Printing Press
The Shochet Certificate
India
Yael H’s paternal grandfather Daniel H had a very interesting life. Daniel traveled from Iran to India to Canada and finally to Israel. He was very poor when he was young, and he could only get food if he slaughtered the cattle himself. Daniel studied and practiced shocheting chickens, and then he got tested to do this professionally. He got a certificate after he passed the test. He was able to provide food for his family because of his profession.
Daniel doesn’t slaughter anymore, but he passed down his fancy certificate to all his grandchildren.
The Intelligent Doctor
USA
Yoni L’s maternal great-great-grandfather was a very important and famous doctor.He even won an award for being such an amazing doctor. Morris Fishbein M.D. wrote an amazing autobiography for the whole world to read. Yoni’s family has had a copy of it since it was first printed. Yoni’s family keeps it in a cuboard. In addition to the autobiography, he wrote various other books and Yoni‘s family is proud of him.
Yoni and his family hopes to read his autobiography and other books over and over again.
To Have A Future
New York
Leo O’s paternal great grand-mother, Ruth led a fascinating life, first as a child in Germany, and then as a mother and grandmother here in New Jersey. Ruth wrote a biography “To Have a Future” about her family experiences. The book is very meaningful to Leo and his entire family. The book contains a lot of information about the Holocaust, and how her family escaped Nazi Germany in 1939.
The final chapters of the book provide details about her children’s marriages and births of grandchildren, as a testimony to the fact that the Jewish people continue to survive and flourish, despite what the Nazi’s tried to do to all of us.
Saved By The Navy
United States of America
Lea A’s maternal great grandfather, Victor Finkelstein was in the U.S Navy in the early 1900s. Victor Finkelstein was in the U.S Navy from 1918 – 1919, but suddenly, he got sick, and he had to go to the U.S Navy Hospital. Victor was in the hospital when a letter he got saying that since, he was ill he was not obligated to serve in the U.S Navy anymore. The letter is made out of paper and has ink writing on it. Victor had received this letter in the United States of America.
Nowadays this letter is kept in the apartment of Lea’s maternal grandmother.
The Unique Family Tree
Brooklyn, New York
This unique family tree belongs to Nikki F’s family. It is from Nikki’s paternal side of the family. This object has been around for forty – six years. Nikki finds this object fascinating because it shows that she is related to David Hamelech. It is made out of a frame, glass, ink, and paper. This family tree was made in Brooklyn, New York. The person who created and researched this object was Nikki’s great- great- great uncle, Rabbi Sholom Weiss.
This object has been cherished for many years and Bezrat Hashem will continue to be cherished for many more.
The Mayer Family History Book
Buryslaw,Poland
This is a book that contains information from Darbie S’s maternal grandfather’s history. Darbie’s maternal grandfather, Sam Mayer, had many family reunions. After their last reunion in 2006, they thought that they needed something to connect all of their family history from the Holocaust to share with all of their grand and great grandchildren. Sam Mayer, his siblings, and first cousins all decided to write a book outlining their family’s history. Not only does it contain a family tree, but it contains geographical maps of where people lived, their phone numbers, addresses, passports, Polish names prior the Holocaust, pictures, and stories.
Darbie will always cherish this book.
A Ticket To Religious Freedom
Austria
This manifest is the first chapter in the story of Benjy K’s maternal great -great grandparents’ life in America. The Rottenberg children were sent to America from Austria to escape the Holocaust. Their parents and older sister were born in Poland, and it was hard for them to get visas to leave the country. Countless Jews wanted to escape. Since the children were born in Austria, it was easier to get papers for them. They were lucky and had cousins waiting for them in America. Naturally, they still faced many challenges surviving in a new country without their parents. When the children wanted to bring their other family members to America, they needed to show the American government they had $500. Luckily, a stranger offered to put up the money, and their mother and older sister were saved. Unfortunately, Benjy’s great- great grandfather never survived the war.
This object shows Benjy`s heritage and tells a fantastic story of perseverance and survival.
