Ailment boxes, made to collect coins to help the poor and the sick, are part of a very ancient Jewish custom. Indeed, the word tzedaka derives from the Hebrew word tzedek, "justice”, found in the bible. Performing deeds of justice, seen specifically as charity to help the needy, is one of the most important obligations in Judaism, as shown by verses in the Torah ("Tzedek, tzedek you shall pursue," Deuteronomy 16:20), and the Talmud ("Tzedakah is equal to all the other commandments combined" (Talmud, Bava Bathra 9b).

This specific charity box features a large hexagonal base on which sits a dome-like lid. The object’s shape could be an allusion to the ancient Temple of Jerusalem, which in Western art was often depicted as a domed polygonal building. The box’s pewter surface shows a variety of different textures: smooth and shiny, rough and opaque, and densely filled with minuscule floral patterns. The highly geometrical, clean and sharp lines – as well as the absence of applied decoration- are all characteristic of Fenster’s work.

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