Food and Drink
By Marisa C, Dylan A, Albert S.
In this section you will be introduced to artifacts that were used in the kitchen years ago. In this gallery you will find some interesting artifacts that have Jewish significance, such as a sugar holder used on Rosh Hashanah and a pastry platter used on Jewish holidays. There is a fork and spoon, a Turkish coffee pot and demitasse cups used to drink the traditional strong expresso coffee that was so popular in Syria. You will learn about these artifacts, how they were used, when and where they were from, and why they were important to the people who own them now. These kitchen related artifacts come from countries such as the Sudan, Syria, Morocco,Turkey and Egypt. We invite you to enjoy this interesting gallery.
Turkish Coffee Pot
Syria
Annie A.
This artifact was used by Steven's great grandma Annie A, who bought it in Syria and brought it with her to America. She brought it with her because she wanted to keep the traditions and customs of the country she came from. She wanted to make sure that her children and grandchildren continued these traditions.
It was used to make coffee for men after they finished praying Shacharit (morning prayer), Mincha (afternoon prayer), and Arbit (evening prayer). It was especially important in the morning because men were not allowed to eat or drink before they prayed so that first cup of coffee was very special.
Pastry Dish
America
Debbie A.
Esther G. L. (the great grandmother of Dylan) used to play mahjong and bridge with her friends and used to serve pastries. This artifact is the dish she used to use to serve the pastries.
The artifact came from Esther G. L., and then it was passed down to Madelyne M.in next generation in the family, (the grandmother of Dylan A,) and then to Debbie A (the mother of Dylan.) Hospitality, serving food and having guests is part of Jewish Culture.
Turkish Coffee pot
Turkey
Grandpa Elliot C.
The Cohen family used this to make coffee. Charlesy's Great Grandfather gave this to his daughter [Mollie]. Charlesy S's grandpa loved this coffee pot. His favorite coffee came from this pot. He wouldn't drink from any other coffee pot.
This coffee pot has a great significance to the S family because the Charlesy S's grandfather, Elliot C, used this coffee pot every Friday morning in honor of Shabbat day.
Elliot C. always drank coffee and he always said "can't start a day without coffee."
Sugar holder
Syria
Sophie S
Vicki S's artifact is a sugar holder. It is for Rosh Hashanah. It is silver and it has the words, "Have a sweet new year" engraved on it in Hebrew. There's a cover on it, and it keeps the sugar fresh. Vicki's great aunt Celia C. gave the sugar holder to her sister, Elvira C, who is Vicki's grandmother. Then Vicki's grandmother gave it to Vicki's mother, Sophie S. This artifact is special to Vicki's family because Vicki's great aunt, Celia passed away and now Vicki's family has her sugar holder.
This sugar holder is used for Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah is a Jewish holiday. It is the start of a new year. We eat special foods on this day, and say special prayers. We eat sugar because it symbolizes having a sweet new year.
Spoon & Fork
Aleppo.Syria
Marilyn S.
This artifact was given to Karen E's great grandmother and has been passed down from generation to generation in her family. "It is nice to have this artifact because people who she has never met before have used this artifact," said Elbaum's great grandmother, Marilyn S..
This artifact is used to eat dessert. This fork and spoon are so small because people used to take much smaller portions than they do today. The design of this artifact is very special because they no longer make it today. When you show people this artifact they are surprised because they have never seen this particular design before.
Turkish Coffee Cup
Syria
Julia K.
This artifact is really important to Marisa C. because it belonged to her Great Grandmother, Norma A. She died before Marisa was born, so Marisa was never able to meet her. Every morning Norma would wake up in her house and drink Turkish coffee out of this cup. Norma drank Turkish coffee in Syria around the 1920's. People drank Turkish coffee very black and strong. There was a custom similar to reading tea leaves but it was a little different. After you drank Turkish coffee, grinds would get stuck to the bottom of the cup. This is how it works: a professional fortune teller would read the shape, lines or symbol formed by the coffee grinds that remained in the bottom of the cup. Here are some examples: An angel meant you would hear good news, an ant meant you would hear bad news, beans meant you will have minor difficulties, and a bee meant you will make new friends. Some people called this Turkish Coffee Cup a Demitasse cup.
The Turkish Coffee Cup does not necessarily have to do with Jewish tradition it had to do more about the Syrian tradition. People used to serve Turkish coffee instead what we call now American Coffee. Turkish coffee was usually served with Turkish delight and Halva. Turkish delight is a jelly candy covered with powdered sugar and Halva is a food that is made out of sesame seeds, sugar, and flavoring, and it is mostly eaten in Israel and Syria. Some people had a tradition to drink Turkish coffee on Jewish holidays such as Chanukah, and Purim.
Mortar and Pestle
Damascus,Syria
Elliott B.
This artifact belongs to the great great grandmother of Celia. It is important to Celia's family because it was old and it is the last thing left from her great grandmother who used to cook all day long. She was a great cook. Celia's great great grandfather owned a Syrian spice store in Syria.
The Jewish significance of Celia's artifact is that her great great grandmother used it to cook on the Jewish holidays. Celia's grandmother would chop nuts with it. Celia's great grandmother always had lots of company on holidays.
Turkish Coffee Pot
Turkey
Alan T.
This artifact belonged to Elliot D's great great grandmother, Sarah H.
This Turkish Coffee pot was used to make coffee. The Syrian word for coffee is "Akwa." Coffee has affected Turkish culture so much that the Turkish word for breakfast, kahvalti actually means "before coffee."
Hand Meat Grinder
USA
Ester S.
This artifact belonged to Leah S's great grandmother, Ester S. It was used for grinding meat. The meat grinder was passed down to Leah's grandmother Sally E.
The hand meat grinder was used for grinding kosher meat. The reason she did not buy meat from the butcher was because they did not sell kosher ground meat.
Crystal Glasses
Syria
Grandma Lorraine
These crystal glasses are important to Lorraine\'s family because her great grandfather gave them to her grandmother and the family uses them every time they go to her house.
Shabbat is a religious day when no one works and the family has meals together. The family use these crystal glasses every Shabbat.