Our Mesorah
The Cup That Traveled
Germany
Andy S’s paternal great-great grandparents Rosa and Israel bought a special object in Germany in 1850. It was an Eliyahu cup. Rosa and Israel used it every Pesach. In 1933 Rosa saw the rise of the Nazis as a threat to the Jewish people in Germany and started sending her belongings to America. She died in Switzerland In 1939 while traveling to America. Andy’s grandparents received the cup and other belongings that belonged to Rosa.
They use it every Pesach to honor her.
The Fish Shaped Besamim
Israel
Samantha H’s maternal great-grandfather Adoph H. Schreiber loved using this besamim box for havdallah each Saturday night. Adolf H. Schreiber bought the besamim box in the year of 1950 in Israel. He used to love to collect special Judaica objects. The besamim box that he brought was in the shape of a fish which is a typical design of the 19th century. The besamim box is made out of silver. Eventually, he passed the besamim box to Samantha H’s grandfather Elliot Schreiber who she calls “Saba”. Elliot Schreiber continued the tradition of using the besamim box for Samantha’s mother, Tami H. Today, the besamim box is on display in Samantha H’s grandfather’s house.
Every time she sees the besamim box, it reminds her of her great grandfather’s story of his trip to Israel.
The Special Kiddush Cup
Hungary
Yanni S’s maternal great grandfather owned this sterling silver Kiddush cup. It was passed down to Mordechai Pahmer in the 1940’s, which was at the same time as World War II. Every Shabbos he used it to make Kiddush. He passed it down to his son, Jack Pahmer. He passed it down to the Yanni's family.
Today, the family uses it to make Kiddush every Shabbos.
The Story Behind the Chuppah
Poland
Adam W’s maternal great grandparents were the first people to get married under this chuppah in 1929 in Antapol, Poland. They then moved to Pruzana after they were married. When Hitler rose to power the town had meetings to move the people to safer places. In January of 1939, Adam’s maternal great grandparents and maternal grandfather were lucky and they traveled to America. They left on the second to last ship out of Poland before the Nazi invasion. The name of the ship was called the Stephan Batore. They took a lot of personal items including this family chuppah. This family chuppah is proudly used by Adam’s family today.
This family chuppah is proudly used by Adam’s family today.
Special Cups
Germany & Switzerland
Two of Jacob N‘s maternal great grandfathers owned special Kiddush cups. These cups have been in his family for four generations. The larger kiddush cup was owned by Benno Strauss. Jacob N’s middle name is Benno and his Hebrew name is Baruch because of him. The smaller cup was owned by Rudy Stern who Jacob N had the great privilege to meet. He passed away about three years ago. In Jacob N’s house they use the cups to make Kiddush on Shabbos. These cups remind Jacob N’s family about the great men who once owned them. Jacob’s younger brother has the same Hebrew name as Rudy did. Jacob N has a picture of Benno in his room. The cups are in a cabinet in Jacob N's family’s house.
These are special cups that were owned by special men.
The Twin Kiddush Cups
Poland
Meira C’s maternal great-great-great grandmother purchased these twin Kiddush cups in Poland in the mid-1800s. Meira’s family has owned them for about 160 years. The Kiddush cups have been passed down from generation to generation in the family. Rabbi Furer, Meira C’s great grandfather managed to keep them in his possession when he was in hiding during the Holocaust. Yaakov and Avi Bier, two great grandsons of Rabbi Furer, received the Kiddush cups for their bar–mitzvahs.
The Kiddush cups are valued in the Furer family because they have gone through so much over many years.
An Unfinished Bisamin Box
Israel
Ari Adler, the maternal great grandfather of Rebecca S, was a very creative and talented artist. Ari made all kinds of art such as abstract paintings and sculptors related to Judaism. Some of his work was even displayed at the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. Once he decided to try something new, so started to create a unique silver bisamin box. Unfortunately, Ari had passed away before he was able to complete it, and it was passed down a generation to Naomi Kanovsky, Ari’s oldest daughter. She displays it in her home in memory of her father.
Whenever Rebecca and her family visit their grandmother on Shabbat, and when they use the silver bisamin box for havdala, they feel a special connection to Ari Adler.