A New Beginning
Amsterdam, Holland
How does someone start over? For Jake E’s great grandfather it began in December of 1945. After surviving the horror of the Holocaust Sal and Chana De-Wolff found themselves all alone. They each lost their parents, Chana lost her three brothers, Sal lost two of his sisters, and their first born who was only a baby became so ill she passed away at only 18 months. Sal and Chana went back to Holland to start over. During this time, there were not many places where survivors were supposed to go and they were not wanted. Once in Holland, Sal began his journey to find a way to get into Palestine. The British from Palestine refused to let survivors into their country. One day the Hagana approached Sal. The Hagana was the Jewish Defense Force for the Jews living in Palestine. Later, when Palestine became the State of Israel the Hagana became the IDF. They were looking to recruit professionals into Palestine. Sal was a mechanical engineer, and they wanted him to help build weapons and make their army stronger as they prepared to go to war to turn Palestine into Israel. Sal was given a fake identification card to enter Palestine. It took two years to receive this card, and in 1947 Sal and Chana De-Wolff entered Palestine, which would soon become the State of Israel.
There they began their new life.
The Surviving Family Tree
Galitza, Austria & New York
Arielle E’s maternal great-great-great grandfather , Rav Ephriam Zalmen Halpern, came to America to have a fresh start. He came from Galitza, Austria in 1913. On the boat to Ellis Island, the documents he had that prove his family was related to Rashi were stolen. Recently, a distant cousin of Arielle’s mother, retraced the family history seven hundred years back to Rashi. When Zeida Zalmen got to New York, he tried to launch a business which failed. He then got word that they needed an Orthodox rabbi in Denver, and he moved there. Later he became the head rabbi of Denver. There, he met his wife Frimma Hammer who was the daughter of a wealthy business man who owned forests and lumber yards. Frimma worked in her father’s business to support her husband, as was the custom in those days. Frimma and Zalmen had five daughters, one of which was Arielle’s great-great grandmother. Zalmen wrote his will in circa 1920-1930. After he wrote it, he gave it to his nephew who was a publisher. He published it and gave it to all of his children. Later, Zalmen moved to Israel and devoted the rest of his life to learning Torah. Today, Ephriam Zalmen is buried in the area of the tzadikim section on Har HaMinuchot in Israel.
Arielle and her family enjoy looking at the family tree to learn about their family history.
Marvelous Postcard
New York
This postcard is addressed from Coby W’s maternal great-great grandfather Louis Silverstein to his wife Eva and their children. He wrote the postcard because he wanted to bring his family to America unfortunately he couldn’t afford it so he moved to America alone and worked until he had enough money to bring them to america.
This postcard is very important because it is a symbol of hard work and it is a link to Coby’s heritage.
Passports to Freedom
Germany
Isaac B’s paternal grandmother, Betti Edith “Sara” Hamburger, and great grandparents Emmy “Sara” Hamburger and Julius “Israel” Hamburger were from Germany. When Betti Hamburger was a little girl she had a good life with her parents and her brother Ted. When Kristalnacht (the night of broken glass) happened on November 9, 1938, Julius Hamburger was taken away by the Nazis. Miraculously, he was released six weeks later. He and Emmy then decided that it was time to get out of Germany. They started the long process of trying to get passports which was not so easy and took a very long time.
They were finally able to get them on April 20, 1940, and they left to the United States.
The Great Escape
Germany
Two of the people who survived the Holocaust were Gabrielle S’s paternal great grandfather, Zelmen S and her grandfather, Henry S. The document on display is a Haitian passport showing that Gabrielle’s paternal great grandfather and grandfather are citizens of Haiti. They escaped by using the passport to pass through Nazi territory telling German soldiers that they were Haitian. They actually bought legitimate Haitian passports and so they had dual citizenship with Belgium as well. They were not “pretending,” and thankfully, this was accepted by the Nazis. Zelmen bought these passports just before Hitler invaded Germany. He bought them because someone warned him that Hitler was going to invade Germany, and he should leave. In addition, Zelmen had to pay a fee to Haiti.
This passport is important to Gabrielle and her family because without this passport, Gabrielle’s paternal great grandfather and grandfather may not have survived the Holocaust.
