Personal Artifacts
Our personal artifacts are very meaningful to our families. These artifacts give us a window to our families' histories. They are important because they bring back memories from our past and they will be handed down to generations to come.
WWII Purple Heart
USA
Great-grandpa Sidney
This artifact is really important to our family because my great-grandpa actually saved the lives of many Jews. My great-grandpa never wanted to talk about what he saw there as it was to sad.
In 1945 my great-grandpa Sidney was given the Purple Heart for the wounds he received during the war when he was one of the troops that liberated the Jews from one of the concentration camps. The name of the camp he liberated was Birkenau.
World War II Medals
United States
Israel G, grandfather
This artifact contains all the medals won during World War II by my great-uncle. I am proud of both my grandfather and great-uncle who both fought in the War. My great-uncle was awarded the third highest medal for bravery. This artifact is important as it shows me how important it is to defend your country against evil.
Because of brave soldiers like my grandfather and great-uncle, we were able to defeat the Nazis in World War II. If we had lost the war, probably all the Jews in Europe would have been killed. It shows us that you have to stand up to evil.
Veteran Amercian Flag
USA
My brother
This American flag was given to my brother after the funeral for my great-grandfather. My great-grandfather was a veteran who had been a soldier during World War II. This box is important to my family because my great-grandfather has now passed away and we have this to remind us about the great soldier and person he was. I respect soldiers very much, especially my great-grandfather. I love sharing this with everyone here, Thank you.
This flag is a representation of American involvement in the war against the German Power. This artifact is significant to Jewish heritage because my great-grandfather was a Jewish-American soldier who helped the Jews attain their freedom.
Encyclopedia Britannica 1926
United States
My family moved into our house because my parents grew up in New City and knew it had a large Jewish community. While doing construction on the house, we found part of a set of old encyclopedias in the attic over the garage. My dad thought it was very interesting and once I got older he was excited to show it to me. I am glad that we were able to find this these books and will be able to pass them down with in our family for future generations. These are articles from the Encyclopedia Britannica published in 1926, 89 years ago. The Encyclopedia defines a Holocaust as a “sacrifice wholly destroyed by fire” often on a “large scale” and defines Israel as the Jewish religious community that binds the Jewish people.
This artifact is significant to Jewish heritage because the articles in it were written before the Holocaust and before Israel was a country so it has different perspective than what we have today. The Holocaust was a time that the Nazis would round up the Jewish people, force them to work, and them kill them. During the Holocaust about 6 million Jews were killed. Before the country of Israel was created, “Israel” was just a concept. Israel today is a small country in the middle east. It is a Jewish state which is a place for all the Jewish people. In Israel, they speak both English and Hebrew.
Autograph Book
Brooklyn, NY
Max W.
This autograph book belonged to my great-grandmother, Anna. It is a memory of her graduation from PS 187 in Brooklyn, NY in 1920. It is a symbol of what the children of immigrants were able to achieve here in the United States in the early 1900s. The book is signed by her father, some of her siblings, her teachers and her sister-graduates who all expressed hope for the future.
My great-grandmother was one of 8 children born to parent who immigrated from Austria at the turn of the century. The children were all born here and my grandmother's graduation autograph book shows the promise of what Jewish immigrants' children could experience in America. Immigrants hoped for better lives for themselves and their families here in the United States including religious freedom.
4 Coins
United States
Grandma Edyie B.
These silver dollars are the first silver dollars earned here in the United States by my great-great-grandparents. They have been handed down from generation to generation. They represent hope and opportunity that was not available in Russia.
Hard work and opportunity in the United States allowed Jewish families to earn money. Families used their earnings to send for relatives in other countries, reuniting families in the United States.
Russian Money
Skidel, Belarus
Prior to World War I & the Russian Revolution my grandfather (my mother's father) and other members of that side of the family came to America from Skidel, Belarus which was then Russian controlled. Although monetarily almost worthless, this tsarist era Russian money brought to NYC through Ellis Island is significant to my family because it represents both a memory of my grandfather and a piece of the history of my family's immigration to America.
This artifact is significant to Jewish heritage because it represents both a time when Jewish life was vibrant & the emmigration of Jews to America before the days of the Shoah. At that time Jews as a whole were doing well in Skidel. They made up the majority of the population & many were economically successful. Even after a number of Jews left prior to WW I & Jewish property was destroyed by the Russians during the war, Jewish prosperity in Soviet controlled Skidel continued well into the 1920's. Many Jews there supported the communists & the mayor was Jewish as well as the majority of the town council. However, during the Shoah the Jewish population was decimated and as few as 5 from the Skidel area survived the genocide.
Coffee/Tea Pot
Austria
Great-great-grandmother
This pot was from Austria where my grandmother's family came from. This was from my great-great-grandmother who used to make tea and boil the water for coffee in this pot. My grandmother inherited it when my great-great-grandmother died. It means a lot to my grandmother because it was something her grandmother used a lot to make hot coffee and it is useful and also pretty.
