Mesorah
Mezuzah and Siddur
Germany
Kayla S brought this mezuzah and siddur for the 2016 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This mezuzah and this siddur once belonged to
Aron Schnur, the paternal great grandfather of Kayla S. Kayla S’s great grandfather Aron was given this mezuzah by his parents as he was leaving for Germany to protect him and to keep as a symbol of his Judaism. Kayla’s paternal great grandmother, Regina
S, gave this mezuzah to Kayla’s grandmother, Madeline S, after Aron passed away as a keepsake. She would always tell her the story that Aron wore this mezuzah through World War II. In addition, this siddur was also given to Kayla S’s paternal great grand-father Aron to keep him safe. When he was shot in the leg, he believed
the mezuzah protected him and allowed him to walk again. This shows Kayla that her great grandfather believed in Hashem for his protection, and Kayla’s takes this lesson to heart.
The S and S families
cherish this story.
Tefillin and Kippah
Poland
Jonny L brought this kippah and tefillin for the 2016 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This tefillin and kippah once belonged to Jonny L's paternal great-great grandfather.
Jonny L's great-great grandfather originally used this tefillin in Galicia, Poland circa 1850. He got the tefillin on his bar mitzvah in Poland. Jonny L's great-great grandfather brought the tefillin and kippah to America in the early 1900s, and it has been passed down all the way to Jonny. The tefillin was passed down from Moshe S to Israel S to Jonny’s dad Doni L and finally to Jonny.
This is a special object in the L family.
Tefillin
Israel
Sam F. brought this tefillin for the 2016 Moriah School Heritage fair. This pair of tefillin once belonged to Shlomi F. the paternal great grandfather of Sam F. Shlomi F. bought these tefillin in Israel, in circa 1950. Shlomi bought this new pair of tefillin, as a symbol of a new life after World War II.
His old pair of Tefillin was taken and torn by a brutal German officer in the Holocaust.
Sam and his family will cherish this object and the story behind it for many years to come.
Besamim Box
United States
Kyle D brought this besamim box for the 2016 Moriah Heritage Fair. Kyle D's great grandfather, Norman, who is thankfully ninety six years old, used this besamim box every Saturday night when Shabbat would come to an end. He knew that Kyle D's mother would appreciate having it in her home. This besamim box means a lot to Kyle D because Kyle loves his great grandfather and his commitment to the mitzvot.
Kyle and his family will cherish this object for many years to come.
Tefillin
Israel
Jared M brought this tefillin and ID for the 2016 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This set of tefillin has a special story. This tefillin once belong to Zalman Eizikowitz, the maternal great-grandfather of Jared M. This was given to him circa 1945 after World War II when he was in the Displaced Person (DP) camp in Italy. These were not his normal tefillin.
He was lucky enough to have a second pair. It was his travel tefillin that he used when he traveled. The Eizikovitz family has kept this because it’s the only item that is left from Zalman.
Jared and his family will continue to cherish these tefillin.
Tallis Bag
Hungary
Sammy B brought this tallis bag for the 2016 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This tallis bag has a special story. This tallis bag once belonged to Samuel B, the paternal great grandfather of Sammy B. This tallis bag originally came from Hungary in 1904. Samuel B got it for his bar mitzvah. The tallis bag is significant to the B family because it is rare to have this type of heirloom survive this many years. Samuel B moved to the States sometime before his bar mitzvah. This object is not used anymore because the B family doesn’t want it to fall apart. This is the person Sammy is named after.
This is a special object in the B family.
Talit Clips
United States
Sophia K. brought these talit clips for the 2016 Moriah School Heritage Fair. These
talit clips once belonged to Simon Want, the maternal grandfather of Daniel K.
They are a family heirloom and are not used for fear of them getting lost or broken.
Simon Want was born in 1910 in Dokshiter, Russia. He needed to leave Dokshiter
with his family because of the pogroms. It was very dangerous to live there. He
came to the United States and lived in the Lower East Side of New York City. After
he got married, he moved to Brooklyn. He was the main person who raised money
to expand his shul by buying a new building in 1960. He wore these talit clips while
working hard to build a larger shul with a mikvah for his community in Bedford Bay,
Brooklyn. Unfortunately, it's unclear where the talit clips came from. They either
were brought over from Russia, were bought in the Lower East Side of Manhattan,
or were received as a wedding gift. This shul still stands proudly today. His name
is engraved into the cornerstone of the building. A year after he died in 1976, the
building was dedicated in his honor for all of his devotion to the shul and his
community. The talit clips are very meaningful to Sophia since they are a symbol of hard work and determination. Sophia and her family will cherish these clips.
Sophia and her family will cherish these clips.
A Pair of Tefillin
Poland
Max P brought this tefillin set for the 2016 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This tefillin set has a very special story. It is from Poland and it is at least one hundred years old. It belonged to Max P’s great grandfather. His dad gave it to him. Max P’s great grandfather brought the tefillin from Europe to America. He also brought other things like candlesticks. Today Max’s father, Jonathan, is the owner
of these tefillin. These tefillin are not used today as they are too priceless and fragile.
