Clothes, Accessories
By Rebecca G.
In this year’s Heritage Fair, fashion is a major category of artifacts. The clothing and accessories that people wear reflect a family’s culture and their social class. The artifacts in this category include clothing, accessories, and jewelry.
Some of the jewelry artifacts this year are necklaces, bracelets, rings and bangles. Suppose you saw one person wearing a necklace, two bracelets and a diamond wedding ring. When you see another person only wearing one
bracelet with fewer jewels, you may be able to guess who came from a family of greater wealth. Precious jewelry usually gets been passed down through many generations. Girls wearing bangles is a Syrian custom. So if you see a family where all the girls are wearing golden bangles, you
can probably guess that this is a Syrian family.
There are two kinds of Kaftans in this years heritage fair. Both are from Morocco. One kind is called a Djellaba which is a long white kaftan worn everyday by men in Morocco. The other kaftan is a fancier dress sometimes worn on special occasions. The one for special occasions is also white, but with a gold design.
Now you see how the styles in clothing and accessories from years ago are different from today's popular styles.
Handkerchief
Asia
Andree B.
This handkerchief was made by Teddy's great grandfather, Alex M. Some of his clients were the Kennedy's. It was much more common to carry a handkerchief in those days. It was also used as a head covering to put it over a woman's head at synagogue. It was manufactured in Hong Kong. It was made in the mid 1900's.
It was used by women to cover their heads while they were in a synagogue.
Bangles
USA
Andree K.
These rose gold bangles were given to Gabrielle's grandmother by her grandfather. Eli got these as a present for Gabrielle's grandmother. Andree K. gave these bangles to Gabrielle's mother, then Gabrielle's sisters, then Gabrielle. The bangles have been passed down through three generations.
Bangles are related to Judaism because it is common that many Jewish girls in the Syrian communities get bangles as a present when they are young.
Gold watch
Brooklyn, NY
Germaine M.
This gold watch was given to Germaine by her grandmother Germaine M. She received it from her mother, who received it from her mother. Recently, her grandmother Germaine gave it to Germaine. When her great grandmother got it from her mother it was very exciting for her to have something so special at such a young age. She only wore it on special occasions,now Germaine only wears this watch on special occasions.
The watch was used for telling time and for dressing up on Jewish holidays, weddings, and other special occasions.
Necklace
Turkey
Leila K.
This necklace was given to Layla\'s great grandmother, Leila (pronounced Layla) by her husband. It was originally from Turkey, but Leila brought it from Turkey to Montreal, Canada. This necklace was passed down to Leila\'s daughter, Fortune and then to Layla. This necklace is important to Layla and her family because it is one thing that belonged to Leila, and still remains after all these years. It represents her beauty, for she was a beautiful lady, and it also represents her importance to Layla\'s family.
This necklace has history behind it. For one thing, her husband, Ibrahim K, gave it to Leila. After a while, Leila took it with her when she left Turkey enroute to Lebanon to avoid The War of 1967. After staying in Lebanon for 9 years, the people of Lebanon destroyed her house and the town they were living in. They quickly left with all the possessions they could grab, and Leila took this necklace with her. This necklace still remains today and belongs to Layla, her namesake, and she keeps it in memory of her great-grandmother.
Gold bracelet
Damascus, Syria
Louise S.
When Albert's great, great grandmother was married, her dad bought her a gold bracelet. But a week after her marriage her father passed away. The bracelet is very precious. Then it was passed down to Albert's grandmother, Fortune. She gave it to Louise S. when she got married.
It is very important Albert's family because, it was given to his great great grandmother by her dad. So it very important to the family because a week after Albert's great great grandmother's marriage her father passed away.
Djellaba
Morocco
Lauren B.
A djellaba is a traditional long and loose fitting robe that Jacob's grandfather and his uncles wore when they lived in Morocco. They wore the plain white ones for everyday. When there was a holiday and a henna, they wore much nicer ones with different colors and embroidery. This djellaba, though plain, means so much to Jacob's mom because her dad used to wear it around the house. She used to see him relaxed and happy when he wore it so it brings back good memories to her whole family. Now that Jacob's grandfather is not alive, when the family sees it they remember good times.
The djellaba is very important to the Jewish heritage. It shows an important garment that Moroccans wore to keep cool in the very hot Moroccan day. All Moroccan homes have a djellaba in it. It is very traditional and full of customs. From generation to generation, the importance of a djellaba will always tell a story.
Ring
California
Frieda S.
This ring was a present from Frieda's grandmother, Frieda S. who got it from her husband, Ralph S for her birthday.
Each and every granddaughter's bat mitzvah in the S family is special. The grandmother, Frieda S, gives to each of her granddaughters a piece of jewelery that is important to her. She gave Frieda a ring because their birthdays are in the same month and rubies are their birthstones. But two other cousins named Frieda also share the same birthday as grandmother Frieda, but since Frieda has the same exact first and last names as she does, she received this beautiful ring.
Necklace
Syria
Selma D.
The significance of the necklace to Pearly's family is that her great grandmother Freda B, handed this down to her grandmother Pearl B, who handed it down to her mother, Freda H. This is all we have left from her great grandmother Freda, which is why this is very important to all of Pearly's family.
On the necklace there are two holy tablets with the ten commandments on them. The tablets are on the mountain of Sinai which is where the Jewish people gathered together to receive the Torah. To make the mountain look beautiful there are flowers surrounding the mountain.
Scarf holder
Europe
Sarah M.
Sarah's great great grandmother wore this scarf accessory when she went shul and during special holidays. It was given to her great great grandmother by her husband and then Sarah's great great grandmother gave it to her great grandmother who gave it to her grandmother. So it is special to Sarah because it is from her grandmother whom she never met.
Sarah's great great grandmother wore it to shul, Shabbbat and on certain holidays. It was used as an accsesory.
Moroccan Kaftan
Morocco
Grandma Julie T
This is woman's kaftan that was worn by Aaron T's grandma in Morocco. The family lived in Morocco until 1971, when they immigrated to the USA. This particular kaftan was worn at weddings and parties in Morocco.
This kaftan was worn in Morocco to Jewish weddings.