Home Sweet Home
By Juliette T, Louis H, Alan D. and Joe Z.
This gallery contains historical artifacts that one may find in a home. All these artifacts are at least two generations old and are precious to the owners because of the memories they hold. Included in this gallery are many different objects, like a camera that was used to capture special moments in life, special teacups and a Turkish coffee pot used in the kitchen, and a bucket used to draw water from a well over 100 years ago. There are objects that were used as hobbies and leisure activities, like a musical instrument and a music book, a hookah and watch tools. These artifacts come from different parts of the world and give us clues as to how our ancestors lived.
Bucket for drawing water
Syria
Sally J.
My great great grandmother, Farida C, used this bucket to draw water from the well. She used to wake up early in the morning and walk to the center of the town and draw water from the well. This was a very difficult but necessary job at the time. She used this water to clean and bathe. This bucket means so much to me because my great grandmother, Sally J, gave me the bucket and she told me this is only item she has left from her mother. She wants us to fill it with flowers every week so that we will never forget about her mother.
This bucket also made it possible for my great great grandmother, Farida C, to cook holiday and Shabbat meals with this water.
Oud
Sisley, Paris
Great Grandpa, David A.T.
This oud is a pear shaped guitar with 10 strings. It is made of wood and mother of pearl. It is significant to my family because my Great Grandpa, David T, bought this musical instrument on his travels many years ago. Since my Great Grandpa got this oud, he has enjoyed singing and playing it.
Having this instrument has kept the spirit of Arabic music in my family for generations.
Hawahn- Mortar and Pestle
Syria
Gloria A.
This Hawahn was lent to me by my Great Grandmother Gloria A. It was given to her by her mother, Fortune B. and it was given to her by her mother, Bolissa A. It was made in Syria in the early 1900s. The women of my family loved to bake and they were well known for their Syrian pastries, such as Baklawa and "Kra'bij." They used the Hawahn to grind the "fistou," (pistachios) for the pastries. My great grandmother told me they also used it to grind the rice for the meat to make "kibbe" balls. Kibbe balls are Syrian meatballs made with chopped meat and ground rice.
Cooking and baking is a very important part of life for a Syrian women. My great grandmother and her mother probably used this Hawahn in their kitchen everyday. They used it to grind meat, rice, nuts, and spices when preparing meals for Shabbat and Jewish holidays.
Framed Music Book
Brooklyn, New York
My Grandpa Dennis M.
The music book was written by my grandpa's mother's Father, Harry B, who wrote it for his son's 25th wedding anniversary. He played it for them and they framed it and gave it to them as a present.
He died five years later in 1937 at the age of 82 so we keep it as a memory of him. It reminds us that he wrote music.
Turkish Coffee Maker
Turkey
Vivian & Alan T.
My great great grandma gave this Turkish coffee maker to my great grandma, Sophie T. in Turkey. It was used to make coffee; not just any coffee, but the best coffee in town. This coffee maker was a pot made of copper. The reason this coffee was so good was because it got its flavor from the pot. It was a very strong coffee served in a small demitasse cups. People drank this coffee every day because it was so good.
My great great grandma came from Turkey, along with many Jews from our community.
Watch tools
made in Germany, used in Cuba
Grandfather Izzy B.
My Great Grandfather, Alberto B, lived in Cuba and owned a jewelry shop. He used the watch tools to fix and make watches. My great grandfather taught my grandfather, Izzy B, how to make watches.
He would sell the watches in his shop.
Hookah
India
Lillian S.
This hookah was given to my great-grandmother, Lillian S. by her father-in-law. This smoking item is important to our family because it is the oldest artifact in our family.
This hookah was used to smoke tobacco. Back then people didn't realize how dangerous smoking was. This was made in India and became popular in North and South America, Asia, Australia and many more countries. The word hookah means water-pipe. This has been around for centuries and is still around today, but the design has changed.
Camera
Chicago, IL
Andre T.
The significance of the camera is that had the essence to capture favorable moments in my family's lives. My grandfather, Andre, bought the Wollensak Super 8 Model 42 camera in 1954 and it has been in our family since. The camera itself has captured happy and memorable moments for my family since 1954.
The significance of this camera to Jewish Heritage was that it used to capture real life images of my ancestors' bat/bar mitzvahs. The pictures that were taken with this camera show scenes of special days in my heritage. I hope in the future the camera will capture more of these moments.
Antique Cash Register
United States of America
Harold C.
My grandfather Harold C's job was to fix cash registers. One day he was dealing with a customer who had a cash register that needed fixing. When they went to get the cash register from his car, there was a second cash register in his car. Upon asking about the second cash register, the man answered that it was an antique cash register. He offered to sell the register to my grandfather for $15 because it was covered with paint and broken. My Grandfather took it anyway. He got it fixed and cleaned but he would not sell it to anyone because by that time it had a lot of sentimental value to him. It was important to him because he had spend a lot of time on it and began to really like it.
Every time company would come to his home, they would always notice the antique cash register.
Turkish Teacups
Made in Japan, brought from Egypt to America
Lottie S.
This artifact is made especially for Turkish coffee which was a special, strong coffee drunk in small cups. They have been in our family for a long time. My great grandpa brought them with him when he came from Egypt to America and all the children in our family have used them for tea parties.
The tea cups were used on Jewish holidays when family came over.
Tea cup
America
Lorraine S.
My artifact belonged to my great grandmother, Rose C, who grew up in Florida, but soon moved to Brooklyn. She had these teacups when she moved, and used them for holidays when guests came over. When it wasn't a holiday, she kepy them on display for decoration.
My great grandmother used these cups for holidays, such as Shavuot, which is one of the three big Jewish holidays. Shavuot is when the Jews received the Torah.
Old Camera
Japan
Elias M.
When my grandfather was in his 30's he decided to buy his first camera. He used it to take pictures of his family. This artifact is significant to me because he handed it down to me and I will keep it .
This camera was used also to take pictures of family events and on holidays. This camera was bought in a Jewish neighborhood.
White Ivory Pipe
Cuba
Maurice D.
My great grandfather, Jack D, got this white ivory pipe in Cuba. There are carvings of grapes on it and it is black on the inside from the tobacco. Smoking was very popular when he was younger.
Jack D. traveled from Poland to Cuba just before the Holocaust. My great grandfather lived in Cuba for several years before he brought this with him to America.