For the Home
These artifacts are found in the home. Some artifacts may be used for certain holidays as well.
Maimonides Figurine
Cordoba, Spain
My father
In 2012, my family and I went on a family trip to Spain. One of our first stops was Cordoba. We immediately went to the Jewish Quarter. In the center was a huge Maimonides statue. After we walked by the statue, we came by an antique store. We went inside the store and found a replica of the beautiful Maimonides statue. We decided to get it to remind us of the history of Judaism in Spain.
The figurine of Maimonides reminds us of our wonderful trip to Spain. It reminds us of the long history of Jews in Spain. We explored the golden age of Judaism in the Andalucian part of Spain and learned that Judaism in the 1100's was not that different from the Judaism of today.
Maimonides' real name was Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, also known as Rambam. He was one of Judaism's greatest scholars and philosophers. He was born in Spain, but fled to Morocco, then Israel, then Egypt, when fanatical Muslims took over Spain. He wrote the Mishneh Torah, which is a codebook of Jewish laws. He taught us about the different levels of giving Tzedakah as well as many other things. He also wrote the Guide to the Perplexed. Maimonides was also a practicing doctor and leader of Cairo's Jewish community.
Egg Cups
Unknown
My mom
This pair of egg cups are made of glass. They look like they were made of rings of glass formed into cups. If you turn them over, they have cups on the other side also.
Egg cups have been around since prehistoric times. One was even found in the ruins of Pompeii. They can be made of many different materials, including clay.
My great-grandmother Sofie, or Shifra, used these egg cups. They were passed down to my grandmother and then to my mother. When I was little, I remember coming home from school, and my mom boiling me eggs, and I'd pull a chair over to our island in the kitchen, and eat them. Later, they were put away. This is a special memory for me.
Toas-Tite
Cincinnati, Ohio
My mom
This toas-tite "sandwich grill" is made of two round metal plates hinged together at one end. At the other end, each plate has a long handle attached. The handles have wooden ends which are cooler to the touch. It is engraved "Toas-tite" on one side. It is produced by Bar-B-Buns in Cincinnati, Ohio. The "sandwich grill" had its first patent filed on October 12, 1945 and granted on March 1, 1949. The inventor was John E. Strietelmeier of Cincinnati. This sandwich maker is one of the very first models made.
My great grandmother Florence bought this sandwich grill, and she used it to make sandwiches for my grandmother and mother when they were young. It was passed down to my grandmother and then to my mother. Now, we use it!
Painting of Shabbat table setting
Queens, New York
Inherited from my great-grandfather, Harry L.
My great-aunt, Laraine L., made this painting in 1958 when she was 13 years old. She was living with her family in Forest Hills, New York at the time. She used to take art classes weekly, and her teacher was an old Viennese man. She set up a still life of a Shabbat table setting in the studio and painted it over a few months. The painting shows tall brass candlesticks, a braided challah, a silver Kiddush cup, and a siddur. The painting originally hung in my great-grandparents' house in Forest Hills, New York, and later it hung in their house in Brick, New Jersey.
My great-aunt chose to paint a Shabbat table setting because Shabbat was very important to her family and was observed weekly. My family also lights candles every Friday night, so this painting reminds me that my family has been doing this important mitzvah for many decades. Also, there are many artists in my family. In addition to my great-aunt, my great-grandfather was an artist, my grandmother is an artist, and my sister and I also enjoy painting. I think that this piece of artwork is beautiful and it astounds me that my great-aunt painted it when she was only two years older than I am now.
Photo
USA
Personal Collection
This artifact is a sepia toned photograph of my maternal grandparents, Rae (Rivka) & Irving (Yitzchak)Finkelstein. It is a 5x7 inch photo in a 7x9 inch wooden frame. My grandparents are dressed up and they both have corsages, which indicates this was a very special occasion. Perhaps it was a wedding or grandchild's Bar Mitzvah. Or it might have been a special wedding anniversary.
Rae & Irving both immigrated to the United States from Lodz, Poland. They did not know each other in Poland. Irving was born October 5, 1898, and Rivka was born September 25, 1905. They were married on September 22, 1923. They had three children. Irving came over by himself at age 16 because he did not want to be taken into the army. Rivka came over with relatives, both into Ellis Island. Irving was a tailor and worked at factories in the garment district of New York. They first lived in Paterson, NJ near relatives and Irving commuted to NYC to work as a tailor in the garment district. Rae loved the beach so they moved to Coney Island, NY, where they raised their children. Later, they moved back to Paterson where they opened the Skirt & Sport Shop, making women's clothes, selling specialty items and doing alterations. My grandmother stayed in the store while my grandfather continued to work in New York. My grandfather was not very religious but my grandmother Rae kept all the traditions of Shabbat, the holidays, and a kosher home. They both died in their 80's. They are loved & missed very much.