America
All of the artifacts in our gallery are from America. They have been handed down from one generation to another. We have everything from photos to jewelry to Jewish symbols and even utensils. Working with our artifacts has given us an opportunity to use and cherish these treasures in our hearts forever.
Menorah
America
Grandmother
This menorah was made by my great-grandfather after he escaped from Germany. He did not have any money so he made it out of bolts and small metal tubes that he found. After that he gave it to my grandma (his daughter) and ever since she has used it on Hanukkah and she refuses to use any other.
The menorah is used on Hanukkah to remember the miracle that happened to the Maccabees. The oil was only suppose to last one day but it lasted eight days. That\'s why we celebrate Hanukkah for eight days.
Kiddush Cup
United States
A gift from my grandma
It was February 1946 and my grandpa turned 13. He had his Bar Mitzvah and received a special gift. His parents gave him a sterling silver kiddush cup. It had his initials (which are also mine) engraved on it. This kiddush cup is important to me because it helps me remember my grandpa.
I use this artifact as a kiddush cup. For the holidays, I drink grape juice out of this cup. Some holidays I use it for are Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. As a Jew, celebrating the holidays is a great mitzvah you can do.
Chai Necklace
New York, USA
Mike D.
This belonged to my great grandfather who was born in 1905 here in America. His family came from Russia to the USA sometime in the 1800\'s. After he died in 1978, my great grandmother gave it to my dad. It is important to my dad as he was close to his grandfather and it was important for my dad to have something to remember him by.
The Chai is important to the Jewish heritage as I believe it is a sign of good luck, and life and peace. It is the Hebrew word that means life.
High School Graduation Ring
Queens, New York
Grandma Bubbe Miriam
When my Grandma Bubbe Miriam graduated from High School in 1952 with a commercial degree, her mother bought this ring for her. My grandma gave me this ring as a remembrance of her school days - something that she is very proud of.
This ring was given to me by my Jewish grandma named Bubbe Miriam who always cooked with the ring on and taught me about her mother - my great grandmother - named Bessie who came from Roumania in 1900. My Grandma was also very proud that she graduated because she studied a lot. She felt that to learn to read is very important because her mother didn\'t have a school education and didn\'t know how to read or write at all. She felt sorry all of her life that she didn\'t have a formal education. She only knew how to cook, bake and sew. My Grandma Bubbe Miriam was very proud of herself because she was an honor student and even went onto college and earned an Associates Degree in Science.
Menorah
Boston, MA.
My Grandma
The significance of this menorah to my family is that it was passed down from my great-great-grandma to my great-grandma to my grandma. After passing down through several generations it still continues to be used every Chanukah in my grandma\'s house.
The significance of the menorah to the Jewish heritage is that it is used every year by Jewish families. It is used to hold 8 candles that represent the oil the Jews found that lasted 8 days when they thought that it would only last 1 day.
Wooden Chopping Bowl & Spoon
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Bubbe Miriam
My great grandma Bessie used this wooden chopping bowl for cooking many things. It brings back lots of memories from making delicious foods that she prepared during the Jewish holidays like gefilte fish, challah and chopped liver.
My great grandma Bessie on my mom\'s side had 5 children. She also worked in a restaurant in Romania. She always used this chopping bowl and spoon when she prepared gefilte fish on different holidays as all of the Jewish European homemakers used to do.
Wine Cup
New York City
Alan J. P.
My Grandpa was presented this Kiddush cup at his Bar Mitzvah. He got it from his parents. It is important to our family because it has been used through the years on holidays like Passover and at baby naming and circumcision ceremonies.
The Kiddush cup has been used for celebrating holidays like Passover and other special occasions. This is very special to my grandpa because he got that at his Bar Mitzvah and it is important as a symbol of Jewish tradition.
Wooden Chopping Bowl
New York City
Alma (Nana) R.
The chopping bowl was used by my paternal grandmother (Mary) for chopping ingredients for soups, chopped liver and other traditional family dishes for various holidays.
When Nana was married in 1953, her mother gave her the old wooden chopping bowl so that she would have it for her family when she cooked for the holidays and other special family occasions.
My Mom learned to prepare Nana\'s chopped liver using that bowl when she married Dad (even though they had a food processor then). The wooden bowl is in our home now.
This artifact is important to Jewish heritage because it reminds us of our family traditions. This artifact has been in our family for three generations so far. Keeping family traditions like visiting on the holidays, cooking special food and sharing stories about our Jewish heritage will help keep it going for the next generations.
Picture of my Great Grandparents
Brooklyn, New York, USA
My Mom
My artifact is important to me because the picture was taken for my great-grandparents wedding. It is a small oval disc with their picture on it. It is a very interesting picture because it is made of metal, not paper.
In the Jewish tradition it is important for us trace our ancestors so we can know what it was like for Jews back then. This picture helps to connect my family to our past.
Picture of my Great Grandpa Carl and his Boy Scouts Patch
New York
Rhonda G.
