Religious
These artifacts are items that the students found that were used in their weekly life.
Tallit Bag/Tallit
Brooklyn, NY
Harry K.
This tallis and tallis bag were given to my great grandfather, Harry, on his bar mitzvah day by his father in 1931.
This is a significant to Jewish heritage
because it represents Jewish traditions being passed down from generation to generation.
The Holy Scriptures
Port Washington, NY
Leslie Robin O.
This artifact is special to my family because it was given to my mom at her confirmation. I also found a note from my Grandma Roz and Grandpa Eric that said when their daughter was being called to read from the Haftorah at her bat mitzvah.
This is special to me because I love my mother very much and because she is no longer with us today.
This Bible has the five books of Moses. They are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. This translation of this Bible is in English. The importance of a Bible as this one is we learn the stories of the Jewish people.
Tefillin
Origin Unknown
Daniel L.
This tefillin was given to my grandfather, Ted L., for his bar mitzvah in Brooklyn, NY in 1942 by his parents. He passed it to my father, Dan L., for his bar mitvah in May 1976 and my father just passed it to my brother, Jake, for his bar mitzvah in October 2010. It is made of wood, leather and paper and the bag is made of velvet and gold tassel thread. This tefillin are very special to me because they tie the past present and future of my family history together.
Tefillin are biblical in origin, and are commanded within the context of several laws outlining a Jew\'s relationship to God. \"And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a frontlet between your eyes\". As putting on tefillin is the first mitzvah assumed by a Jewish male upon his bar mitzvah, it is especially significant to have as my artifact these tefillin used by three generations of men in my family at their bar mitzvahs.
Tallit and Tallit Bag
Drohobitch, Poland
Grandfather
While we do not know how my grandfather (my dad’s dad) acquired the tallit, we are pretty sure it came from Europe. After World War II, my grandfather went back to his hometown of Drohobitch, Poland. We believe that when he went back to his old house, he met the then occupants of the house who we believe found the tallit there when they moved in.
These people did not know to whom the tallit belonged, but they probably realized that it was a religious article. We think that when my grandfather went back to his old house, they asked him if he knew to whom the tallit belonged and that’s how he got it back.
Tallis
Union, New Jersey
This is my father’s tallis that he used for his bar mitzvah in 1982. It is made of white thread and has blue thread in it. My dad bought it with his dad when he was young and has always kept it and used it for temple since then. This tallis is special to me because my dad used it for his bar mitzvah, and I will use it for mine. He will pass it on to me, then I can use it for temple.
This artifact is significant to Jewish heritage because it was used for my father\'s bar mitzvah, and I may use it for mine. It shows the passing of generations and the love between family.
Tallit and Yarmulke
Jerusalem
This tallit and yarmulke were bought by my dad’s grandparents in Israel right before my dad’s bar mitzvah. My dad and his family went to Israel the summer of 1980. They bought the tallit in the old city in Jerusalem for my dad to use during his bar mitzvah. They bought the yarmulke in Haifa during the same trip, also to be used by my dad on his bar mitzvah. It is hand woven by Gabrieli, a studio based in Old Jaffa that has been hand-weaving yarmulkes since 1964.
The tallit and yarmulke will be passed down to future generations.