Celebrations
This gallery contains artifacts relating to Jewish Life Cycle and Holiday experiences.
birthday gift
Germany
Mom
This is very special to my family
This is very special to my heritage.
Seder Plate
dunno
dunno
dunno
Pidyon Haben Coin
San Fransisco, California
Moshe S.
My grandfather's good friend gave this to him before he died. A few years later, my grandfather gave this special coin to me.
The coin is used to "buy back" the oldest son from G-d when the baby is at least 31 days old. A Midrash explains that at first, G-d intended for the first-born of each Jewish family to be a Kohen, but then came the incident of the Golden Calf. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai and smashed the tablets, he gave everyone a choice: to worship G-d or the idol. Since only the tribe of Levi chose to worship G-d, He decreed that all Jewish first born children will give up their Kohen status. He also decreed that all Kohens will come from the tribe of Levi. Since the first born is technically a Kohen, they must be “replaced” by a Kohen from the tribe of Levi. This is done by the father giving a value of five silver coins to the Kohenim.
Tallis
Purchased in Elizabeth, NJ
Grandpa Bob
My great-great grandmother Celia bought this Tallis for my grandfather for his Bar Mitzvah. The service was in the synagogue but the party was in his grandparents' house. This tallis helps us remember my great-great grandmother when we see it.
The tallis is a reminder to observe G-d's laws. Traditionally, men and boys over the age of 13 wear the tallis when we are praying during the day. It is usually white with blue stripes. The fringes on the end are skinny. The fringes on the corner of each side are longer and knotted in a special way. The neckpiece is called the atarah. There is a special blessing to say when putting on a Tallis. This artifact is very important to Jewish heritage because wearing a Tallis is an important mitzvah, that is done by Jews all over the world.
Tallit (and Picture)
Germany
My mom, Sandy B.
This artifact is very special to my family. There are not many items from my Grandpa Walter. He was born in Germany and his family had to leave because Hitler was coming into power. My Grandma Elaine kept this Tallit and picture of Grandpa Walter & his sister, Ruth. When she died, my Aunt Emily kept them safe. Aunt Emily gave them to my Mom, so she could have something to remember her Dad, my Grandpa.
We believe that this Tallit was worn by Grandpa Walter for his Bar Mitzvah. Grandpa Walter became a Bar Mitzvah before his 13th birthday because his family had to leave Germany. The Tallit is worn by Jewish males when they become a Bar Mitzvah and are considered an adult in the Jewish Community. After that point, they count as part of a Minyan (Group of 10).
Menorah
Austria
Grandmother
My great, great, great grandmother Rifka came to America from Austria in 1899. She carried this Menorah across the ocean with her. It was handed down from generation to generation. One day, my grandmother will give it to my mother.
Every Hanukkah, we light the menorah because we are Jewish, and we remember all our relatives that came before us. This Menorah has been lit for 138 years. Hanukkah is a celebration of Jewish freedom, when the Maccabees fought for the right to worship freely.
Seder Plate
Israel
My Parents
My Great Grandmother gave this seder plate to my Mother. This is the seder plate that we use every year now that we have the Passover Seder at our house.
The Passover seder is one of the most popular Jewish customs, and at the center of every seder is a seder plate.
Most seder plates have six small dishes for the six symbols of the Passover seder. These are Maror (bitter herbs), Karpas (vegetable), Chazeret (bitter vegetable), Charoset (apple, nut, spice and wine mixture), Zeroa (shankbone) and
Beitzah (egg). Passover celebrates the deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt.
Kiddush Cup and Thimble Cups
Russia
Bernard
This Kiddush Cup and thimble size cups were brought over by my grandparents from Russia to America in the early 1900's. They have been used at Passover seders in our family for over 100 years. I remember my father using the small ones as Schnapps cups at the seder and we continue to do the same at our seders. I will pass them down to my children to use at their seders.
The taller one is a Kiddush cup, one which I remember my father using to make the prayer over the wine at our Passover seders. The smaller cups were used for schnapps (whiskey) while we ate dinner at the seder (for the adults). The Kiddush cup is part of the ritual for making the blessing over wine. During the Passover seder, we drink four cups of wine. This is a tradition that becomes even more meaningful as it is passed down from generation to generation.
Etrog Box
Brooklyn NY
Bernard O.
My Father bought this beautiful wooden Etrog Box before he was married. From the time my parents were married in 1951 my Father would buy a Lulav and Etrog for the holiday of Sukkot and place the Etrog in this beautiful box to keep the Etrog fresh. About 10 years ago, my father gave me the Etrog box to keep my Etrogim in for the holiday. Each year my mother would keep the Etrog in the box until the next year. The first year she realized that when she opened the box the Etrog had become hard and petrified. She then had a dish that she kept all the dried Etrogim in. She has about 40 Etrogim on display to this day. I have continued following this tradition and now have around 10 Etrogim in a dish. I will give this box to one of my children when they get married and hopefully they will do the same.
An Etrog Box is used to hold the Etrog on the holiday of Sukkot. On Sukkot we are commanded from the Torah Leviticus 23:40 “On the first day you shall take the product of hadar trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before Adonai your God seven days." The product of the Hadar Tree is the Etrog. It is a lemon-like fruit called a citron in English. By putting the Etrog in a beautiful Etrog Box, we are doing what is called Hiddur Mitzvah -enhancing the mitzvah. The mitzvah is to have an Etrog to make a blessing over but by putting it in a beautifully adorned box, you are showing the importance of the Mitzvah.