Europe
The artifacts in this gallery come from Europe. They include religious items, documents and even cooking items. There are a large variety of artifacts that have been passed down from our grandparents and great-grandparents. They are all very special to us and they help us to keep our memories alive.
Kiddush Cup
Lodz, Poland
Murray H.
This Kiddush cup has been in our family for at least four generations and passed down from father to son. It is now in my grandfather Howard\'s possession. The significance of this Kiddush cup is that it has been at each birth and child naming, weddings, b\'nai mitzvah and Passover seders. It has seen the history of our family unfold at each significant event.
This Kiddush cup belonged to my great, great grandfather Herman H. and eventually was passed down to my great grandfather Sigmund G. who took this cup out of Poland as a young boy. He was escaping from the Russian Army that was advancing into Poland and forcing Jewish boys and men into service. During the day he hid in haystacks and inside water tanks in water up to their hips for three days while they traveled at night. Eventually he walked to Danzig, Germany and caught a cattle boat to America, sleeping with the animals in hammocks. When he got to America he entered at Ellis Island. There he was met by his brother Morris who had immigrated to America ten years earlier. As a child, Morris had lost the tip of his pinkie finger. That was the only way Sigmund could recognized Morris. The brothers reunited when Sigmund saw a raised hand in the crowd with the tip of a pinkie finger missing.
Soup Pot
Poland
Jessica T
This pot was handed down in my family from my Maternal Great Grandfather\'s mother. She brought it with her from Poland when she came to America to have a better life for her family. My Great Great Grandfather was already here. It was possibly her mother\'s.
This article shows a tool that was used to cook and feed my family. My ancestors brought this pot with them from Poland. They came to this country for a better life and more religious freedom, coming through Ellis Island and settling in lower Manhattan on Cherry St. They had a large family so this pot was probably used for day to day meals including Shabbat.
Passport
Austria
Dad
This passport helped my great grandfather to escape from Vienna in to Switzerland before Hitler invaded Austria. Before he left Austria, he helped his parents escape to England, and his sister to Switzerland. The other family members who did not want to leave Vienna all died in concentration camps.
There is a large \"J\" stamped on the passport. This was done so that people would know that the person was Jewish.
Photograph
Poland
Grandpa
This artifact is a photograph of my great-grandparents who died in the Holocaust. My grandpa gave it to my family so we can look at it and keep it out to show people. My grandpa was the only one in his family to survive.
The significance is that no one should ever forget the horrible things that happened during the Holocaust. We should make sure that something like that never happens again.
Fine China Place Setting
Poland
My Mom
My great grandmother, Hilda, went on a European cruise and stopped at Poland. She bought this place setting but when she got back to Brooklyn, she put it into her closet. When she died, my grandmother, Mildred, found it in her closet, never used. When my mom grew up, she gave the place setting to my mom, Susan. We always use it for Rosh Hashanah and Passover. When I am older my mom will give the place setting to me and it will be passed down from generation to generation.
This place setting is only used by my family on special Jewish occasions. For example, we use it for the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Passover.
Family Tree
Russia / America
Nina B.
My grandmother made a photographic family album with pictures dating back to my great-great-great-great grandfather\'s family in Russia. It shows many of my relatives celebrating holidays together.
These pictures show generations of Jews gathering together to celebrate the holidays and observing the traditions of our heritage. Included in this album is Chaim Nachman, my great-great-great grandfather who was a Cantor. It is said that he created the traditional tune to Chad Gad Ya which we still sing today on Passover. Generations of my family and friends gather on Passover at my relative’s houses after dessert and the Seder meal just to sing Chad Gad Ya together.
Greek School Patch
Greece
Rachelle M.
My Nona (grandma) wore this patch as part of a school uniform. This school patch signifies how important a good education is to my family. Education is very important in life because it carries you through and passes you on to the next event.
My Nona was not of school age during the war. She held a Christian identity and was hidden during the war. After the war she was able to attend school because she was now old enough AND the war was over. The patch is important to us because it shows that she “survived” the war and was able to attend school. It was hard to get a good education in the time my grandma was a child. This patch also shows that even after the Holocaust going to school and getting an education was important.
Shabbat Candlesticks
Poland
My Mom
These Shabbat candlesticks are significant to my family history. The candlesticks were made in the mid 1800\'s, probably around 1860 or 1870. My great-great grandmother, my great-grandmother, my grandmother and now my mother have used them to light candles on Shabbat and also on Jewish holidays. My great-great grandmother took them with her when she left Poland about 1900 because of pogroms and other religious persecution against Jews.
