Mesorah
Chuppah
United States
This chuppah was made by Rachel G’s paternal grandmother, Rose G. After Rachel G’s grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, her daughter, Rachel’s Aunt Debbie, a home economics teacher, developed a project for Rose in the nature of occupational therapy. She had her sew triangles together to form squares. Rachel’s father then arranged the squares to form diamonds of either solid or pattern swatches. The projected seemed to have no purpose until Rachel’s parents met, and they decided to have it completed as their chuppah. A family friend, Jane T (niece of Pauline T), finished the chuppah with a backing and embroidered Rachel’s parents’ names and the date of the wedding into the corners. Rachel’s father has since embroidered Rachel’s cousins’ names, and the chuppah has been used for their weddings.
The G family will cherish this chuppah for many generations.
Jewelry
America
Maya G received this bracelet and these earrings from her maternal great grandmother. Maya G’s maternal great grandmother bought this in honor of her son Barry’s bar mitzvah. She loved costume jewelry and thought these pieces were beautiful. She couldn’t afford real gold and diamonds so she bought costume jewelry as she thought it was just as pretty as real, expensive jewelry. This item is important to the G family because Maya’s grandmother, Elaine Bonnie S, wore these pieces of jewelry to Maya G’s bat mitzvah. It was special that her grandmother wore the jewelry because it was as if Maya’s great grandmother was with them at the celebration. This item was bought and made in America. These valuable objects will remain in the G family.
It was special that her grandmother wore the jewelry because it was as if Maya’s great grandmother was with them at the celebration.
Ketubah/Marriage Contract
Czechoslovakia
Jonah R received this ketubah/marriage contract from his maternal great grandmother Gloria G. Jonah R’s maternal great grandmother received this from her husband Martin G at their wedding. Martin hand wrote this ketubah/marriage contract in Czechoslovakia in 1946. The R family finds it significant because this marriage was the beginning of their family. The R family found it in Gloria’s drawer in her house. They found a picture of Gloria and Martin at their wedding and framed the ketubah with it so that they can have it together.
The R family will cherish this ketubah/marriage contract for many generations.
Tzitzit
Ermihalyfalva, Hungary
Sammy H. received this pair of tzitzit from his paternal great-great grandfather. Sammy H.’s paternal great-great grandfather Albert (Eliyahu) G made this object in Ermihalyfalva (air-me-hi-fava), Hungary for his son and Sammy’s great grandfather, Martin (Menachem) G. in the early 1920s. This pair of tzitzit is a significant object to the H. family because it traveled with Martin from Hungary to the U.S.A. Today it is used by Sammy’s uncle, Eliyahu who is named after Albert. He wears this special pair of tzitzit on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
The H. family will cherish this pair of tzitzit for many generations.
Seder Plate
New York
Cara M's paternal great-great grandmother received this seder plate from her cousin. When she immigrated from Poland, her family was very poor. She had cousins that had been living in America for a few years. Her cousins gave Cara’s great-great grandmother and her family this seder plate to use at their seder.
This seder plate is important to the M family.
Plate
Munich, Germany
Minia G
This is significant to my family. Alex G received this plate from his paternal great grandmother. Alex G’s paternal great grandmother Minia G bought this plate in New York City, however it was made in Munich, Germany. It was important to Alex’s family because it was one of the first nice things his grandmother bought when she came to America. She had no other possessions when she arrived here. Her family kept it because she gave it to them as a gift, and it has special meaning to them. The G family uses it every Pesach, and this plate is still very important to the G family.
This is significant to Jewish Heritage.
Challah Cover
Hungary
Gaby K received this challah cover from his paternal great grandmother. Gaby K paternal great grandmother Livia R created this challah cover. She drew and embroidered it by hand before the war. She gave it to Gaby’s family as a gift. She was very creative, and she did it on her own. The Gaby K family uses it in their house for shabbat as a challah cover. This valuable object will remain in the Gaby K family.
This valuable object will remain in the Gaby K family.
Seder Plate
Germany
David S received this Seder plate from his paternal great-great grandfather. David's paternal great-great grandfather, Israel S, bought this Seder plate at a spa resort called Karlsbad, where many Jews used to go in the 1920's to benefit from the natural waters rich in minerals in the region. The souvenir shops carried a lot of object used by Jews who purchased them for their family as a souvenir from their vacation there. The Seder plate belonged to Israel S and his family, and it was sent to America in the early 1930's as the family was preparing their escape from Berlin, Germany when the Nazis came to power. The S family will cherish this Seder plate for many generations.
The S family will cherish this Seder plate for many generations.
Part of a Torah Scroll
Afghanistan
Jacob K’s father, Jordan K, received this from his friend, George B. In the year 1978, George was hitchhiking in Afghanistan and discovered this Torah parchment on a table at a flea market. When he came over to bargain for the Torah scroll, the merchant realized that George was Jewish, since no-one else would care about or recognize the parchment. Jacob’s father’s friend tried to negotiate the price, but the merchant wouldn’t lower the price. The merchant appeared to be aware that a Jew had an obligation to save a Torah at any cost. Also the merchant knew only a Jewish person would want to buy it and pay a lot of money for the parchment. In the end, George paid the full $35, which was at the time was a large amount of money. The framed scroll currently hangs in the dining room of the K family’s house as a decoration. The Torah scroll can’t be used to layn in shul because it is not a part of a complete, kosher scroll.