Papers from a Different Generation
New York City
Julia C’s paternal grandfather was a remarkable man. He served in the United States army during WWII. Samuel Cohen was born in the Lower East Side in 1917. The ketubah was from 1965, and the war papers are from 1945. The items originally belonged to Julia’s grandfather. He got the certificate after serving three years in the army. Samuel went to war so he could support his family. He received an Honorable Discharge and a good conduct medal. He also earned an American Theater Service Medal too. This object is kept in a safe in Julia’s house. These documents, certificate from the army, and his ketubah are papers that mark his life.
Julia’s family will always cherish these documents.
The Secret Journal
Nagycenk, Hungary
Josh E’s maternal great-great grandfather was a prisoner in Nagycenk labor camp in Hungary during the Holocaust. He wrote this journal in the form of letters to his wife Erzsebet, whom he was separated from due to the war. Jozsef wrote the journal beginning in June of 1944, and the last entry was in December of 1944 when the family believed Jozsef became too ill to continue writing. Unfortunately, in March of 1945, a day after Jozsef's labor camp liberated Jozsef died of typhus. His brother-in-law, Baila Cohen, who was also in that labor camp discovered the journal upon Jozsef's death. Baila delivered the journal to Jozsef's son, Laci Czukor, Josh E's great grandfather. Both Erzsebet and their daughter died in Aushwitz. Laci, the sole survivor of the family, kept the diary secret for 50 years. His family only discovered it after his death in 1995.Then, it was translated from Hungarian into English.
The original copy is being preserved in Yad Vashem in Israel.
The Invitation To A Whole New Life
Bergen Belsen
This is the story of Madison S’s maternal great grandmother's wedding. It is a story of hope when everyone thought that none existed. Fran Fruchsbrumer kept her wedding invitation on display in her home since 1945. Fran got married to her husband Simon Laufer on the steps of Bergen Belsen after the camp was liberated. Simon cared and loved for Fran. Simon found Fran while he was searching for any relatives. Simon would sneak food when Fran was sick. Fran didn’t want to get married because she thought she would never be able to have a family. Eventually Simon’s love for Fran changed her mind.
This wedding invitation represents the love between Simon and Fran Laufer.
One Marriage Ketubah-Many Stories
Budapest,Hungary
Eve’s great grandparents were partisans during the Holocaust. This meant that they lived in a forest in hiding from the Nazis. They fought back and struggled to survive. In 1945, when the Jews were liberated from the Nazis, Eve O’s maternal great-grandparents got married in a forest in Budapest. Eve’s great grandparents escaped from a ghetto by digging a tunnel, and fleeing to the forest. Eve’s great grandparents were married along with 12 other couples. The original ketubah was made from paper and many different pens. They never showed the ketubah to their children so their children had to find it after they both passed away. Now each of their grandchildren owns a copy of this ketubah.
This is a reminder that even in the tragic Holocaust, Eve’s great grandparents found happiness in each other.
How To Buy Food During WWII
St. Louis, Missouri
As a result of the United States entering WWII, the government began rationing food. In 1942, Michael’s maternal great grandparents David and Jeanette Seltzer and in 1944 their daughter, Michael’s grandmother, Leah, acquired a ration book from the government. The way the ration cards worked was that the book had many little tabs that were marked with a food, such as bread, coffee, milk, or even gas. At the store the shopper would rip out a card and hand it to the cashier. In the Seltzer’s ration book is a 75 year old US dollar.
Michael’s family uses the ration card book as a reminder of how long they have been in America.
The Work Permit
Hungary
This is a work permit that allowed Joseph Weiss, Jonathan A’s great grandfather, to get into Guatemala to work as a journalist. This work permit is made out of paper and ink. Joseph Weiss received this work permit in February of 1936 from the Secretary of Foreign Relations in Guatemala. Joseph Weiss was born in Hungary in 1910. Joseph travelled the world working as a writer for a Spanish newspaper. Once he entered the US in 1939, he met Sylvia, Jonathan’s great grandmother, and he never went back to Hungary. During World War II most of his family was killed by the Nazis. Joseph’s daughter Rita, Jonathan’s grandmother, has the work permit. It is significant for Jonathan’s family because it was Joseph’s work as a journalist that brought him to the United States and saved him from the Nazis.