The candlesticks are significant to Jewish heritage because they have been used were to give light on Shabbat for four generations. They help me to remember my ancestors.
Pearl Bible
Russia
Marshall B.
The Pearl Bible was originally my great-great-great grandfather\'s. He brought it with him to the United States from Russia. He even brought it through Ellis Island. It was his only religious item and it was very special to him. He then passed it own to his son (my great-great-grandfather). After that my great-great grandfather passed it on to his son who used it during his own Bar Mitzvah. Finally he passed on to my grandpa who also used it during his Bar Mitzvah.
The Pearl Bible is important to Jewish heritage because it contains the Torah. It was used by my family to practice some of the traditions of the Jewish religion such as B\'nai Mitzvah and my great-grandfather also used it in temple on the High Holy Days.
Kiddush Cup
Old Russian Empire
Grandmom Eileen
This Kiddush Cup was one of the few things that my Grand Pop Al brought from Russia. He escaped Russia during the Revolution of 1917. He escaped and had to leave all of his family behind. He was only 17 years old.
This Kiddush Cup is displayed at our table for every holiday. It reminds us of how hard our relatives struggled. Because it was important to his Jewish Heritage, my Poppy Al brought it with him from Russia to the United States.
Kiddush Cup & Candle Holder
Vienna, Austria
Regina S.
Living in Vienna, Austria during the time of Hitler’s reign was a challenge for any Jew living in Europe in the 1940\'s making sure to pack as many belongings as possible in her small suitcase, Regina hurried to unscrew the mezuzah from the door post of her small house, with some common health needs and clothing, she packed to silver candle stick holders and a Kiddush cup. When she was finished packing she walked out the door of her house with the suitcase in one hand and in the other her young son Peter. In her epic travels one of the candle stick holders had been lost, but one remained. She eventually met up with her husband after a while and managed to take a boat to America where they stayed for the rest of their lives. I am the only second generation American from my father’s side of the family. If my great grandparents had not escaped the horrors of dictatorship that was mid-20th century Europe, I might not be alive today to tell my great grandmothers story.
The Kiddush cup & candle holder were used to celebrate Shabbat. My great-grandparents brought them to America to maintain the Jewish tradition.
Mortar and Pestle
Russia
Grandfather
This mortar and pestle was used to grind grains, herbs and medicines by my great-great grandparents in Russia. The significance of the artifact to my family is that it was passed from my grandfather\'s grandparents and brought here from Russia. It is the only artifact that we have from Europe from my grandfather\'s family. That is why it is special to my family.
The significance of my artifact to Jewish heritage is my artifact was from my grandfather\'s grandparents who came to the United States from Russia. They left Russia - as did many other Jewish families - to escape the pogroms and anti-Semitism.
Rug
Romania/Eastern Europe
Grandmother
The significance of the rug is that it is something very, very special to my family. It is like a symbol of remembrance for my great grandma Ida who brought it with her from Eastern Europe to America.
The significance of the artifact to Jewish heritage is also special. Even though the rug is not a \"Jewish\" artifact, the story is about Jewish heritage. My great grandma\'s mom gave her the rug when Ida and her sister had to escape the pogroms that were going on in Russia so she could sell the rug if she needed the money. But I am glad she did not have to sell the rug because now I have something to remember her by.
Rug
Romania/Eastern Europe
Great Grandmother
The significance of the rug is very, very special to us. I am glad that my great grandma didn\'t sell it. If she did, I would not be able to share the artifact.
My great-grandma Ida immigrated from Romania to New York on a ship, and she brought the blanket with her.
Old Woman and Man Figurines
Poland
Grandma Suzie
The figurines of an old rabbi and old woman were brought to this country from Poland by my Great Great Grandfather on my father\'s side. The town in Poland that my Great, Great Grandfather lived in was Tarnobrzeg. It is 206 kilometers south of Warsaw. These figurines were his and he gave them to my Great Grandfather Louis when he came to this country through Castle Harbor, an immigration center.
In 1757, Tarnobrzeg was a Chassidic center. Then there was a blood libel killing much of the Jewish population.
These figurines, which my Great Grandfather Louis brought to this country are replicas of what Chassidic men and women looked like then.