This picture was given to me by my mom. Sometimes it makes me sad when I look at it. It is very important to me because I never got to meet my Great Grandpa. My brother was named after him. My brother\'s Hebrew name is Kalman, which was my Great Grandpa\'s Hebrew name. My mom went to Temple Beth Sholom became a Bat Mitzvah there by Rabbi Fass. My Great Grandpa attended her Bat Mitzvah and was so proud to be part of such a beautiful Jewish tradition. Even though I never met my Great Grandpa, my family and I always refer to him affectionately as Grandpa Carl.
This picture was passed down from my Great Grandma to my Mom to me. The picture frame also has a patch that my Great Grandpa got in Boy Scouts. The picture is a very important thing to me. Sometimes I wonder what life was like for him back then. His name is on a plaque on the wall in the sanctuary at my Hebrew School. The plaque is there to honor his memory. I\'m glad it is there because it reminds me of him and whenever I go in the sanctuary, I look for the plaque. Jewish heritage and family traditions were always very important to him.
Kiddush Cup
New York, USA
Jay and Lori G.
In 1966 the confirmation class of Temple Menorah presented the Kiddush Cup as a gift. In 1979 the Temple closed. The cup was given to the Temple president - my Grandfather, Fred G.- as a thank you. The cup was used in his house for Elijah\'s Cup during Passover.
Fred G. passed the cup to his youngest son Jay G., My Dad. In my house we continue do the same tradition and use this Kiddush cup as Elijah\'s Cup during our Passover seders.
War Medals
New York
My Father Frank
My grandpa was in WWII and received a purple heart among other medals for his bravery. He helped to liberate the Jews from various concentration camps. This is very important to my family because he showed so much bravery. It is especially important because he helped free a concentration camp so we can all live together in a free world.
I am very proud of my grandpa. He was a very special man and I miss him very much. He always taught me to respect other people. He showed me that no matter what religion you are you need to help everyone because everyone is important. Without his bravery there may have been Jewish families who would never have been able to come to America and be free.
Menu
New York, New York
Grandpa Neil
This menu belonged to my great grandfather. In the 1930\'s my great grandpa opened and owned a pharmacy which they used to call Redwood Apothecary in New York City. The pharmacies back then also served food and ice cream. This menu was found wrapped around some of my great grandfather\'s papers after he died. The pharmacy was passed down to my grandpa who ran it for many years. The neighborhood was very Jewish and so were most of my great grandpa\'s and grandpa\'s customers.
The menu doesn\'t have any special Jewish purpose, just that my great grandpa\'s pharmacy was a place where a lot of his Jewish customers would gather and talk about old times and their memories from their countries they left before coming to the United States.
Tallit
New York City
grandfather
This tallit originally belonged to my grandfather\'s father. My dad & uncle wore it at their bar mitzvahs. My brother just wore it at his bar mitzvah in November 2010. I will wear at my bar mitzvah in February 2013.
The tallit is worn during morning prayers & holidays. It is worn over the outer clothing. The tallit is often given to a child on his bar mitzvah.
Naturalization Certificate
America
Belongs to me
My grandfather on my father\'s side came to New York before World War I as a teenager by himself as did all of my grandparents. Other family members had come before him and others would follow. He often told the story of not being able to get on the original ticketed ship from Europe, taking another one and then discovering that the original ship had sunk. In 1922 he completed the necessary requirements, became a citizen of the United States and was given this very important document that certifies his citizenship - and ultimately mine as well.
If you read the document carefully it says that he had been a citizen of Poland or Austria. In the years before World War I Poland did not \"exist\"; it had been divided up by the neighboring countries and my grandfather lived in that part of Poland ruled by Austria. Anti-Semitism was deep and often violent. He spoke sometimes about the pogroms. Even though anti-Semitism existed in America as well, he and so many others came here both to find the \"streets paved with gold\" and to be able to live openly as Jews without fear.
Army of Occupation Medal
United States Military
Jim G.
This artifact is significant to our family because it shows that my grandfather was a great hero by fighting the Nazis. We are proud of him because he was a medic and he saved many lives during the war.
This medal is important to Jewish heritage because if it weren\'t for the Allied soldiers like my grandfather in World War II, the Nazis would have killed all the Jews in Europe. The soldiers who received this medal helped fight and defeat the Nazis. The artifact shows that brave men can defeat a horrible group of people.
Photograph of My Family
New York
Belongs to me
This picture is most likely the first family portrait taken of my grandparents, mother and uncle in America. The photograph is significant to our family as it shows parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents to the generations that followed after their arrival to America.
Immigration to America meant a better life for those who were fortunate enough to be able to leave Europe at that time. My grandparents left Poland in 1915 with my Uncle Julius who is pictured on the left. On the right my Mother is seated and she was born in America in 1917. Another daughter was born to this family after this photograph was taken. Notice the seriousness in the expressions of the family. We have to wonder why did they not smile ? This is a question I ask myself over and over again after I look at pictures taken at that time and before.
Family Photo
New York City
This photograph shows three generations of my family - great great grandparents, great grandparents, and grandparents. The picture helps me to remember who they are and how important they were to my family. My family often talks about them and their experiences as Jews.
Whenever I look at the picture it reminds me to ask about their experiences as Jews. I have learned a lot about their lives in Europe and when they came to the United States.