Home Sweet Home
The kitchen is the heart of the home.
Harmonica
Germany
Mikki Wolfman
My Great Grandpa Sam came to the United States from Russia when he was 15 months old. He loved music but his parents couldn’t afford to buy an instrument, so when he was only 12 years old he began work in a music shop. After a little while Sam could afford a harmonica, it came with a little instruction booklet and he quickly taught himself to play and could play any song with music. 3 years later his Uncle gave him an old violin and again taught himself to play that. His son my Uncle Lenny loved music too, like his Dad. Before long Granda Sam would play harmonica while Uncle Lenny played the accordion. My Grandma Mikki loved to hear them play. She wanted a piano so when she was about 8 years old Grandpa Sam bought her an old second hand piano. He even hired a teacher to come to the house. She loved playing there always seemed to be music in the house at all times. Grandpa Sam and Uncle Lenny also played the piano. Grandpa Sam also played the guitar. The guitar and the case is still at my Grandmother\'s house. My Grandma\'s sister Aunt Barbara was a singer. The harmonica was in my Grandpa Sam’s possession for over 80 years. At the age of 93 he passed it down to his daughter(my grandma) who gave it to me because my Hebrew name was named after him(Schmuel). As you can see music has been passed down for many generations in my family and this harmonica is very special.
This harmonica is significant to my family because music is important to my family. Also it is still popular today.
Samovar
Russia
Michele Davis-R
This samovar was brought over when my great-great-grandmother\'s family emigrated from Russia. My great-great grandmother Eva Fisher Grackin came over to America in 1908 with her five daughters to join her husband, two sons, and oldest daughter. Joseph Grackin emigrated in 1906, first, to save himself and his two sons from being conscripted by the Cossacks. When he got to America, he and his sons went to work as tailors and his daughter worked in a shirtwaist factory and when they earned enough money, they sent for the rest of the family.
The samovar was a prized possession. The samovar kept the water warm all day and was used to make tea and coffee.
This samovar has been passed down from generation to generation in my family. It was the only possession they had of worth that they could bring with them other than their clothes.
Pestle and Mortar with photograph
Austria - Hungary
Bashe B.
Rose W., my great-grandmother, fled from her village (Tarnipol) and into the forest when the Cossacks attacked. She grabbed two things: her younger brother Beryl and this mortar and pestle. The pestle and mortar were used to grind spices to make food taste better. Although this artifact weighed a lot, it was so much a part of Rose\'s life that she couldn\'t imagine leaving without it. The photo is Rose\'s passport picture when she left Austria-Hungary for America. Her dress was made from a soldier\'s blanket, the only fabric she had. We will never know how a girl of 16 and her younger brother made it from the forest to that ship bound for America, only that she did.
This artifact is significant because it shows our family\'s ancestry and gives us a clue about our life before immigration. The pestle and mortar were a major part of daily life for my great-grandmother. The passport picture is a reminder of the time-period, as the dress she is wearing is made from a soldier\'s blanket because of supply shortages during the war.
Chopper
USA
Lisa F
My great-grandmother Greta used the chopper to prepare wonderful food for holidays and family gatherings. She received the chopper as a gift from her mother-in -law.
It was used by a very special woman in my family. She used it to prepare foods used for Jewish celebrations. My Great-grandma Greta came to the United States in 1923 at the age of sixteen. Much of our extended family who stayed in Germany were killed during the Holocaust. I was lucky that my great-grandma Greta came to live in the United States or I wouldn\'t be here today preparing for my bar-mitzvah. She was born in Hamburg Germany and was a very selfless and special woman who impacted so many lives with her kind and gentle spirit. My mom has told me many wonderful stories about her. My mom likes to use the chopper knowing that years ago it was used by her beloved grandmother.
Sewing Machine
USA
Karen Halperin
My great-great-grandfather Harry Gold (Taterkowsky prior to emigration from Poland) used this sewing machine to make clothes for his family and also to provide extra income for his family. During the 1940s to maybe the 1960s he worked for Bergdorf Goodman as a tailor. It was an expensive sewing machine for the time but it was an investment in my family\'s future.
It is a reminder to us of how far we have come in this country and how hard my great-grandparents, Bess and Hyman Gold, had to work in this country to make a better life for their family. We are proud of them and their accomplishments.
This sewing machine is symbolic because my great-great-grandfather used it to make money and support his family in this new country. They were always striving for a better life for their children and believed it was possible through hard work and education.
Chopper
USA
Elaine Stahl
This chopper was given to my grandma, Elaine Stahl by her mom,Pauline Platt and it was used to make chopped liver.
The recipe is:
Chopped onions
Chicken livers dredged in flour
Oil for frying
Fry onions and chicken livers in a large frying pan with oil.
Cook thoroughly.
Pour into wooden bowl.
Using chopper, chop contents until well mixed and desired consistency.
When my mom, Shana was growing up, she loved to help with the chopping to make sure it was smooth without any chunks.
The chopper is an important artifact because it was used to make traditional Jewish dishes such as chopped liver and charoset for holiday meals.