(Jewish Group) Long-hidden synagogue mural gets rehabbed, relocated

The Lost Mural hangs in the entryway of Ohavi Zedek Synagogue, in Burlington, Vt., July 29, 2022. The mural painted in 1910 by a Lithuanian immigrant, that was later hidden behind a wall for years, has been rehabilitated and moved and is what experts say is a rare piece of art. (AP Photo/Lisa Rathke)

A mural that was painted in a Vermont synagogue more than 100 years ago by a Lithuanian immigrant — and hidden behind a wall for years— has been termed a rare piece of art and has been painstakingly moved and restored.

The large colorful triptych painted by sign painter Ben Zion Black in 1910 shows the Ten Commandments with a lion on both sides, the sun beaming down, and columns and rich curtains at the borders. Now known as the “Lost Mural,” it's a rare representation of a kind of art that graced wooden synagogues in Europe that were largely destroyed during the Holocaust, experts say.

“When I learned about the mural and what it is and the story behind the artist, I was completely amazed, and there is nothing like this elsewhere in this country,” said Josh Perelman, chief curator and director of exhibitions and interpretation at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia.

It's a representation of a style that was present throughout Europe but Perelman said he has never heard of anyone bringing that style to the United States.

“It makes it both a treasure and also a significant work, both in American Jewish religious life and the world of art in this country,” he said.

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