Jewelry
Watch
Hungary
Mark\'s paternal grandfather, Jack, purchased an 18K gold watch to smuggle his wealth across the Hungarian border. Jack bought the watch in Hungary after World War II with American dollars. In 1946, a person found with foreign currency could be thrown in jail. Therefore, Mark\'s grandfather spent most of his money on the watch which he hid in the padded shoulder portion of his suit jacket. When Jack crossed the border to Austria, the watch was not confiscated. The watch is special to Mark\'s family because it serves as a reminder of his paternal grandfather\'s plight after surviving the Holocaust. Jack lost his entire immediate family in concentration camps except for his older sister who was studying abroad.
At the age of 17, Jack was resourceful enough to survive on his own and ultimately make it to Israel.
locket
Philidelphia
Alexandra S\'s maternal great grandmother, Reba, received this golden locket from her husband after their first child was born in Philadelphia. This locket is gold colored with a small clock on the inside. You can look directly into this small locket to find out what time it is. Carved into the outside of it is the letter “R,” the first letter of Alexandra\'s great grandmother\'s name, Reba. Reba loved and cherished this small but lovely gift, and wore it for many special occasions. Before she died, Reba gave this locket to her only granddaughter, Alexandra\'s mother, Elisabeth. The locket is kept in the family for its beauty and sentimental value. It also reminds Elisabeth of her grandmother.
This special gift to Alexandra S\'s family is considered a golden memory.
Locket
Germany
Eliana H\'s maternal great- grandfather, Marcus F, gave this precious locket as a gift to his fiancé, Lili K, in honor of their engagement. Marcus F gave the locket to Lili before their wedding. Marcus and Lili had a son named Rudolf. Before Rudolf married, he left Germany, his birthplace, with his family because a non-Jewish German warned his father, Marcus, that Nazis would act crueler to the Jews later in time. Somehow, the family managed to save the locket and many other of their prized possessions. Lili later passed down the locket to her granddaughter, Leah H, Eliana\'s mother. Made from pure gold, it\'s extremely valuable. Also, the locket is made from pure gold. It has sentimental value, because it has a picture of Rudolf and Susana, Eliana H\'s maternal grandparents, and Rudolf passed away, so it is a special memory. The locket was given to Lili from Marcus circa 1920, and Eliana’s mother has possessed the locket for about thirty years.
She hopes to pass it down to further generations to come.
Ring
Milan, Italy
Naomi M’s maternal grandmother’s parents bought her a ring in Milan, Italy. Naomi’s grandmother received the ring when she was very young, shortly after World War II. Her parents did not have a lot of money. With great sacrifice, Naomi’s great-grandparents bought this ring for their daughter. Eventually Naomi’s grandmother passed it down to Naomi’s mother, and Naomi’s mother passed it down to Naomi’s oldest sister. Therefore, this piece of jewelry has great sentimental value.
This object is very special to Naomi’s family. It will be cherished for generations.