Religious Artifacts
Our artifacts have religious meanings. Some of them have been passed down to us from our ancestors. They've come from all over the world - from Europe, the United States and Israel. These artifacts are very dear to us because they represent our families' histories and religious traditions.
Kiddush Cup
Israel
Mom & Dad
My parents were given this engraved Kiddush Cup for their wedding day toast on September 30, 1995. It was given to them by my grandparents.
My parents said the blessing over the wine using this Kiddush cup at their wedding. A Kiddush Cup is a Jewish wine goblet. The word 'Kiddush' (which means sanctification in Hebrew) actually refers to the ceremony held at the beginning of many Jewish festivals during which a blessing is recited over the wine and loaves of challah before the Shabbat or Holiday meal begins. When people do a kiddush they make something holy out of something mundane (lekaddesh). After the Kiddush has been made, everyone present shares the wine.
Tallis
Poland
Edwin L.
It is very old and my grandpa thinks that it is the only thing that he has to remind him of his father.
It was made in Poland around 1900. My great grandpa, Max, brought it over with him to America. He then passed it down to my grandpa.
The tallis is a Jewish prayer shawl worn while reciting morning prayer as well as in the synagogue on Sabbath and holidays. The tallit has special twined and knotted fringes known as tzitzit attached to its four corners.
Shabbat Candelabra
Israel
Sharon B.
This Shabbat candelabra was given to my mom by her grandmother when she got married. It is very important in my family because my great grandmother wanted my mom to keep the tradition of lighting Shabbat candles alive.
Lighting Shabbat candles is a rabbinically mandated law in Judaism. Two candles or more are lit on Friday evening, 18 minutes before sundown, to welcome the Sabbath. Candle lighting is traditionally done by the woman of the household, though in the absence of a woman, it is done by a man. After lighting the candles, the woman waves her hands over them, covers her eyes, and recites a blessing.
Kiddush Cup
Maryland
Aliza W. (mother)
This Kiddush cup has been used at family Seders for 4 generations. My family always uses this cup at family Seders and my brother and I always fight about who gets to use it.
It has been used at Seders for many years and generations. It is a Kiddush cup which is used at all Seders and blessing wine is a special family tradition. That is why this artifact is so significant to the Jewish community.
Szyk Haggadah
Tel-Aviv
David F.
It was a gift to my Grandpa’s mother from her adult bat mitzvah class. When my Grandpa’s parents died he inherited it. It represents Jewish tradition.
It is a Haggadah so it is important for Passover traditions. Arthur Szyk wrote it to pass on Jewish traditions and heritage. He felt his Haggadahs reflected his concern for the Jewish people taken in by the Nazi.
Russin money
Russian
Louis F.
This is money my great great grandparents still had from Russia. They used almost all the money they had to get to America
mmmm
Great Grandfather's Tallis
New York, New York
Grandpa Bernard S.
This tallis was my great grandfathers that he used at his bar mitzvah. He gave it to his son (my grandfather) before he passed away. My grandfather said that he wore the tallis very often to temple. This tallis is going to be passed down many generations in the Spiess family tree. He would go to temple with his son and celebrate many celebrations and holidays. My great grandfather's tallis was very important to the Spiess family (moms side).
My great grandfather's tallis was a very good thing to bring to temple and pass down generations. It is still in very good condition for a 99 year old tallis. It is a very good memory of the man who used it. Maybe one day a family member will wear the tallis at their Bar or Bat Mitzvah. I would enjoy wearing it at my own Bar Mitzvah.
Challah Cover
USA
Ellen R.
This challah cover was made by my Nana for our family. She embroidered it with colored yarns. She wants us to enjoy using it as our family celebrates Shabbat. It is very important to her that we have Jewish traditions in our family.
This challah cover is very important to Jewish heritage because it is symbolic of the Sabbath, our day of rest. It shows that, as Jews, it is important to us to observe a day each week when we focus on the important things in our lives.
Kiddush Cup
Russia
Debra Z./mom
It is a Kiddush cup we use on Passover. It was passed down from my great grandma to my grandma to my mom and hopefully to me and my brother.
It is a Kiddush cup that we use on Jewish holidays. it has a Jewish star on it.
