Everyday Life
In this gallery you will see different artifacts such as ladels, keys, teapots and sugar pots. All of these artifacts represent different generations\' daily lives and show a glimpse into the Jewish communities of those time periods.
Photograph
Brooklyn, New York
My Grandmother
This is a picture of my great grandfather, Eleanor Roosevelt, and a man named Luis Bederson. My great grandfather is presenting a silver map of Israel to Mr. Bederson at a dinner at their temple in Brooklyn. Eleanor Roosevelt spoke at the dinner to ask for American aid to Israel in the form of bond purchases. The picture was probably in 1956. My great grandfather was the president of his temple and the chairman of the dinner and was honoring Mr. Bederson for his work to sell bonds for Israel.
My grandmother saved this picture of her father and thought I would find it interesting. Her father, Ned, was the son of immigrants from Austro-Hungary and Russia. When his parents died young, Ned was 13 years old and had to drop out of school and work to support his brothers and sisters. Many years later he owned a store and building in Brooklyn and worked hard on behalf of the Jewish community.
Silver Plate
Budapest, Hungary
My mom
The silver plate was my great-great grandma's. In Budapest on the holidays dessert was only served on this plate through many generations. The plate was lost in World War II and returned to my family after the Holocaust. It remained in Hungary after my grandparents left in 1956. My great aunt returned the plate to my grandparents in the US in the 1970's. Although it's not used any more it is still very special.
The silver plate is a memory of past generations and Jewish holiday family meals. It reminds me of the Jewish holidays and my past relatives. I hope we will start using it again and for a long time too!
Sugar Pot
Israel
Dad
This sugar pot was made in Israel in 1910. My great-great grandmother named Zina, bought it and used it in Russia, Germany, and France. She handed it down to my great grandmother Gita. When Gita moved to America and my dad was born, she gave it to him.
This pot is important because it is old. Silver is also special. It's also been with my family for a long time.
Kiddush Cup/Jets Hat
Israel/New York
My dad
My grandparents got the kiddush cup in Israel when they went there. It's important because my grandparents never went back to Israel and had this as a souvenir.
My grandpa got the hat at a Jets game in the 1960's. He wore it every game. Now I wear it to games.
Soup Ladle
South Africa
Esme & Nathan
This artifact was made in a South African antique store out of pure silver by my great-great-great grandfather and was used for Passover dinners ever since.
It was passed down in my family from generation to generation.
Great Grandpa Hy's Keys
Boston, MA
My mom
My great grandpa collected keys. He owned a hardware store and collected them through the years. He passed it down to my grandpa and then to my mom. Then mom will pass it down to me and so on.
These keys are significant to my family because they have been passed down through the generations. It can also help us remember who had these keys. We also have something that can be valuable one day.
Photograph
Philadelphia, PA
My mom
My great grandma in this photo is carrying my grandma Susan.
It is an important photo to my family because it is one of the only photos my great grandma is in.
Photograph
Florida
My mom
My great grandma Jennie had just gotten engaged; she was spending time with her cousin, Celia, before she got married.
It is an old family photo. We don't have many of them. It helps us remember our family from back then.
Photograph
New York
My mom
My mom was one month old. She was crying. Since it was expensive to take pictures back then, it was one of her only baby pictures.
That picture wasn't just taken in a normal house; it was taken in a house with four generations of Jewish women. They all lived there.
Photograph
New York
My dad
This picture is of my dad with his brother John, his two sisters Laurie and Ellen, and his grandma and grandpa.
It shows my dad's family when he was a young boy. My dad also in the picture is wearing his good luck charm. It is around his neck. When my dad sees it it brings back memories from his childhood.
Teapot
Poland
Lillian Lench, My Great Aunt
My great grandma got this teapot in Poland. My great grandma Pauline had a daughter named Lillian. When Pauline died, my great Aunt Lillian kept a whole teaset. Eighty-five years later Lillian was moving to Florida. So my great Aunt Lillian passed her 3 beautiful teasets to my family.
This artifact is special to my family because it's been passed down to a lot of generations. This teapot is very important to my family.
Photograph
Russia
My mom
My great grandpa moved to America from Russia and he married a non-Jewish woman. Back home in Russia his family mourned him for dead because his wife wasn't Jewish, because he was and it was considered unlucky.
This is significant to my family because it's a photo of my great grandma and grandpa, and my great grandpa was in the war. It also connects to Judaism because he was thought dead by his family because he married a non-Jewish woman, and he was.
Jewish Cook Book
New York
My mom
My great-grandma, Grandma Marcia, used this cookbook. She used it for holidays and everyday cooking. It was a Jewish cookbook because there are rabbis' quotes in it. My great-grandma passed this down to my grandma, whose mother, Grandma Marcia is very important to her, who passed it down to my mom, who passed it down to me.
This artifact is important to me because this was my great-grandma's book and she was very important to me. So when she passed away, my grandma gave me a few things of Grandma Marcia's, and these things are very special to me because of how important and sweet she was to me.