Shabbat
These artifacts are used for the celebration of the weekly Sabbath observance.
Kiddush Cup Collection
Israel, et. al. (see below)
Fran and Phil F.
The Russian Kiddush cup was brought to America when my Great-grandmother, Dora (Devorah) came to this country in 1924. She came via boat, in steerage, and landed on Ellis Island in NY harbor. There are several similar Kiddush cups in our family. This particular Kiddush cup is decorated with buildings, perhaps the town hall and synagogue, and also has floral and geometric designs. The designs are engraved into the silver. There are makers’ marks on the bottom of the Kiddush cup, but we do not know who made the cup. We use the marking “1890” on the bottom of the cup to date it. This Kiddush cup is used in our family on Passover.
The Initialed Kiddush cup belongs to my Mother. She was given this cup as a child by her parents to use at the Passover Seder, and she has used it every year at Pesach. It is silver and has her initials and a Star of David engraved on it.
The Israeli Kiddush cup belongs to my Father. He received it as a gift for his Bar Mitzvah from his parents. The cup is enameled and has painted grapes and leaves with the Hebrew words “Borei Pre Ha’Gafen.” This cup has a glass insert with a gold band. My Father uses this Kiddush cup every Friday night for Shabbat and on the holidays.
The “Yeled Tov” Kiddush cup is mine and was given to me at my bris (brit milah) by family friends. Yeled Tov means “good boy,” and I enjoy using this Kiddush cup every Friday night for Shabbat and on the holidays. The words Yeled Tov are in Hebrew on the cup with some floral decoration. Unlike the other two silver Kiddush cups, it is not engraved, but instead the words and decoration are applied onto the cup. It is also different because it has a handle that looks like a vine and is gold colored on the inside.
The Kiddush cups are used in the celebration of Shabbat and holidays. By using these special cups, as opposed to a drinking glass or paper cup, we are making the Shabbat and holidays more beautiful and enjoyable. The Russian Kiddush cup reminds us of our relatives who came to America with little, but had the desire to bring these important religious articles with them. It reminded them of their Jewish heritage and the importance of celebrating the holidays and Shabbat together. Now we continue that tradition. Over the years more Kiddush cups have been added to our family (Initialed, Israeli and Yeled Tov), and we enjoy using them. This makes making Kiddush more beautiful and meaningful.
Kiddush Cup
America
Mathew W
My special artifact is a Kiddush cup that is engraved with a "W" for our last name. It was my Great- Grandma Gussie and Max's cup (on my dad's side). They got the cup as their wedding present. It has been passed down from my great grandparents, to my grandpa, to my dad, and soon it will be passed down to my brother. It is only being given to the "men" because they will keep the family name. Otherwise, the engraved "W" would not have a meaning as the years went by. Being made in 1924, it was passed down for 86 years or five generations. That is why this Kiddush Cup is special for my family, being the only memory from that time period. This is clearly a Kiddush Cup, not just a regular wine glass because of the shape and the beautifully carved Jewish stars. The elegant cup is four inches high, and about 1.5 inches long.
This Kiddush Cup is related to Judaism because every Shabbat we say a blessing and drink wine from the Kiddush Cup. Can you imagine, for 86 years, drinking from the same cup, every Friday? That means it was used about 4,472 times! It is an important symbol of Shabbat. The prayer we say is thanking G-d for the fruit of the vine. The Kiddush Cup is also used for holidays.
Shabbat Candlesticks
Russia
Ellen B.
These candlesticks were from my great-great grandmother. They were used every Friday night for Shabbat. She emigrated from Russia to America where she eventually passed away. My great grandmother, Gussie, took them, used them every Friday night, and when she passed, my grandmother, Ellen, took them and also used them for Shabbat. These candlesticks are important to my family because they are the only thing that I have that reminds me of my great-great and great grandmothers even though I never knew them, only heard stories of them. Every time my family uses the candlesticks for Shabbat, I am reminded of my great and great-great grandmothers and feel connected to them because they used these same candlesticks every Friday night when they did Shabbat, in Russia, in America, and even on the boat to America. These candlesticks also remind me of my Jewish Heritage and how it was important for my ancestors to remember they were Jewish so it's important to me, too.
Candlesticks like these are used for Shabbat, a Jewish holiday, every Friday night when the sun goes down. We say the blessings over the candles while we light them. For Shabbat, we also pour the wine and say the blessing over it and uncover the challah, say the blessing over that and then eat it. Shabbat is the most important holiday for the Jews so we are not allowed to use electronics or do anything that requires work or is work during this very special holiday. We do this because G-d created the world in six days and then He rested on the seventh day so we follow His example by observing the holiday of Shabbat by not doing any type of work.
Candlesticks
Europe
my mother, Lisa W.
These candlesticks are important to my family because my great, great grandmother brought them to America when she came by boat. They have been passed down in the family since before then. She was my mother's, mother's father's mother. Devorah Schiffer received the candlesticks when she married Josef Fisch in 1877 as a wedding present. They came to America with their 9 surviving children on the ship "Deutschland" sailing August 21, 1901 and arriving in America on August 29, 1901.
These candlesticks are used for lighting Shabbat and holiday candles, and that's important because it not only helps us celebrate our religion, but it helps us stay linked to the our past and our ancestors.