Jewelry
This gallery contains jewelry items that have a special history or special meaning for their owners.
Star of David Necklace
Poland
Janice A.
This is an artifact that is very special to me! It is a beautiful Star of David (Magen David) on a gold chain. The star says Tzion which means "Zion" or "Israel." This necklace was made by my great great uncle, Harry Wlosko. He was a jewelry maker in Poland. Uncle Harry made the necklace in 1923 for my great grandmother, his sister, on her 13th birthday. My great grandmother's name is Esther Wlosko, but I just call her Bubby.
Bubby wore this necklace everyday or I should say every day until it became dangerous. Not long after she got the necklace, the Russians invaded Poland. They tried to torture and kill every Jew.
I had a very, very good relationship with Bubby. When she was going deaf, she could hear only me. When she was going blind and had arthritis, she knitted a sweater for me. Blind or not, she could always see me. I miss her a lot!
This necklace is special because it was hand made by one of my ancestors during a time when it was not safe to be a Jew. After the Russians invaded Poland, it was not safe for my great-grandmother to wear this necklace. It also shows that Zion, or Israel, has been important to the Jewish people for many, many years.
Butterfly/Star of David Necklace
Europe
Anita H
My grandmother gave me a copy of this special necklace when I was a baby. I have had the silver necklace since. My Grandma got it from the oldest Temple in South Carolina. This project got me closer to understanding the history of the Jews, because I studied the history of the Spanish Inquisition. I hope to pass this necklace down in my family. Also, I will teach my kids about the importance of the history of the Jewish people.
During the Spanish Inquisition the Jews in Spain had a couple of choices: convert to Christianity, or flee. Many people decided to convert, but chose to practice Judaism in their homes secretly. They were called Conversos. They spoke a language called Ladino. The original of this necklace must have been created so Jewish women could keep their faith. This necklace was shaped in the Star of David but could be taken apart and spread into butterflies when the Church officials were around. This artifact shows how important it was for the Jews of Spain to risk their lives to keep practicing their Judaism in secret.
Golden Key
Slovakia
David R, (Father)
This Golden Key is one of the few remaining items that was worn by my Great-Grandmother. When the R. family was taken to Auschwitz during the Holocaust, my Grandfather buried a jewelry box underneath his house. This jewelry box contained his mother's most prized possessions. My Great-Grandmother did not survive, but fortunately my Grandfather did survive the torture in the concentration camps.
After he was liberated, he went back to his house and retrieved the jewelry box. The Golden Key was one of the objects still inside. The key is now one of our family's prized possessions.
This artifact is important because it shows that my Grandfather survived the Holocaust and still cared to remember to get the jewelry box back. The Golden Key is also one of the few remaining things I have to remember my Great-Grandmother.
This artifact has special meaning to many people in my family because my Great-Grandmother's memory lives on.