The Jewish Museum

This papier-mâché bowl was used by the Meshebat Naphesh Society. It is decorated with flowers and inscribed with ‘Bread, Meat and Coal’ on the outside.

The Meshebat Naphesh Society was founded in 1779 to provide bread, meat and coal to poor Jews.  It was the first charity established by the Ashkenazi (Jews of central or eastern European origin) community in England.

The charity later became known as the ‘Society for Distributing Bread, Meat and Coal amongst the Jewish Poor during the Winter Season’ and was commonly referred to as the ‘Jewish Bread, Meat and Coal Society’.