Our Mesorah
A Treasured Torah
Russia
Samantha M.\'s paternal great grandfather\'s uncle owned this Torah. He passed it down to his nephew, Samantha\'s great grandfather, who then passed it down to his son, Rabbi Joseph M. He then passed it down to his son, Samantha\'s father, Elliot M. This Torah has been in Samantha\'s family for over 100 years. It was used in The Great Synagogue in Moscow in the early 1900s, where Samantha\'s great grandfather\'s uncle was the chief rabbi. Samantha\'s great grandfather then inherited it from him. He lived in Minsk during the time of World War One and was a prisoner of war. He was able to keep the Torah hidden in his house. He treasured it deeply, and brought it with him to America when he arrived there in 1923. He then passed the Torah down to his son, Rabbi Joseph M., who kept it in a shul in South River, New Jersey where he was a rabbi. Every year, on Simchat Torah, he would allow his son, Samantha\'s father, to hold and dance with this prized Torah. He was so proud each year on Simchat Torah to hold the Torah in the crowd. Many years later, in 2007, Samantha\'s brother read from that very same Torah on the day of his Bar-Mitzvah. The Torah has been in the M. family for many generations, and will continue to be passed down.
The Torah has been in the M. family for many generations, and will continue to be passed down.
Talis/Talis bag
L\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'viv,Poland
The only object that Sara\'s maternal great grandfather was able to keep during the Holocaust was his talis and bag. When he died, his daughter took possession of this item. Sara\'s maternal great grandfather was given this special talis and talis bag by his father. The talis was originally from L\'viv, Poland.
This talis and bag is important to the families because it was the only item that survived the Holocaust.
Tefilin
Israel
These tefilin once belonged to Evan\'s paternal great grandfather, Shlomo. They are now in the possession of Evan\'s father. Shlomo bought the tefilin in Israel after escaping World War II. It was the first thing he bought after moving to Israel. The tefilin were given to Evan\'s father for his Bar-Mitzvah. After giving Evan\'s father the tefilin, Shlomo then bought a new pair of tefilin. That new pair of tefilin will be given to Evan for his Bar-Mitzvah.
Passing down tefilin is a tradition in Evan\'s family.
Cup
Souk El Arba
While Batya B\'s paternal great-grandmother was living in Morocco, she bought a copper cup that she used every year at the Pesach Seder. This copper cup was bought from a Moroccan artisan in the early 1900s in a town called Souk El Arba. This is one of the few things Batya\'s family has left from her great-grandmother, and the family takes special care of this cup. This object is significant in Batya\'s family because it has been in the family for over a century. This special cup currently is with Batya\'s paternal grandparents in Paris, France.
Whenever Batya thinks of this cup, she thinks her paternal great-grandmother.
Etrog Holder
Lower East Side, New York
Sara G\'s paternal great grandfather, Yechiel G, saved all his money to purchase this beautiful esrog holder to remind him of the one his father used to use prior to World War II. During the Holocaust, Yechiel’s family died. When Yechiel came to America, he wanted to replace the special esrog holder that his father once cherished. On December 1, 1961, Yechiel finally had enough money to purchase this esrog holder in honor of his son’s bar mitzvah. This esrog holder is beautiful. It is silver, and it has turquoise stones located on the outside. This esrog holder was passed down to Sara G\'s father after Yechiel died.
This esrog holder will hopefully be in the family for many more years.
Kiddush Cup
Poland
In 1890, Zachary W\'s maternal great-great-grandfather, Nathan B, turned Bar-Mitzvah. He received this kiddush cup as a gift from his father. This kiddush cup was manufactured in 1886 in a town in Poland. About one generation after Nathan\'s bar-mitzvah, the cup was brought to the United States through immigration. It was passed down to Zachary W\'s grandfather, Barry Z, and he has kept it until today. Barry uses it every Shabbat and holiday. Whenever the family all gather to celebrate, they use this cup.
Nathan\'s kiddush cup is the one Barry drinks from to remind him of his parents and grandparents.
Kiddush Cup
Augsburg, Germany
This beautiful marriage cup belongs to Harry K\'s paternal great-grandparents, Henry and Gloria, z”l. This cup is very special. It is made from fine German silver and was made in Augsburg, Germany in 1795. There is an etching of a marriage scene on the front. This marriage cup has been used in many wedding ceremonies and has a special inscription on it that says “Be joyful and happy towards Hashem the way a groom is to his bride.”
