The Jewish Quarter in Prague once experienced very difficult times. People were crowded into narrow streets and feared unjust attacks from arrogant tyrants. At that time, the local community was ruled by the wise and highly educated Rabbi Loew. He wanted to wisely protect his threatened people. He therefore studied old books for a long time in the evenings, looking for lost secrets of creation. Eventually, he truly discovered in them that by using magic he could easily create a powerful earthly protector.

One evening, Rabbi Loew and his servant went to the muddy Vltava river. By the bank, they began to knead a figure of a large man out of cold Prague mud. It was truly very hard work, but after a few hours, a gigantic clay giant lay before them. The rabbi first deliberately read a mysterious incantation. Then he placed a magical small paper scroll called a shem under the Golem’s tongue. At that moment, the clay body magically moved. The Golem woke up to life and clumsily stood on his large feet. Even though he didn’t have his own human mind, he was equipped with incredible strength.

The clay giant immediately became the perfect night watchman of the entire city. At night, he quietly walked the streets of the ghetto and watched over the peaceful sleep of all the inhabitants. No stranger dared to harm the weaker ones anymore. The Golem always reliably drove off or straight away roughly intimidated any potential attacker. During the day, he even willingly helped with cleaning. He carried the heaviest wood and sandstone blocks for people and drew heavy water. However, he had one absolutely fundamental rule. On the Jewish holy day of rest, simply no one was allowed to work. The Golem therefore had to have the shem removed from his mouth and became just an ordinary harmless pile of clay.

One Friday evening, however, the rabbi fell deep in thought and made a huge mistake. He accidentally forgot to take the magical shem out of the Golem’s mouth. He simply drove the revived clay giant into a corner. Out of nowhere, however, the Golem became terribly enraged. An incredible amok seized him and he angrily began to terrifyingly thrash around with his huge fists everywhere around him. Completely deranged, he tore out whole pieces of fences and trees from their roots. He smashed the facades of poor houses straight from the street. The terrified Jews therefore called the rabbi, who came running in a full rush straight from the synagogue. As soon as he got to the giant, with a lightning movement he took the shem from his mouth. Thus, he immediately and permanently took away all his life force. From the strong giant suddenly became just a dead pile of clay. Since then, the Golem is said to still lie undiscovered and quietly in the safety of the dusty attic of the Old-New Synagogue.