Defiant Histories in Silver and Bronze: Women in the MFA’s Judaica Collection

What can a silver Hanukkah lamp and a bronze medal reveal about Jewish women’s power, defiance, and survival? In this class, we’ll explore two extraordinary objects from the MFA’s Judaica collection as historical texts: an 18th-century German lamp depicting Judith triumphantly holding the head of Holofernes, and a 16th-century Italian medal featuring Dona Gracia Nasi the Younger, an 18-year-old crypto-Jew during the Inquisition. With curator Simona Di Nepi as our guide, we’ll uncover the layered histories, identities, and acts of resistance embedded in these striking works of art.

Simona Di Nepi is the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Curator of Judaica at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where she is responsible for building and displaying the Judaica collection, and for curating Intentional Beauty: Jewish Ritual Art from the Collection, the museum’s first Judaica gallery. Originally from Rome, before moving to the United States Simona studied and worked in London and Tel Aviv for 25 years. She filled curatorial roles—in both decorative arts and Old Masters—at the Victoria and Albert Museum, The National Gallery, and the Royal Academy of Arts in London, where she cared for permanent collections and curated exhibitions. In Israel, she worked as curator at 'Anu: The Museum of the Jewish People’ and as Lecturer in Italian Renaissance art at Reichman University, Herzelyia.

Simona curated the exhibitions and wrote the accompanying publications for Reunions: Bringing Early Italians Paintings Back Together (The National Gallery, London, 2005), and Dreyfus: The Story of a French-Jewish Family (Anu: the Museum of the Jewish People, Tel Aviv, 2014). She is also the author of the National Gallery’s collection catalogue From Duccio to Leonardo: Renaissance Painting 1250-1500. In Judaica, Simona wrote the essays ‘Itinerant Sephardic Judaica: from Dutch Ports to the Harbours of Europe and the Americas’, ‘Jewish Things at the Museum of Fine Arts: a History’, ‘The Servi Shaddai: the Family History of an amulet at the MFA Boston’, and ‘Treasures from storage: Two Rediscovered Italian Jewish Textiles.’ Simona is currently guiding Boston University students in the development of Real and Imagined: Rembrandt and the Jews of the 17th-Century Dutch Republic, an in-focus MFA exibition (Dec. 2025-Dec 2026).

Who are these classes for?

Our classes are for everyone—whether you’re brand new to the topic or have been engaging with it for years, we encourage participation from people of all backgrounds, identities, and experience levels. Unless otherwise noted, no prior knowledge or experience is needed. Not sure if a class is for you? Email us at Learning@Lehr.haus!

Why are there tickets at different prices?

Our tickets utilize a Pay-What-You-Can model so attendees can pay a range of prices based on what they are able to pay to allow for greater accessibility. Please select the price point that feels right for you.

Can I eat during class?

While we do not serve food in the study, you are welcome to order and enjoy drinks during class and join us for a meal before or after class. We highly recommend making a reservation if you know you'll be dining with us. Visit www.lehr.haus/reservation to check availability and book a table.