Family History
Explore our personal family history that mirrors our Jewish communal experience.
Challah Cover
Austria-Hungry
Own
My Bubbie, born December 11, 1898, loved to do needlepoint: embroidery, cut work, crochet, and more. As a teen, she used old bed sheets and infused a passion for this in me. I inherited all of her Judiaca needlepoint and use this Challah cover every Rosh Hashannah.
A challah is blessed, covered and eaten every Shabbat and holiday.
Psalms
Place of Origin Unknown
Shmuel Taube
It is the Book of Psalms, the Tehillim, that belonged to my Grandpa.
Psalms (Tehillim, תְהִלִּים, or "praises") is a book of the Hebrew Bible. Taken together, its 150 sacred poems express virtually the full range of Israel's faith.[1]
Passport, Memo Book, & Photograph
Germany
Regina Brab
My Grandpa gave these books to my Mother. It is a photograph of himself with friends, his German passport, and a notepad with recipes.
It is just memories of my Grandfather: what he did and where he went.
Mezzuzah
Place of Origin Unknown
Adam K.
I discovered this in our basement.
It's a family treasure, found in our basement. When I talked to my father, I discovered that this was a wedding gift of my parents'. I rescued and returned it to them.
Hamsah
Israel
Mr. S.
This Hamsah belonged to my great great grandfather's mother. It was handed down to my uncle to my father and to me.
A Hamsah is believed to keep bad spirits away from the owner and the family.
Japanese Souvenir
Japan
Great Grandfather
My family was expelled from Germany and fled to Japan. They brought this item with them when they emigrated to New York.
It was used by someone who was expelled from Germany.
Siddur
Israel
Geoffrey Sadow
This Siddur (Prayer Book) is from my Bubbie. Since she died, this is very important to my family. My father keeps it in a safe place.
This Siddur belonged to my Bubbie and it is a very important artifact to me.
Menorah
Israel
Aly Greengrass
This Menorah was my great grandfather's and it is passed down to the oldest child in the family.
It was bought in Israel. It has a Jewish Star on it and it plays "HaTikvah," the Israel National Anthem.
Prayer Book from Hungrary
Vienna, Austria
Unknown
This Prayer Book was distributed from Vienna, Austria to my Grandfathers, Father, and ancestors in Hungary.
Every morning they used this prayer book to recite their prayers and carried it with them.
Matzah Cover
Austria-Hungary
Judith Kuper Jaffe
Bubbie (Grandma) Fannie Weiss Lichtenstein embroidered this Matzah cover as a teenager. She brought it to this country and used it at her Seders in Donora, PA. She gave it to her youngest granddaughter, Judith Kuper Jaffe, who used it every year at her first Pesach Seder in River Edge, NJ.
A Matzah cover is used to hold Matzot at the Passover Seder. It has three sections to hold the three symbolic Matzot.
S. Family Photo
Romania
This picture was taken in Romania on our ancestors' voyage to America. Among all the people are members of our family.
It is the picture of my family's entire village, who were all escaping Russia
Siddur
Israel
Leon B.
My Dad received it at his Bar Mitzvah.
My family used this Siddur every Friday night. Now this Siddur is part of my history. My Dad and I share something very important.
Shabbat Candlesticks
USA
Maternal Grandparents
These candlesticks were given to my family as a gift for coming to the celebration and being honored by their synagogue.
These candlesticks were presented to my family when we attended a celebration for my maternal grandparents. My grandparents were honored for volunteering at their own synagogue.
Rachel's Great Grandma's Ladle
Origin Unknown
Lynne Tapper
It was my mother's grandma's soup ladle which she used to make soup for all the Jewish holidays - especially matzah ball soup.
Food has always been an important part of Jewish cultural life. Memories of shared meals evoke wonderful memories.
Kiddush Cup
USA
Sarah and Garth K.
This is my parents' Kiddush cup that they drank from at their wedding. This is a very special memory. It sits in a cabinet at home, and every once in a while we take it out for special occasions. It is always good to cherish special memories.
The cloth inside of it is the cloth that my parents wrapped the glass in so that they could break it.
Kiddush Cup
Blue Glass
This blue glass kiddush cup was purchased about 15 years ago by my parents on their honeymoon in Eilat, Israel.
A Kiddush cup is used every Shabbat and holiday to recite the blessings over the wine, remembering the Creation and the Exodus from Egypt.