Ritual and Religious
Our ancestors used these artifacts for Jewish prayers and rituals. These teach us about how they practiced their Jewish religion long ago. We hope you are enlightened and spiritually rejoiced by the display of our religious and ritual artifacts.
Pesach Plate
London, England
Stephanie K.
My dad’s sister owns this plate that has been passed down for five generations. It was used during Pesach and was given to my aunt as a present from my great grandmother. She used this plate each year to celebrate the Exodus and share the joy by reciting the same passages we read today. The plate has scenes from the story of Pesach where each food symbol of the Seder goes.
It is special to me because it has been passed on through each generation since my great grandmother got it in London, England. I enjoy looking at how it is so important to my family’s heritage and how special it is to each member of our family. Even though we do not use it because it is old and fragile, we still keep it safe in our family to be passed down for many years to come. It may be just a simple plate but it helps us remember those who have passed us.
Tallit
America
Grandma
This tallit belongs to my grandma. She got it when her father died. My Great-Great grandparents bought this wool tallit for my Great Grandpa on his Bar Mitzvah in 1913. They bought it after they immigrated to America from Lithuania. At this time, Jews were immigrating to America all the time to escape persecution. They were lucky to escape, because some people didn’t. Terrible fate lay ahead for those who stayed in Lithuania.
Another name for a tallit is a prayer shawl. All over the world, Jews pray with a tallit on their shoulders. Everyone has different reasons why this is so important to them. Some say that the tallit wraps them in G-d’s presence and makes them feel holy. Others think of it as a symbol of freedom. I am sure that is what my Great-Grandpa thought of it as. Even though most of this tallit’s story is unknown, one thing is certain, it is a symbol of freedom and a reminder to present and future nations that what occurred in Lithuania must NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.
Kiddish Cup
Thailand
Shira Reiss and Sandra M.
This kiddish cup was given to my mother and my father on the day of their wedding. This is important to our family because it is the kiddish cup that my mother and my father drank from while being blessed by the rabbi.
The kiddish cup in the Jewish religion is used to bless the wine and drink from it on the Shabbat day. To me the kiddish cup is a symbol of victory. This is because if we did not survive we could not hold up a kiddish cup every Friday night, bless it, and then drink from it.
Broken Cup from Parents Wedding
unknown
This is important to my family because this is the cup that my dad stepped on and broke at my parents wedding. It is a reminder of their Jewish heritage but also a big progressive step in the making of my family.
In a Jewish marriage it is a tradition to step on a cup under a cloth and break it. Only the groom is allowed to do this. This is a sign that the Jews have been doing for many years and will continue to do until the end of time.
Holocaust Tallis
Germany
my dad
This artifact is significant to my family because my grandpa passed away and this is what I remember him by. He received it for his Bar Mitzvah.
This artifact is significant to Jewish history because my grandfather had his Bar Mitzvah during the Holocaust and he was a Holocaust survivor and the tallis also survived the Holocaust.