Many things made in other countries a long time ago were made really good. This tea/coffee pot is very, very, very old and it is still in really good shape. Back a long time ago, there weren't coffee makers. People would have to boil hot water in this pot and then put a tea bag in or pour over coffee grinds. In Austria, this is how coffee was made. The Jewish people living in their neighborhoods would boil hot water in a pot like this and make tea or coffee.
Fish Grinder
Connecticut, USA
Philip T.
This artifact was used by my great-grandma to grind up fish. Her son, my grandfather, was only allowed to grind fish during Passover. He was able to take it apart to clean it and is still able to do it today--75 years later!
This artifact is significant to my Jewish heritage because my grandfather was only allowed to use it during Passover. He used it to grind the fish to make gefilte fish for the seder.
Great-Grandmother's Rolling Pin
Europe
Grandmother Janice W.
This rolling pin was given to me by my grandmother. It belonged to her grandmother who would be my great -grandmother. The rolling pin is important to my grandmother because she enjoyed spending time making delicious cakes, cookies and breads with her grandmother.
This rolling pin was used to create wonderful Jewish foods for Shabbat and the holidays. It is an important artifact because it played a part in creating the foods we use in Jewish rituals and continuing our traditions.
Washboard
New Brunswick, NJ
My Grandma Dotty B.
My great-grandma and grandma used the washboard to clean their clothes. Some of their neighbors owned washing machines but they couldn't afford one. Every Sunday morning was laundry day. They would put the washboard in the double sink in the kitchen. One side was shallow and the other side was deep. The washboard fit perfectly in it. They put warm water and soap powder in it. Then they put their clothes on the washboard. Then they rubbed their clothes on the board and then rinsed them. Finally they hung them outside on the line to dry.
This washboard definitely qualifies as a Jewish artifact. Please note the "5-10" inscribed on both the front and the back. It appears to be directly referring to the Bible. Judges 5-10 states “Ye that sit on donkeys, ye that sit on rich clothes”. Obviously this is a reference to needing the washboard to clean your clothes after riding on a donkey all day.
Also, Second Kings 5-10 clearly states “Go and wash in the Jordan River … and thou shalt be clean”, once again a reference to the cleansing properties of the washboard.
Of course there would be no water in the Jordan if not for Job 5-10 which states “Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth water upon the fields”. This not only refers to the water needed to use the washboard in the Jordan River, but shows that G-d is in fact quite involved with creating the water for the entire washboard process.
Grandmother's Jewish Star
Austria
Grandmother
This Jewish star is the only thing that we have from my Grandmother's life in Austria. The artifact was worn prior to World War 11. Austria was under Nazi control. Jews were being imprisoned and abused daily. This was just for being a Jew. My Grandmother was not allowed to go to school for one year.
The Jewish star was given to my Grandmother by her brother, Sigmond, when she left for England so she would not forget him. Sigmond and the rest of my Grandmother's family did not survive the war. The photo was taken a few days after she got to England. She looks happy but she was miserable. She was 7 years old.
Silver Cigarette Case
Germany
Lilli H., Great-grandmother
My great-great-grandmother in Germany originally owned the cigarette case. It was passed down to my great-grandmother when her mother died. My great-grandmother was 16 when her mother had died and it was given it to her. When my great-grandmother was 23, she came to America to avoid the Nazi's during World War II. This cigarette case was one of the only things my great grandmother smuggled into her bag when she came to America.
This cigarette case was engraved and designed in Germany in 1937. On the inside it says in German "Zur Erinnerung an Dieburg". It is made out of sterling silver, which is now a bit tarnished. It was very valuable and one of the few things brought here from Germany by my great-grandmother. This is the only belonging still owned by my family that was from before the Holocaust.
Winning Trophy
Staten Island, New York
My Dad
This trophy was given to me by my dad. He received it after winning an all star baseball game. He was the winning catcher for his team. He played for a Jewish organization that year. Their team was the only Jewish team to qualify and then win. He was so proud and excited.
This trophy is significant because it proves that Jewish kids can succeed at sports if they try and work very hard. It is so great my dad was able to participate in this baseball tournament. Years ago Jewish boys in Germany were not able to play any sport. Both my dad and I have so many more opportunities as Jews today.
Pocket Watch
New York City
Corey Z. - Uncle
The watch was given to my maternal great-grandfather as a gift for his Bar Mitzvah. It is gold and engraved with his initials and the date on the back. As an adult, my great-grandfather wore the watch attached to his coat everyday to work. My grandma said she remembers how he would wind it each morning before he left the house. Although it is not worn anymore, it is a treasured gift and the oldest heirloom in my family.
The pocket watch is significant to my Jewish heritage because it was given to my great-grandfather by his father when he became a Bar Mitzvah. Giving gifts upon reaching this milestone is common practice for Jews. My great-grandfather, in turn, gave the watch to my uncle on the day of his Bar Mitzvah. My uncle says he will give the watch to his son on his Bar Mitzvah. The watch has become a symbol of religious tradition in my family.