A Silver Seder Plate
Bareczasz, Hungary
Hyatt’s maternal great- great-grandfather named Barish Klein, was born in Bareczasz, Hungary. He grew up to be a wealthy rabbi and mohel who also owed a winery. He came to America when he was twenty. He lived in New York where he continued being a rabbi. Barish had nine kids and eight of them moved to Washington D.C. In circa 1910 he moved there as well and soon after he crafted the seder plate. It was made from ivory, old silver and wood. The seder plate was used for the holiday of Passover. The seder plate was on display at the Jewish Museum for 3 years.
After it was returned to Hyatt’s grandmother who is has it in her possession.
The Amazing Kiddush Cup
Germany
Imagine what it feels like to own something from so many years ago, that was used by a great, honest, and special man. Andrew W’s maternal great grandfather, Aharon Lehman owned this Kiddush cup in Germany in about 1880. He was a very poor man. To earn money he was a cattle dealer also known as a cow farmer. When Aharon was preparing to come to America in 1938, the first thing he decided to bring was his Kiddush cup because it was his most valuable possession.
Andrew loves and cherish’s this amazing object.
The Historical Cup
Poland
This historical kiddish cup belonged to Gordie K`s maternal great grandfather in the 1930`s. He received the cup in 1936 as a wedding gift. He used the kiddish cup on Shabbat for many years. Wherever he went, he made sure he had the cup in his grasp. After he moved to America, his daughter, Gordie K`s maternal grandmother, Joyce Fein was married. He then gave the cup to her as a gift. She now keeps it in her personal collection.
She likes to look at it in remembrance of her father.
A Cup Full of Memories
Warsaw, Poland
Lauren B’s paternal great- great grandparents, Dovid and Sarah, lived in Warsaw, Poland. Their oldest child and Lauren’s great grandfather Morris was turning seventeen. In Poland, when you turn that age, you have to serve in the Polish army. Dovid and Sarah sent him to Cuba so he didn’t have to serve .They were scared. There he met a woman named Molly. They got married, moved to the Lower East Side in NY, and had children. For every grandchild they had Dovid and Sarah sent a kiddush cup with the child’s initials. Lauren’s grandfather, Leo B., was one of the lucky children that got a Kiddush cup because in 1939 Morris, Molly, Leo and the rest of their children stopped hearing from Dovid, Sarah, their children, and extended family. They learned that Hitler invaded Poland. Morris and Molly thought the family were victims of the concentration camps and/or killed. This cup is special to Lauren’s family because it’s one of the last things they have from Dovid and Sarah, and it was given to Leo at birth. This cup is currently on display at Lauren’s aunt and uncle’s house in Israel. It has the letters LLB which stand for Lipa Leo B.
These letters stand for his Yiddish, English, and last name.
Schitah Set
Poland and Florida
Dad
Jonathan C received this schita set from his paternal great grandfather. Jonathan C’s great grandfather Yaakov C received this schita set in 1909 when trained to become a shochat. The item is 105 years old. Yaakov was also a rabbi and a hebrew teacher, as well as the only shochat in his community. The schita set is significant to the C family because it is one of the only things that they have to remember Yaakov C. Before Yaakov moved from Poland to Flint, Michigan, he bought three knives to use to shecht animals. He suspected that there wouldn’t be a lot of kosher butchers in Michigan. When he got to Michigan, he realized three knives would not be enough to start a business, and he purchased two more knives. He provided kosher food for his small community in Michigan. The only use for this set today is to remember Jonathan C's great grandfather and to keep him in the C family’s hearts. The C family will cherish this schita set for many generations.
The C family will cherish this schita set for many generations.
shochet knife
El Campo, Texas
Dov L received this knife and siddur from his paternal great-great uncle Mier Myrum O. Mier used this knife when he arrived from Russia and became a butcher in El Campo,Texas. He learned how to shecht animals in 1911 from a famous Rabbi in Texas. The siddur he used was written in Yiddish and is more then 100 years old. it can still be used today.This knife and siddur are important to the L family because this knife was used to provide food for Mier’s family and Jewish Russian immigrants living in Texas. It is also important because it teaches the story of the family who moved to Texas instead of New York where most of the L family immigrated to.
These objects will be treasured by the Levy family.
Matzah cover
Ukraine
Rachel S.
Evan S received this matzah cover from his paternal grandparents. Evan S`s paternal great grandmother created this matzah cover for her husband. She gave it to him as a wedding gift. The S’s value this artwork and use it on the holiday of Pesach.
The S family will cherish this for many generations