Ritual Objects
When walking into a home, one can often tell right away that a Jewish family lives there. The reason for this is that we see an array of religious and ritual objects connected with Shabbat, holidays, life cycle events and Jewish rituals.
These objects are reminders of Jewish laws and traditions which can go back centuries in time. These objects are precious to their owners, whether they be individuals or synagogues, and, in
many cases, are passed down from generation to generation.
Our display of ritual objects connect us to synagogue, prayer, and the Jewish home. Many of these artifacts are priceless in terms of sentimental and spiritual value to their owners.
Siddur
Israel
Great grandma
The significance of the artifact is that it was passed down in our family for generations.
At first it was my great grandma's and now its my mom's.
We keep it on a shelf under my great grandma's photo.
A Siddur is very important.
We have been saying many of the same prayers for hundreds of years.
In the Siddur we can learn about our beliefs and wishes.
We can walk into any synagogue in the world and be familiar with most of the prayers.
B'nai Mitzvah Invitation
USA
Parents
The significance of this invitation to my family is that it was used for my brother and sister's B'nai Mitzvah.
Also, my uncle gave it to my family. It is a copy of the real invitation, but on wood.
Becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah is important to the Jewish life cycle.
It is very important because it is about becoming a Jewish adult.
Also, by becoming a Bar Mitzvah,each of us accept responsibility for the mitzvot.
They help us lead good and meaningful lives.
Tanach (Bible)
Sioux City, Iowa
Mom
This Tanach was passed down to us by my mom's grandparents.
We keep it in a glass case in our dining room, for everyone to see.
I hope that someday my mom will pass it down to me.
The Tanach contains the core of being Jewish.
The Torah is the most important part of the Tanach.
The Bible has stories, laws, values and history.
It guides us in our lives.
Every Jewish home should have a Tanach.
Tallit
Minnesota
My dad
My grandma & grandpa gave my dad this tallit at his Bar Mitzvah.
He wears it at the services every time we go.
The tallit is important to us as Jews because the fringes represent the mitvot.
Mitzvot are central to Judaism.
They guide us in living good lives.
A mitzvah is a commandement, not just a good deed.
The fact that God commanded us to do something, makes it very important.
Tallit
Haifa,Israel
My grandpa
This tallit is my grandpa's. My grandma bought it in Israel for him.
We used it at my aunt's wedding and at my brother's Bar Mitzvah.
My family still uses it on the high holidays.
It makes my grandpa happy that we still use it.
We are commanded in the Shema to wear
tzizit.
The tzizit remind us about the mitzvot.
Some Jews wear tzizit under their clothes all the time.
A tallit is worn at synagogue during services by someone who is over the age of Bar/Bat Mitzvah (13) and when the Torah is read.
Mazel Tov Bag
Minnesota
My mom and dad
This mazel tov bag was used when my mom and dad got married, in 1996.
The bag holds a glass that my dad broke on the day of the wedding.
This is very special to us.
Jewish weddings are a very important life cycle event.
Breaking the glass during the wedding helps us remember the hardships of the Jewish people even during times of joy.
Breaking the glass has been a tradition at Jewish weddings for many years.
Jewish marriages assure our Jewish future.
Siddur
Israel
Grampa
My artifact has a very unusual story behind it.
One day,my grampa went to Goodwill where he came across this Siddur. He thought that it didn't belong at Goodwill, so he bought it.
He gave it to my dad who then gave it to my sister.
A Siddur is very important. It helps us participate in the services at our synagogue.
Our prayers tell us a lot about Judaism and what we believe.
Some of our prayers are thousands of years old.
It makes me feel special when I read these prayers, knowing that my ancestors said many of the same ones.
Yad
Minnesota
Sister
My grandma gave this yad to my older sister Hannah to use at her Bat Mitzvah.
She got it for reading Torah 7 times, the year following her Bat Mitzvah.
My sister wants to pass it down to her kids.
Reading Torah is a very holy act.
The Torah is so holy that we don't touch it with our hands, we use a yad.
We read Torah 3 days a week. This is a tradition which goes back many years.
It is one of the things that keeps Judaism going.
Kippot
Poland
My Dad
These kippot were given to my dad and made by my great-grandma.
They are important to my dad because they are the only thing we have that was hers or that she made.
We still sometimes wear them to synagogue to remember her.
Jews wear kippot as a sign of respect.
When someone wears a kippah it's like saying: "I am not the top, there is something higher than me."
Some Jews wear a kippah all the time while others wear it in the synagogue or at special events.
Siddur
Lithuania
Dad
My great grandfather used this siddur often.
This siddur is a symbol of my great grandfather's new life in the U.S. and the life he left in Lithuania.
It shows that he practiced Judaism wherever he went.
It is also a symbol of my family's history.
Jews have been saying many of the same prayers for hundreds of years.
Our prayers teach us a lot about our religion and our relationship with God.
The prayers are something that unite all of us as Jews, no matter where we live.
