New Sounds

The European Jewish community adopted the noisemaker from their Christian neighbors, using it during the Purim holiday’s reading of the Book of Esther to drown out each mention of the villainous Haman. The noisemaker has since become a central component in the holiday’s celebrations.

This exhibition displays 150 noisemakers created by industrial designer Yaacov Kaufman, presenting a wide range of iterations of this simple object. Using disposable utensils, basic materials, and found objects, Kaufman has produced a colorful, diverse, and amusing series capturing the joyous atmosphere of the holiday.