I've actually been meaning to write about this on my blog for a while, because I found it so fascinating. But for some reason, its taken until today for it to happen. Anyway, what I'm talking about is the current exhibition at the American Folk Art Museum (my favorite!) which tells a uniquely American story.
In the 19th century as persecution and poverty drove Eastern European Jews out of their hometowns, many of them came to the United States as immigrants, seeking safety and freedom, as well as means to support their families. For most, the easiest thing to do was what you had been trained to do in the old country. For some, this was woodcarving.
I'm not Jewish, and even if I were, I probably would not have realized that traditional Eastern European Jewish synagogues were as elaborately constructed and beautifully finished as Catholic cathedrals. The focal point of the interior was the Torah ark, which was very tall, and constructed of elaborately carved wood in a baroque style depicting symbols that related to the scriptures, Jewish doctrines, and the coming Messiah. The ark symbolized the ark of the covenant that the ancient Israelites carried the ten commandments in, and every Torah ark included a carved depiction of the stone tablets flanked on either side by a magnificent lion. Often gilded, these lions formed the focal point of the interior of the synagogue, where the ark was often placed on the eastern side of the building, in front of a large window, so that light shining through the intricate carving would increase the drama and heighten the spirituality conveyed by the awesome construction. Another motif on these arks was the symbol of two hands forming a traditional Jewish blessing. As sunlight streamed between the hands, it would have been as if God himself were blessing those who stood before the ark.
As the Jews were driven out of Eastern Europe, their beautiful old synagogues were all destroyed, but the talent and skills passed from generation to generation survived and in America, Jewish immigrant woodcarvers were able to create beautiful Torah Arks for their new synagogues. My favorite one in the exhibition is actually from the 1920's and was not only elaborately carved, but fitted with electric lights, so that the eyes of the lions glow a bright red.
America provided new outlets for the talented immigrants: less sacred and more secular in nature. Coney Island became a major amusement attraction in the decades following the Civil War, and was particularly known for its carousels, filled with animals more animated and dynamic than any others in the nation. 
These carnival horses were carved by the same men who had been trained by their fathers' fathers to carve Torah arks and other synagogue decorations. Put to a new use, their creativity and talent resulted in fantastically stamping steeds dressed in elaborate saddles and finery, as well as other more imaginative carousel animals, such as lions and leviathans, which directly related to the types of animals found in the symbolism of their religious traditions. These beautiful animals were works of art that worked for a living, providing years of entertainment for the people that came to Coney Island.
The sad part of the story is that eventually Coney Island and other such amusement parks fell into decay and neglect, and with the growth of technology and materials such as plastic and fiberglass, there was no longer the need for hand-carved wood objects anymore. The traditions were no longer passed from generation to generation, as the carvers' children and grandchildren found more modern professions. I think many of the old American synagogues have suffered a similar fate, and as they have been modernized and renovated, their elaborately carved components have been given to museums and historical societies, where, as in the case of the Folk Art Museum, they are reunited with their cousins, the carousel animals.
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