Candlestick Holders
Russia
Aunt Paulette B.
My great-great grandmother Sarah A. used these candlestick holders for Shabbat dinners. They were used in Russia and brought to America in the early 1900's.
Shabbat means a day of rest. Shabbat candles are used on the Sabbath it is a mitzvah to light them on the Jewish day of rest.
Holders
Russia
Aunt Paulette B.
My great-great grandmother Sarah A. used these candlestick holders for Shabbat dinners. They were used in Russia and brought to America in the early 1900's.
Sabbath means a day of rest. Shabbat candles used on the Sabbath is a mitzvah
to light on the jewish day of rest.
Kiddush Cup
Russia
Parents
This Kiddush Cup was passed down to our mother by her parents. We use it every Passover as Elijah's cup. It is important to us as Passover is our favoite holiday and this cup reminds us of our our ancestors who passed it down to us.
This Kiddush Cup has been used by our family for many years during the Passover Seder, always used as Elijah's Cup. This Kiddush Cup has a star of David which to us presents freedom for the Jewish people. We plan to use this cup with our children and share with them the stories of our ancestors who escaped the pogroms of Russia.
Bi-Religious Bible
New York
My Mom
My great grandfather got this bible when he as working as a mason. There were not many masons at this time, so it is a very rare artifact. It contains both Jewish and Christian beliefs. It has been passed down for 3 generations. Great grandfather Michael M. B.'s Bible was probably given to him in the 1920s- his wife great grandmother Anita B, wrote in the back of it and started keeping a family tree so it is important to my family history because it shows me when my family members were born, who they married, children they had and when they died-and now it is my mother's turn to record in it. It has been passed down for generations and when it is my turn to have it I will be the 4th generation to have it.
My Great Grandfather Mike was a mason and I am told it was not typical for Jewish men to become a mason. There were less than 100 of these Bibles that belonged to Jewish masons partly because there were less than 100 Jewish masons in New York.
Mezuzah
Poland
My grandfather
My grandfather received the mezuzah from his father, my great grandfather right before he passed away. My great grandfather always wore the mezuzah around his neck. The mezuzah gets past down from one generation to the next.
The ten commandments are important rules that help guide us to do the right things. It is important to remember and follow the ten commandments to stay on the right path in life. That is why my great grandfather wore the mezuzah around his neck his whole life.
Spice Box
Israel
Adele B.
This spice box was given to me by my grandmother. She received it as a gift when she had her Bat Mitzvah in Israel at age 39. She never had an opportunity to have a Bat Mitzvah when she was 13 and as she got older, she decided to take on this challenge. She shared her Bat Mitzvah with her best friend Fran on top of Masada. It was a Havdallah service. It was a very special moment for her.
The spice box is used while reciting Havdallah, the prayer that we say after nightfall on Saturday night, signalling the end of the Sabbath. It fills the home with the sweet fragrance of cloves.
Family Tallit
New York
Zaide & Grandma K.
The significance of this Tallit to the K. family is that it has been worn at many important events. This Tallit was worn by my grandfather, my father, and my uncle at their Bar Mitzvahs. I will wear it at mine.
The Tallit is significant to the Jewish heritage. It is worn to remind us of G-d's Commandments.
Kiddush Cup
America
Grandparents
The Kiddush cup was given to my grandparents Ralph and Beverly K. by my Great Great Grandparents. My great great grandparents came to America from Russia and Poland. They came here for freedom and a better life. I do not know what the occasion was for which my grandparents were given the cup.
I do know that they used the Kiddush cup at Jewish holidays and we still do today. When we use it, it reminds us of our Jewish heritage.
Menorah
Israel
Grandmother
In 1964, my maternal grandmother, Arlene (Hebrew name Hannah), got married in Israel. She purchased this beautiful menorah that we proudly display in our home. This is the only Hebrew keepsake that we have from my grandma, making it a precious heirloom. We use this menorah every Chanukah as we lovingly remember my grandmother.
The menorah is made of brass and is very significant to my Jewish heritage because we use the candelabrum to celebrate every Chanukah. We use the menorah to light the candles for 8 nights symbolizing the oil that lasted 8 days in ancient Israel. The menorah is an important artifact because it is one of the main symbols in celebrating Chanukah.