Rapping Jewish Style
Tallitot and Tefillin.
Tallis
Poland
Peter B
It was my maternal great-grandpa Carl Sklar’s tallis. He was born in Poland in 1896. My grandfather wore it, and my dad Peter wore it for his bar mitzvah. My aunt also wore it.
It traces back all the way to my great-grandpa in Poland and is a part of our family history. We wear it on our b’nai mitzvah and I will wear it on mine.
Tefillin
Russia
Ted and Jaime E
My great-grandfather fled Russia so that he wouldn’t be conscripted into the Russian army. His parents gave him the tefillin so that he could pray while not being at home.
It is a connection to my great-grandfather.
Tallit and Tefillin
Israel
David C
My grandfather, my dad’s dad, got the tallis and tefillin from a relative in Israel. He wore it to his bar mitzvah. When he died he passed it down to my dad David Myer C and he wore it to his bar mitzvah.
He uses it for services and is going to pass it on to me.
Tallit, bag, and Kippah
USA
Eric M
My dad, Eric M., kept it in his drawer after he became a Bar Mitzvah. He never wore the tallit again but kept it for the memories.
Upon becoming a Bar Mitzvah he became an adult in the eyes of the Jewish community. He celebrated this rite of passage in the 1980's in the USA.