This parchment is important to the K family.
Tefillin
Czechoslovakia
Menucha G’s paternal great grandfather received these tefillin from his father before the Holocaust. These tefillin are originally from the city of Braislava in Slovakia which is known as Czechoslovakia. During the Holocaust these tefillin were saved by Menucha’s great grandfather’s sister who was hidden by righteous gentiles. After the war, Menucha’s great grandfather and his sister found one another, and she gave him his tefillin. These tefillin are obviously very meaningful to Menucha’s family and were passed on to her father a month ago when her great grandfather passed away.
The G family will cherish these tefillin for many generations.
Tefillin
United States
Jason A received this set of tefillin from his paternal great grandfather Max A. this object is significant to the A family because even though it was difficult to be observant in 1923, Jason's great grandfather held on to the traditions. Max got this pair fo tefillin in 1923 for his Bar Mitzvah. This object is still used today when the A family need an extra pair of fefillin.
This valuable object will continue to get passed down from generations to generations.
Knives
Michigan
Jonathan C received this shechita set from his paternal great grandfather. Jonathan C’s great grandfather Yaakov C received this shechita 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 shechita set is significant to the Comet family because it is one of the only things that they have to remember Yaakov Comet. 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 great grandfather and to keep him in the C family’s hearts.
The C family will cherish this schita set for many generations.
Megillah
Poland
Reed L received this megillah from his paternal grandfather. It was originally from his great grandfather who bought it in Switzerland before WWII.The megillah took one year to write by hand. Reed’s great grandfather was able to bring it back to Poland. Once he arrived back in Poland, he became aware the Jews were being harassed and punished. Eventually, his family was forced to leave their home and became prisoners of Russia, specifically in Siberia. The megillah had to be hidden because the Russians did not allow any religious items. When the war was over, they were allowed to return to Poland. The Russians checked any books people had, to make sure there was no anti Russian writing. The megillah was checked and still has the Russian stamp approving it to leave Russia.
The L family will cherish this object for many more generations to come.
Knives
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 Levy 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 Levy family immigrated to.
These objects will be treasured by the L family.
Matzah Cover
Ukraine
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.
Kiddush Cup
Poland
Jake S received this Kiddush cup from his maternal grandfather. Jake S’s great-great grandfather received it from his father as a gift It is originally from Poland circa 1880, and it now belongs to Jake S’s grandfather, Barry Z. Barry Z has kept this object for all these years because it is the only thing that he has from his grandfather. The Kiddush cup is still used today every Shabbos by Barry Z and his wife during Kiddush.
The S family will cherish this for many generations.
Torah Scroll
Hungary
Abby S received this Torah from her maternal grandmother, Miriam L. Abby S’s maternal grandmother, Miriam L, received this Torah from her father, Abraham B. Abraham B had the Torah commissioned and donated it to his local shul before the outbreak of World War II. Once World War II broke out, he hid the Torah in a silo in Hernadvecse, Hungary. After surviving labor camps, Abraham B returned to the silo where he had hidden his Torah, and found it still there in one piece. He took the Torah with him from Hungary to Israel when he emigrated in 1957. After he passed away in 1985, Abby’s maternal great grandmother, Chana B, brought the Torah with her to the United States. This Torah is important to Abby’s family because it symbolizes Abby’s great grandfather’s commitment to Judaism and fighting spirit.
Abby’s family will cherish this Torah for many generations to come.
Tefillin
Germany
Zali T received these tefillin from his paternal great grandfather. These tefillin belonged to his Opa's father and he received them from his parents at his Bar Mitzvah in 1900. Zali's Opa grew up in Berlin, Germany and his dad wore these tefillin every day until 1941. At that time his Opa took his parents to Lyon, France and placed them in hiding until after the Holocaust. During the war people were afraid that they might be discovered as Jews. He buried the tefillin in the backyard of his home in Berlin, and he hoped that if he survived the war he could go back and get them. His Opa survived and saved his entire family from the Germans. After the war he went with his brother, Uncle Joseph back to Germany and dug them up. With tefillin in hand, his Opa took his parents and siblings to Israel and their families still live there today. ;after the war his Opa and Oma moved to London, England and they move to Montreal, Canada after Zali's Bubbe Anne was born. When his great-great grandfather died, he received the tefillin because he was responsible for saving the tefillin and his entire family. These tefillin and this story are extra special to Zali because his Opa's name was Usher Zalki and he is named after him.
The T family has learned many stories from this object.
Ketubah
New York
Caroline W received this ketubah from her maternal great grandmother and great grandfather. Caroline W’s great grandmother Sylvia and great grandfather Nathan received this ketubah in 1928. They acquired this ketubah in New York, New York. This ketubah is significant to Caroline’s family because it proves that her great grandparents were married. Caroline's family has kept this object because it is very meaningful to Caroline’s family and Caroline.
The W family will cherish this ketubah for many generations.