Jewish Holidays
Our holidays are very important to us as Jews. They help us to understand many of the major events in Jewish history.
All of our artifacts have a story to tell about how a particular holiday is celebrated. In fact, holiday traditions have often been passed down from generation to generation.
Having such a variety of holidays makes being Jewish fun and meaningful.
Shofar
Romania
Grandfather
This shofar belongs to my family. It was given to my great, great, great grandfather by his father in the early 1800’s. It now belongs to my grandfather. The shofar is a ram’s horn. It was carried to the United States from Romania. During the 1950’s, it was on display at the Museum for Natural Arts in Minnesota.
The shofar has been sounded for many reasons throughout our history. The main reason we sound the shofar now is that G-d instructs to do this in the Torah. “On the first day of the seventh month,” we are to blow the shofar. On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the shofar is a call for us to repent, like a wake-up call.
Haggadah
Published in New York, Purchased in Chicago, IL
My Savta
My great-great-grandma came from Poland to New Orleans when she was 17, in 1915. Later, she moved to Chicago and started her family there. We believe this was the first Haggadah she got that had English translations in it.
We use a Haggadah to tell the story of Exodus and to remind us how much the Jews suffered in Egypt. We use the Haggadah to tell the story during the Passover Seder. A Haggadah with English in it is a perfect example of adapting to a new life in America, while still keeping traditions form the past.
Menorah
United States
We own it
This menorah is very important to our family as it was Sylvia S's, Steve S’s (grandpa's) mother. Steve said Sylvia always said no matter what is happening in life, the menorah was a symbol of hope and family.
Just like the Jews who witnessed the miracle of the oil lasting for 8 days instead of just 1, our family takes time to pause to remember the past and hope and pray for the future of our people here and in Israel. The menorah is a symbol of strength and fragility as the flame represents our people's struggle to survive and prosper.
Haggadah
USA
Father
This haggadah was used by my great grandfather Joseph Bisnow to lead our family seders. After Joseph and my great grandmother Syliva Bisnow passed away, this hagaddah and the rest of the set were passed on to my dad. My dad leads a family seder every year and I've started to help him lead the seders, too. It's interesting to see the notes that Joseph Bisnow made throughout this haggadah. It was published by the Temple of Aaron, a St. Paul synagogue where my family used to belong.
This artifact signifies the importance of passing on the story of Passover from generation to generation.
I am so happy that it was passed down to my family.