The object means so much to Max P because he thinks that one day he will get it and
eventually pass it down again.
Kiddush Cup
Germany
Kayla A brought this kiddush cup for the 2016 Moriah School Heritage Fair.This kiddush cup has a special story. This sterling silver cup once belonged Kayla A's maternal great-great-great grandfather, Aaron Bronner. He purchased it in Germany so that he could give it to Kayla A’s maternal great-great grandmother, Nani Bronner. Nani Bronner gave the cup to her daughter, Henny Simon, Kayla A's great grandmother. She sewed it into her coat
pocket to make sure it wouldn’t get lost. The reason she took it with her was to
have something of value to sell if she ever needed money in America. She did not
end up needing to sell it and it has been passed down from generation to generation in Kayla A’s family.
This is a special object in the A family
that is used each Pesach at the family seder.
Kiddush Cup
Israel
Riva A brought this Kiddush cup for the 2016 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This kiddush cup once belonged to William Katz, the paternal great grandfather of Riva A. The cup was originally from Jerusalem, Israel.
It was bought by Riva A’s grandmother Evelyn A. Evelyn purchased it from the Bier Silversmiths on her first trip to Israel. This was only 10 years after the silversmiths opened in 1950. She then gave it to her father as a gift when she got back home in the United States.
This cup is very important to Riva A and her family.
Chai Golden Necklace
United States Of America
Jack Nathanson
Jarrett L. brought this golden necklace for the 2016 Moriah School Heritige Fair. This Golden Necklace has a special story. This golden necklace once belonged to Jack N., the maternal great grandfather of Jarrett L. Jarrett L.’s great grandfather had been given the Golden Necklace in the late 1950’s in Rockland County, NY by a friend of his who was a jeweler. It has the word Chai on it which means life. Jarrett L. and his family have kept this item
because it was very important to him and Jarrett wants to keep this item
so he can keep his memory alive. Jarrett has also been named after him.
Jarrett’s maternal great grandfather had several heart attacks and strokes, and he believed it had protected him so he never took it off.
This item is was very important to Jack and now it is very important to Jarrett.
Besamim
Israel
Albert B braught his besamim for the 2016 Moriah School Heritage Fair. Albert B’s besamim holder has an interesting story and is very important to his family. It belonged to Albert’s grandfather who he is named after.
Grandfather Albert purchased this besamim holder when he moved to Israel from Egypt in 1966. He has used this besamim holder during each havdalah prayer since the day he purchased it. It even came with him when he moved to the United States in 1975. Albert’s grandfather gave it to his father when he got married to Albert’s mother.
Each time the B family uses it, they remember him.
Kiddush Cup
Iraq
Mikael B brought this kiddush cup to the 2016 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This kiddush cup has a special story. The kiddush cup is from Iraq. Mikael B great-great grandparents, great grandparents, and grandparents and extended family were married with the kiddush cup. Mikael B uncle handmade the kiddush cup out of silver. When Mikael B gets married, he will use the kiddush cup under the chuppah.
Mikael and his family will cherish this
object for many years to come.
Charity Box
Poland
Lily W brought this Tzedakah Box to the 2016 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This Tzedakah Box onced belonged to Lily W’s maternal great-great grandmother. It is significant to the W family as it survived World War II. Also, it was an object that was passed on from many generations. It was originally bought as a wedding gift for Lily’s great-great grandmother and grandfather. The object is now displayed in the W household.
The W keep it there as a symbol of the survival of their family and how they can overcome anything.
Kiddush Cup
Russia
Judah V brought in this kiddush cup for the 2016 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This antique, Russian Niello sterling
silver kiddush cup was given to Judah V‘s paternal great-great grandfather for his bar mitzvah. The approximate date it was given to him was 1870. He got it in a small village called Vinitza, Lithuania. Gavriel Avraham passed it to Judah’s grandfather for his bar mitzvah in Tashkent. When Judah’s father with his sister Tanya, and his parents Miriam and Joseph left Tashkent in 1998 as refugees to America, they sadly had to leave behind all their belongings. Isaak’s mother, a neurologist, asked a friend and a fellow doctor who was a non-Jewish woman named Lubia to hold on to it with the hope that one day the family would be able to get it back. Judah’s dad went to Russia in 2007 on a business trip. On his last day there Lubia met him at the airport and brought the cup to him. She had saved it for all those years! Judah’s dad was nervous because no one was allowed to take any antiques or anything of value out of the country. He was worried that security would find it in his carry on bag and he’d get arrested. Just that day Isaak decided to buy water guns for his kids as souvenirs in the gift shop. Isaak hid the cup in his undergarments and placed the toy guns on the top. When he went through customs the customs officers asked him a lot of questions and started to search his bag. They stopped when they saw three water guns that looked so real and they grew concerned. The officers asked him what they were, and he explained that they were toys and souvenirs for his three sons back at home. The officers were so amazed Judah’s dad had three sons they started joking with him. They admired him for buying his children presents, and they didn’t check the rest of his bag. Luckily, Isaak had decided to buy those toy guns as he was able to smuggle his family’s kiddush cup back to the United States.
Isaak’s father gave him that cup and now it has a place of honor in the V household.