Religious Artifacts
These objects were used for religious holidays and ceremonies. They include objects used at Hanukkah, bnai mitzvah, Shabbat and worship services. Our relatives used and treasured these objects throughout the years. These items reflect our relatives past and will be used and enjoyed in the present and the future.
Talit/Yarmalka/Bag
Kamenitzer Yeshiva, Jerusalem
Jack G
My great grandfather gave these to my grandfather Jack in 1945. My grandfather gave it to my dad who gave it to my older brother. My older brother will give it to me.
These are the things worn by the men in my family when they become Bar Mitzvah.
Tefillin
Israel
Grandpa L
My grandfather has begun to give his grandchildren things which he wants them to use. My grandfather used these for years and want me to keep them for the future.
I love being Jewish. When I\'m old enough, I\'ll probably try to use these tefillin.
Kiddush cup and insert
Israel/France
My Dad, David
My dad received this cup at his Bar Mitzvah on November 10,1978.
It has been used on special occasions and smaller ones. This includes my parents\' wedding, my bris, my sisters\' baby namings and holidays.
Menorah
Unknown
My Grandmother
Sometime between 1910 and 1915 my great, great grandfather Jack S. bought this brass menorah for 50 cents because the shamash was broken off. He welded it together and used it every Chanukah. Then his daughter Rose got it and she used it every year too. My nana remembers using it with her mother Rose.
I asked my Nana if she had any artifacts in her house. The next time I saw her she brought the brass menorah and a very old prayerbook. She knew more about the menorah, so I chose that. It was interesting to learn all about the very old menorah.
Tallit
USA
Father
My artifact is my father\'s Bar Mitzvah tallit.
This tallit was lent from my grandfather to my dad. He wore it to his Bar Mitzvah. He wore it to both my sisters\' Bat Mitzvahs.
Shofar
Israel
given to me by my grandpa
This shofar was bought by my mom\'s dad on a trip to Israel. He met with my uncle who lives in Israel and they went shopping at a shofar store in Jerusalem. My grandfather found this shofar there. He said it was difficult to get the shofar onto the plane coming home. When grandpa got back from Israel, he gave me the shofar and I later learned to play it.
This artifact is significant to my family. I shows that my family is musical.
Tallit
Israel
Jay F., my father
My object shows that my dad completed his Bar Mitzvah practice. A family friend went to Israel and brough the tallit back for him. He received it in 1978 was the year he became Bar Mitzvah. His tallit will be mine when I become a Bat Mitzvah later this year.
It was the tallit my dad wore for his Bar Mitzvah and I\'m going to wear it for my Bat Mitzvah.
Tallit
Lithuania
Stacy R. my mom
This tallit was my great-great-grandfather\'s. He lived in Lituania in the 1800s. It was given to my mom by her father, my grandfather, when she became an adult Bat Mitzvah in 2009. She tried to clean it before the service, but it began to disintegrate as soon as it got wet. Luckily, my mother could save it, but it was severely damaged, but we can still value and treasure it.
This artifact represents the Orthodox roots of our family and our Eastern European background.
Siddur
Tel Aviv, Israel
Michael, my dad
My dad received this siddur from the rabbi of Congregation Sons of Israel in Manalapan, New Jersey on November 27, 1976. His grandpa, my great-grandpa carved his name in it. The rabbi wrote a note in it.
The book reminds my dad of the time he spent practicing reading Hebrew and studying his Haftarah with his grandfather. The study sessions included a piano lesson!