Coin and Paper
Our history immortalized in metal and on paper.
Jewish Stamp Collection
Philadelphia, PA
my grandmother Selma in loving memory of her father Nate (my great grandfather)
This collection was compiled by my great grandfather Nate in the basement of his house in Philadelphia. All of the volumes (over 50 in total) include Judaism, e.g. one binder contains synagogues around the world, one Jewish sports stars, another Jewish musicians. Many of them are First Day Covers, old, rare and one of a kind stamps. When I would visit him, he enjoyed showing me his collection and telling me stories about how he acquired his stamps.
This book is representative not just of my great grandfather\'s hobby but also his passion. It was all done prior to computers so he had to type everything on a typewriter and do many personal interviews to trade. The whole collection reminds my family of Nate, who passed away in November 2009, and his love of collecting, his love of Judaism, his attention to detail, and his patience for hard work. It also reminds us how fun and interesting our Jewish heritage can be.
Coin
Unknown
Hanan G
This coin was found in an ancient Byzantine ruin in Israel by my father who treasures it. The area in which it was found had been an active archaeological site around 1965. My father found the coin about ten years later. At that time the site had been abandoned for several years. The location was near a lake in the Negev -- near the town of Yerucham where my father grew up. My father and his friend used to visit this area frequently and as kids they used to play in and around the ruins. When my father was twelve, he found the coin under a rock. The coin is approximately 1000 years old. It may be made out of bronze. On one side of the coin is a Magen David (Jewish star). The image on the other side of the coin is not clear.
Unfortunately, we do not know the history of this coin. We do not know if the star on the coin represents a Jewish state or whether it is just a star. The coin may be the only one of its kind in existence.
Poster of Founders of Paramount Studios
Germany
Lou K
My great-great-grandfather, J.J. Lipowetzki was a founder of The Famous Players Lasky Corporation, which ultimately became Paramount Pictures. His son also was in the business. During the Nazi Regime, my great-Grandfather was able to leverage his access to the International Box Office Receipts to convince Paramount Pictures to secure safe passage to America for his wife and daughter(my grandmother) as they hid in the caves in Vichy France. They also gave him a position in the company in America when he arrived. This item has been handed down from generation to generation.
This is a reminder of my family\'s strong roots in motion pictures. My great-great grandfather was a founding member of what was to become Paramount Pictures. His son and his son\'s family were able to escape to America due to their work in the movie business. In America, my great- grandfather continued his work in the film industry, becoming a Sound editor, and receiving a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for his work on Ben Hur. For many years, my father was also involved in the Movie Industry, in the Finance, Research and Advertising areas. I am sure this is but one story of how the motion picture industry was able to help many Jews during World War 2 to survive and later prosper.
The Batkin Family Genealogy
New York
Ethan R
My great-grandfather Stanley I. Batkin compiled this genealogy of our family going back hundreds of years. It is bound and published. The genealogy has the family tree, photographs and stories as well as a list of those in the family who perished in the Holocaust.
In the preface of the genealogy, my great- grandfather writes: \"if family history is reviewed and renewed by each succeeding generation, it can be a source of security and a sense of community.....with a sense of our own past, the present holds no fear and hopes for the future can be the inspiration on which to build a life.\"