Tallit Bag
Israel
Dad
My grandma brought this tallit in Israel for my father, for his bar mitzvah. She then needle-pointed the bag. He has not stopped using it since 1978. He has used it all these years!
I hope I can use it when I get older. My grandma said she can make me one . She has made everybody who has had a Bar/Bat Mitzvah their own tallit bag. I hope she can keep making them for years!
We are commanded in the Shema to wear tzizit.
The tzizit on the end of the tallit remind us of the mitzvot.
We wear a tallit in the synagogue when we pray.
Some Jews wear tzizit under their clothing every day, as a constant reminder of the mitzvot.
T'fillin
Poland
Grampa
These t'fillin are important to my family because they have been used by many of my family members in celebration of their B'nai Mitzvah throughout the generations.
The t'fillin bring us back to our roots.
They first belonged to my great great grandfather, who came to America from Poland in 1910.
It is very meaningful to us that we still have them, especially since they are 131 years old.
T'fillin is one of the most important mitzvot in the Torah.
We begin putting on t'fillin when we become B'nai Mitzvah. They are worn every morning, except for Shabbat.
Inside the t'fillin we find parchment with the Shema, our most important prayer.
They teach us to dedicate ourselves to the service of god in all that we feel, think, and do.
Mezuzah
Milwaukee, Wisc.
Mom/Dad
The broken glass in this mezuzah is from the glass my dad broke at his wedding.
We don't have this mezuzah up now but we plan to put it up in our new home.
That way whenever we see it, we will think of my parents' wedding.
A mezuzah shows everyone that they are entering a Jewish home.
Inside the mezuzah is a piece of parchment with the Shema on it.
We are going to put up our mezuzah as soon as possible when moving into our new home.
I am excited to have this mezuzah on the doorpost of my new house.
It will show that ours is a Jewish home.
Tefillin
Duluth, MN
Grampa/Grama
These Tefillin belonged to my Zaide. He passed away, so my Bubbie has them and is keeping them.
We think he got the Tefillin from his dad for his Bar Mitzvah.
We like to have things from him to keep his memory alive.
Since we have something of his, it feels like he is still a part of our family
Tefillin remind us of our connection to God.
Some Jews, especially men, wear them every morning when they pray.
The Shema commands us to wear tefillin.
Putting on tefillin is an age old practice.
Hopefully this practice will continue for years to come.
Siddur
Unknown
Pam Friedman
This was my grandfather's Siddur. He used it for his Bar Mitzvah.
It is special to me because I am currently going through my Bar Mitzvah training and it gives me a connection to him.
My grandfather is no longer with us, but having this Siddur with me at my Bar Mitzvah will be very meaningful.
Jews all over the world recite many of the same prayers.
This has been the case for hundreds of years.
It is one of the things that unites us as Jews.
Kippah
USA
Dad
This Kippah is very special to my dad.
His 2 great grandma's needlepointed it for him.
He wore it for his Bar Mitzvah.
It has the tree of life on it because his Hebrew name means life.
It also has Jerusalem on it.Jerusalem is referred to as the city of gold.
Jews wear a kippah to remind us that we are not the top. There is something higher than us, which is God.
It is a sign of respect to wear a kippah. Some Jews wear it all the time wear it when at synagogue.
My Dad's Kippah
Philadelphia
Brad (My Dad)
This kippah was given to my dad for his Bar Mitzvah in 1983. It was made by several people: Rhoda Kanter (My Grandma), My great Aunt Bibsy, My great Aunt Ruth, My Great Aunt's sister in law Florence Marcus & family friend Delores Kramer.
This was the first kippah that my grandma made. Since then, she has made a kippah for each Bar/Bat Mitzvah in the family.
A Kippah is worn a s a sign of respect.
We must always remember that we are not the top, that there is a higher power above us.
Some Jews wear a kippah all the time, others wear it when at synagogue.
Yad
Israel
Grandma Carol
My dad and all of his siblings used the Yad at their B'nai Mitzvah. Then my cousins used it for their B'nai Mitzvah. My two brothers used the Yad at their B'nai Mitzvah, as well.
We even brought the Yad to Israel for my brother's Bar Mitzvah.
In October, 2015, I will use the Yad at my Bar Mitzvah.
We bought a Yad for my cousins on the other side of the family because they thought it was a great tradition.
The Torah is very holy and precious to us.
We do not touch it with our fingers, so we use a yad, whenever we read from the Torah.
Reading from the Torah has been going on for several thousand years.
It is one of the things that keeps the Torah fresh in our minds.
T'fillin
Israel
Grandpa
These t'fillin were handed down in my family for generations.
All the men in my family have used them.
My dad used them and my brother recently used them at his Bar Mitzvah.
I will be using them at my Bar Mitzvah , too.
T'fillin remind us that God took us out of Egypt.
When we put them on they make us feel closer to God.
Observant Jews put on t'fillin every day except for Shabbat.