Special Items
We have some very interesting items in this gallery.
Some of these are closely connected to individual family histories.
We are delighted to have them in our exhibit.
Social Security Card
New York City, NY
My Gee-Marilyn Smith
This is my great grandmother's social security card. She received it when she arrived in New York City from Eastern Europe. My great grandma immigrated to the US just before the start of WWII.
It is an example of what was received by the thousands of Jews that immigrated to the US from Europe.
All of them were looking for a better life. They succeeded in maintaining their Jewish identity as well as in becoming good Americans.
"Helenka" Bracelet
Hungary
My Grandma-Marilyn Smith
This bracelet was a term of endearment from my great great grandfather to my great grandmother, Helen. My great grandmother brought the bracelet with her from Europe as she traveled to the US to escape Nazi Germany.
It is wonderful to have family heirlooms to remind us of our history. Some Jews, like my family, were able to escape being caught up in the horrors of Europe. They arrived in America ready to begin new lives, free of persecution.
Family Picture
Romania
My grandma
My grandma looked up her father's information when she went to Ellis Island. She found the manifest of all the names of the Jewish families that were coming from Russia to start a new life in the United States. My great grandpa was 11 years old when he arrived to America.
My great grandpa along with so many others came to the USA for a better life. He came on the ship with his mother and sister to meet his father who was already working in the United States. Times were very hard for them. It was the Depression and my great grandpa would tear up when he talked about those times. He worked and studied very hard and became a chemist for John Deere in Iowa. My great grandpa Bernie lived to be 97.
Many Jewish immigrants came through Ellis Island to begin new lives.
Ellis Island represented a new freedom and a new life for many Jews.
Cookbook
Omaha
My mom
It was something that my mom made in Sunday school as a Mother’s Day present to her mom.
Jewish food it is part of every Jewish celebration and holiday. It is important to pass down the recipes.
Necklace
Minneapolis, MN
Sandy Rudoy (My grandmother)
This necklace was given to Polly Tuttleman (my maternal great-great grandmother) as a wedding gift from her husband-to-be, Phillip Krasner (my maternal great-great grandfather). It has been worn by every bride in the family (approximately 20) on her wedding day.
This necklace has been worn under the chuppah by all brides in the Krasner family since the early 1900s. When each bride wore this necklace, she has shown her respect to the generations before her. Jewish weddings are important because they represent the continuity of the Jewish family and, consequently, the Jewish people.
Framed Piece of Lace Tablecloth
Czechoslovakia
My mom
This is a piece of lace tablecloth that my great-great (& probably) great-great-great grandmothers all used for Shabbat dinners and probably the High Holidays.
It started falling apart many years ago and was in a pile of stuff my great uncle Jerry found. He showed it to his wife, Hilary, and told her the story of the tablecloth and his memories. Hilary never met my great grandmother on my mom's side but she wanted to give the women of the family and Jerry something to help us remember. She made one framed piece for my mom, and one for my great aunt, Barbie and her husband, Jerry.
Traditions need to continue to happen as they did long ago.
Shabbat dinner using special and specific things handed down from generation to generation holds so much meaning.
Star of David Necklace
Unknown
Myself
My dad got this for my mom. They weren't married yet. A couple of years ago my mom gave me this necklace. It's really special to me because it was my mom's before. I wear this necklace a lot now.
The Star of David is very important because it's a Jewish symbol. It is also on the Israeli flag. The Star of David comes from King David. It was on his shield.
Samovar
Russia
My Grandma
My Grandmother’s Grandma had the samovar and came over to the United States from Russia. Even though it was very heavy, they brought it with them to the United States. They used it for making tea and they put water in it. There was a teapot where the hole is and that's where they warmed up the water for the tea. It’s been passed down in my family from generation to generation. I hope I can have it in my home someday.
A samovar was part of the culture in Russia. Immigrants tried to retain some of the culture and traditions they left behind while adopting news customs and traditions in America.
Great Grandparents' Photos
Soviet Union (Belarus)/Berlin, Germany
Grandma
These photos are of my Great Grandparents; Isaac Goosakov and Tania Veleshina. I met my Great Grandma Tania but not my Great Grandfather Isaac. They are my Grandma Klara's parents. The larger photos were taken in Belarus, which was part of the Soviet Union in 1940. My Great Grandma Tania was 25 years old and my Great Grandfather was 27 years old in those photos. The small photo of Great Grandpa Isaac was taken in Berlin, Germany.
These photos are significant to our family because my great grandparents were strong Jewish people. In the small photo of my Great Grandpa Isaac, he is sitting in a horse drawn carriage in Berlin, Germany. At this time Jews from Poland, Romania and Germany were in concentration camps and ghettos during the Holocaust. But Great Grandpa Isaac, during that time, was a high official in the Russian army. He was fighting against Germany and the Nazis. Great Grandpa Isaac, found out that his parents were killed by neighbors that hated Jews. Guess what he did. Even though Great Grandpa Isaac had a gun and a body guard, he did not go after those killers. He didn't want to go to jail and was convinced by his body guard to not retaliate against his parents’ killers.
Silver Platter
USA
Mom and dad
My Great-Great-Grandparents (Minnie and Morris Mond) were given this silver platter when they got married in the early 1900s. They raised their three children in Crown Heights, NY. When their oldest granddaughter Karen (My grandmother), got married they gave the platter to her. When my parents got married they were given the platter.
When my Mom and Dad got engaged, my grandparents bought them a sterling silver oil Menorah and Shabbat candle sticks. My grandparents thought it would be a great way for them to start their Jewish life together with these two items. The Shabbat candles are lit every Friday evening before sunset to usher in the Sabbath. We use this silver platter to display the candlesticks as well as the menorah, bringing our generations together.
Silverware
Russia
Grandma
This silverware was my great grandma’s then my grandma’s now it’s ours.
In Judaism, tradition is very important. I am thrilled that we get to use something that belonged to my ancestors to celebrate our holidays and Shabbat.
Wine Decanter
Russia
Grandma Helen
This wine decanter was my great great grandma Rachel’s. She used it on Shabbat and other holidays when her family would get together. It was always filled with wine for these special occasions and placed on the dinner table.
Today, it is sitting on a table in my Grandma Helen's house for everyone to see when they come over.
This artifact is significant to my Jewish heritage because it shows how it is important to say the blessings over the wine on Shabbat and other holidays. I like carrying on the traditions that my ancestors before me practiced.
Family Scrapbook
Book made in Minnesota, Documents from Russia, Lithuania and USA
Lorraine and Sherman G.
In 2005, my mom and aunt made a scrapbook of documents and photographs to tell how the G. family came to America. The book includes narrative stories told by my great grandparents, original immigration and naturalization papers of my great-great grandparents, ketubah and marriage certificate of my great-great grandparents, and photographs of family starting with my great-great-great grandparents.
The book tells the story that is similar to that of many American Jews who came to America from Russia.
They left Russia due to religious persecution and were looking to begin new lives in America.