Jonathan is linked to his great grandfather through this story.
Ticket to The World
United States
Sander A’s paternal great grandfather Sander A possessed a 1960 U.S passport. This U.S passport is made from ink and paper. He used this passport to travel to Israel and back. The passport expired in 1963, and he passed away in 1961. The passport had markings on it that show he was denied the right to travel to China and Vietnam.
Sander A values any information he learns about his namesake.
The Big News
New York
Jeremy S’s maternal great-grandfather Nathan Saperstein did a huge mitzvah. He started a shul in his basement. This is the story of how he started the shul.
He was the first president of the shul, he started in his basement.
The Key to Freedom
Hungary
Joseph T’s maternal great-great grandmother, Laura Kellner, and her daughters, Irene and Irma, were required to be on this passenger list to escape Hungary and travel to America. This event happened because of World War II. Laura needed money to go on the ship. Her husband, Klonymous, was the only one who had the money for her and her daughters to go to America.
This passenger list has a lot of sentimental value because that is how Joseph’s relatives made their escape.
Documents to Remember
Dublin, Ireland
Alexandra W’s maternal great grandparents were married in 1943. Rita Clein and Joseph Sherling were both born in Ireland. Joseph was one of six boys in his family. Neither Joseph nor Rita attended a Jewish school. Joseph was a quiet, kind and gentle man who also loved to play rugby. He worked alongside his brothers in the scrap metal business. Rita was one of nine siblings. She was a terrific mother, grandmother, and known to be a fantastic baker and cook. When Rita and Joseph met they were engaged after two weeks, and married after six weeks.
The ketubah and marriage certificate signify Alexandra’s great grandparent’s Irish and Jewish heritage.
A Letter From Another Century
Poland
Imagine being only eighteen-years-old and leaving your family to travel to another country to marry a stranger? On top of that, you won’t be able to see your loving family again! This is what happened to Julia B’s great- great grandmother Bracha Hirshzowitz. After a few years of living in America, Bracha got a letter from her father written by her brother. The letter spoke about how hard her family’s life was in Poland. Bracha kept this letter in her siddur. Each day when she davened she would read it and cry. She could never write back to her family because they were forced to move from place to place and didn’t have a permanent home.
This letter is very important to Julia Blinder’s family because it is the only connection they have with their family that died in during the Holocaust.
Document
Berlin, Germany
Aaron L. received this document from his paternal grandfather. Aaron L.’s paternal grandfather, Sam L., applied for this document from the government of Germany. Sam was a Holocaust survivor, and he lost most of his family in the war. He wanted to go to America after the war, so he applied for this paper that allowed him to go to America. This paper documents Sam L.’s survival of the Holocaust. It also describes his tattoo from his concentration camp. Finally, it marks his first step to a new life in America.
The L. family will cherish this document for many generations.
book
Palestein
Ari B received this book from his paternal grandfather. Ari B’s paternal grandfather Moshe B received this when he collected cigarette cards and created a collection. When he was a young boy living in Palestine, a company distributed collectable cards in cigarette boxes. The cards were pictures of famous Jewish leaders and scholars, and he could paste the pictures into a special slot in a collection book. The cards focused on the history of the Jews. They spanned the creation of the world through the problems in Germany. All the children at that time collected these cards. It was a goal to fill in the whole book so children went around to all people who smoked and asked for the cards.
The B family has learned many stories from this object.
scrapbook
Germany
Brian P. received this scrapbook from his maternal great grandfather. Brian P.'s maternal great grandfather, Harry G., kept this in the POW camp during WWII. The camp was called Stalag 2b Hammerstein. In this book Harry G.’s friends wrote letters to him. He also put pictures of him and his friends at the camp and drew pictures. Harry spoke German. He was the confidence man, which means that he was the interpreter between the Germans and the American prisoners. He got extra medical aid, costumes, and painting tools for the prisoners so they could put on plays and draw when they were bored. Harry was able to get a scrapbook that everyone in the camp would add to. When the camp was liberated, Harry brought the scrapbook home and his wife, Mimi G., has kept it ever since he passed away.
This valuable object will remain in the P. family because it is a reminder of Harry G. and teaches the family a lot about him.