The family cherishes this cup and hopes it will be used many more times.
Megillah
Israel
This rosewood Megillat Esther was purchased by Josh L\'s maternal great grandfather, Erwin M, on his first trip to Israel in 1948. Erwin had been born and raised in Bratislava, on the Czech-Hungarian border. After spending his formative years in cheder, he later received a secular education and earned a law degree. He became the lawyer for Max Factor, who later would become a very famous manufacturer of cosmetics, and, using his contacts there, he was able to secure papers to go to England in September of 1939. It was on the last train through Belgium to reach the Channel before World War II. In England he was unable to practice law and began working in the timber business. He was a staunch Zionist and joined with other Jews in London to help the Jews in Palestine in any way they could. They purchased arms and artillery to aid in the fight against the Arabs and the British. Erwin\'s company provided coffins to the British army stationed in the Middle East. He and his Zionist friends put parts of guns and planes in empty coffins for the Jews of Palestine to receive and put together. In 1948, after spending years working to help many of his family members relocate from Eastern Europe to Israel, and after helping the Jewish war effort in Palestine, Erwin was finally able to travel there himself to see the land for which he had fought. This megillah was his souvenir from that trip, which would be the first of many over his lifetime.
It is a symbol of his and his family\'s collective freedom.
Kiddush Cup
Poland
This small silver kiddush cup became a part of Atara R\'s family when it was given to her father, Paul R, by her paternal grandfather, Henry R. Henry used the cup every Friday night and Saturday afternoon for the holy Shabbat in Poland. When the terrifying time period of the Holocaust began, Henry was forced to travel to Russia for his own safety. He was only able to take only a few items with him, and one of them was this precious small silver kiddish cup. After the war he went back to Germany and married Atara\'s grandmother. After many years they moved to America to start a whole new life. They had a baby, Atara\'s father, Paul. When Henry tragically passed away, the kiddish cup was given to Atara\'s father. When he had his second child with his wife, Aviva R, he named him after Atara\'s grandfather. His Hebrew name is Tzvi. Now Atara\'s brother, Tzvi Eitan, uses this same small silver kiddish cup every Friday night and Saturday afternoon just like his grandfather Henry. This small silver kiddish cup will remain in the family forever.
It will be passed down from generation to generation, reminding the family of old memories that will be cherished!
Challah Cover
Ukraine
Yisrael S\'s paternal great-grandmother made this challah cover for her family to use while they were living in the Ukraine. This challah cover was made by Chaya Itzkowitz as a wedding gift for her husband Shlomo Itzkowitz. They didn\'t have much money. Chaya made this challah cover instead of buying an expensive one. When Chaya and Shlomo fled from the Ukraine, they were able to bring only a few items. This challah cover was one of those special items that they brought with them to Israel.
This challah cover is significant to the family because it has been passed down for three generations and was made a long time ago for the family to use for many Shabbosim to come.
Ketubah
Brooklyn, New York
In 1928, Stephanie S\'s maternal great-grandparents, Sylvia and Nat Nachimson, received this Ketubah on their wedding day, June 24, 1928. Sylvia and Nat were both immigrants from Poland and met while in night school learning the English language in the year 1926. On June 24, 1928, Sylvia and Nat got married and received this Ketubah. Sylvia then passed it down to her youngest daughter, Barbara Zimmerman, Stephanie\'s maternal grandmother, who then passed it down to Stephanie. Stephanie now owns this Ketubah at a young age because she is named after Sylvia.
This is an important object to Stephanie’s maternal family because it teaches them about their family’s first marriage in America.
Challah Bowl
Brooklyn, New York
When Ayala S\'s maternal grandfather passed away, a challah bowl was given to Ayala\'s mother. In 1935, Ayala\'s maternal grandfather, at only six years old, lost his mother in a horrific car accident in which a drunk driver struck the car carrying Ayala\'s great-grandparents and their oldest daughter. Ayala\'s great-grandmother died in the crash, and her great-grandfather, along with Ayala\'s great aunt, survived. Ayala\'s grandfather was the second to youngest of six children left behind. Not long after, at a very young age, Ayala\'s grandfather, Mike, trying to hold on to the memory of his mother, decided to start cooking and baking her recipes. He became quite famous in his neighborhood for his cooking and baking, especially his challah. He continued to use this same bowl that his mother used, even when he moved with his own family to Monsey.
After his death in 2000, Ayala\'s mother received the bowl, and started baking challah in the family tradition.