Jewlery
Watch
Portugal
Seth S's maternal great-great grandfather's watch was made by his own factory in Portugal. When he came from Poland he needed to find a job to bring his wife and children to Portugal. He tried so many jobs. Once when he was delivering sweaters, he saw that a clock in the customer’s house was broken. Since his father was a watchmaker, he knew how to fix the clock. He thought of a great idea. He went to the local mall and set up a watchmaking stand. Soon enough, he had enough money to bring his family to Portugal. That is how the Wakmann Watch Factory started. This factory was not just an ordinary watch factory, but it also imported gunpowder to Britain. There was ambassador who has a wooden leg, and he would bring the watches to Britain. Since his wooden leg was hollow, he would hide the gunpowder from the watches inside his leg. This was both a good thing and a bad thing. He was helping the British by giving them gunpowder, but he was also on a list. Being on the list meant that meant if the Nazis would ever take over Portugal, he would be one of the first people to get killed. Because of the watch factory, he developed a strong relationship with the British. He uses this relationship to get him on the next boat to Canada. From there he came to America and continued his watch and clock business.
The watch factory business saved Seth S's family.
Tie Clip
Russia
Jordan L’s paternal great-great grandfather, Moshe Smith, had a gold tie clip that had a lion’s head on the top. Moshe wore this tie clip in 1898, when Moshe was traveling to the United States of America. The clip is important to Jordan’s family because all Moshe had when he came to America was the clip, a pair of matching cufflinks that now belong to Jordan’s uncle Zvi L, and 87 dollars. Moshe passed the clip on to Jordan’s great grandfather, Israel Smith, who then passed the clip to Jordan’s father, Daniel L.
The clip is very special to Jordan’s family because it is the base of their family's story. They will always take very good care of it and treat it with respect.
Jewelry Box
Iran
This handmade, mosaic jewelry box came from Rivka N’s paternal grandparents, Feizollah and Rabkha N. They then passed it to their son, David. When David left Iran to come to America for his college education, this box was one of the very few pieces of memorabilia that he brought with him. This box is very special to Rivka’s family because it is one of the few items from David’s late parents.
Also, it is a beautiful artwork reflecting the family’s Persian heritage, from the time when Iran was still under the Shah’s rule, and the Jews in Iran had a relatively good life.
Locket
Poland
This locket belongs to Genia S M, Raquel K’s maternal great grandmother. Genia was born in Poland on October 15, 1930, to Raizel and Zalmen S. She was the second youngest of six children. When she was six years old, her parents sent her to live with her oldest sister, who was married, to go to a better school in Eastern Poland. It was reported that Raizel gave this locket to Genia right before she left. When World War II started, in 1939, Genia was deported with her sister and her sister’s husband to a labor camp in Siberia, Russia. There, she spent the war doing many different jobs, including peeling potatoes. When the Holocaust ended, Genia married Pincus M at the age of seventeen. She gave birth to Raquel's grandmother, Rose, at the age of nineteen. When Genia was twenty one years old she took a boat with her husband and child to New Orleans and moved to Philadelphia where she raised her family. Genia passed away in August 2010, just shy of her 80th birthday.
This locket stayed with her throughout her life and was given to Raquel’s mother, Michelle, after she died.
Ivory Necklace
Yemen
This necklace belonged to Barr B ’s late maternal grandfather, Zion A. It previously belonged to his father and has been passed down several generations. After Barr's grandfather passed away , his wife passed it down to Barr’s mother. The necklace was presumably made in Yemen, but that is unknown. It is made out of either ivory or bone, but it is most likely made of ivory.
It is very special to Barr's family and has been passed down before anyone can remember.
Charm Bracelet
New Rochelle, New York
Julia S’s paternal grandmother, Judy S, owned this golden charm bracelet. She was born on August 13, 1941, and died on January 17, 2011. Her parents, Dorothy and Samuel S, loved to travel and would bring back charms for her. Judy received the bracelet when she was about six, and throughout her life, she collected 22 charms. Some of the charms are a shoe from Holland, a bullfighter from Spain, a piano which Judy loved to play, and a locket with pictures of her parents. This charm bracelet is important to Julia’s family because now that Julia’s grandmother has passed away, the bracelet reminds her family of her.
This charm bracelet is important to Julia’s family because now that Julia’s grandmother has passed away, the bracelet reminds her family of her.
Bachnia Bracelet
Poland
Eliana R’s maternal great-great grandmother, Caroline S, owned an 18-karat gold bracelet. This bracelet was given to her prior to World War II. She received it in 1938. This bracelet is special and important to Eliana’s family because during the Holocaust, Caroline's son, Naftali, carried this bracelet with him throughout the war. Brilliantly, he hid it in the heel of his shoe so that the Germans would not find it. This bracelet is the only thing Naftali had left from his mother.
Eliana’s family treasures it.