955

Minor tears on creases, no loss of text. Framed.

Published by Keren HaYesod, the central fundraising organization for Israel, this image by Nachum Gutman (1898-1980), cleverly utilizes the Passover Seder liturgy as metaphor of the Four Sons as four perspectives and attitudes towards the organization and the need to make financial contributions to sustain it. For example, the Wise Son responsibly asks “What are the immediate needs of the day?” The Wicked Son presents the selfish perspective: “Why work so hard.” To which the responses are: “Like citizens of all other nations, Jews must pay a national tax… If most Israelis had your attitude we may not have been saved so frequently.”