What if one of history’s most mysterious decks of cards was hiding a forgotten Jewish story? Join author Stav Appel as he explores his provocative thesis that the original Tarot de Marseille, the artistic foundation of modern Tarot, may have served as a secret tool for preserving Jewish learning during centuries of religious persecution. Examining the Jean Noblet Tarot created in Paris around 1650 through a Jewish historical lens, Appel reveals what he believes are hidden connections to Hebrew letters, Torah narratives, ritual objects, and Jewish holidays embedded within the cards’ imagery. This fascinating presentation invites us to reconsider the origins of Tarot and explore the possibility that a hidden world of Jewish memory and symbolism has been waiting to be discovered for nearly four centuries.
Sponsor: Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program