Mystery of Artifacts
Mystery of Artifacts Around the House
by Lauren Ashkenazi
All of the artifacts in this section are items you would find as decorations or objects used around the house. Each artifact has a different historical background. They are all important to the owners because each artifact carries a different memory with them. This gallery includes artwork, a lamp, a tea cup, bowls, plates, a jewelry box, kitchen utensils like a mortar and pestle and a pastry tool. We learned about some of our ancestors’ hobbies from the harmonica used to play music, and a smoking pipe.
When you think about it these artifacts are much older than we are, and even older than our parents. All these objects are very different but, they have one thing in common. All of these artifacts are more than two generations old!
Akedat Yitchak Plate
Syria
Jack T.
My grandfather Joseph bought this artifact from Syria. It is a silver plate that shows the biblical story of Akedat Yitzchak. The artifact was handcrafted by A. Zalta. It shows Akedat Yitzchak, the story of Yitzchak Avinu, when he was taken to be a sacrifice to God- Avraham’s 10th test. At the bottom left it shows the ram stuck in the bushes which was to be the real sacrifice. At the bottom right, it shows Avraham’s other son Yishmael, with his donkey. On top it shows the angel that calls Avraham’s name. The words around the plate is the pasuk describing the event. This artifact is very special to my family because this is something special they brought from Syria. On the back of the plate it has a hinge so that the plate can be hung on a wall.
The Jewish significance of my artifact is it has the biblical event of Akedat Yitzchak carved into it.
Hand Stitched Quilt
Beverly Hills
Jason S.
During the 1980's people had a lot of time on their hands. There was no phones or distractions. My Great Grandma was pristine at knitting garments. She spent a lot of her time in her little house in Beverly Hills listening to music, watching the news, and doing what she loved, knitting. She made our family a special blanket to compliment their new house here in New Jersey. The blanket has 40 different types of intricate weaves on each side (counting 80 in total.) Each string of yarn is high quality and real wool. The yarns are dyed pink, blue, peach, purple, and lavender.
My great grandmother passed it down to my grandparents, and my father inherited it when my grandparents moved to Israel.
Smoking Pipe
Syria
Fortune G.
This artifact belonged to my Great-Great Grandfather. In the time that my grandfather lived, there were no TVs, radios, or phones for entertainment. Instead, people would get together with a group of friends, sit around a table and talk and pass around the pipe. It was pipe in which spices and different flavors were added. My grandfather brought it over to Venezuela, and when he died it was given to my Great Grandmother, who gave it to me.
This pipe was passed around the table when my grandfather and his friends got together. This smoking pipe is an important artifact because Jews usually got together on Shabbat or holidays, and this pipe is a reminder to always keep our faith, and to enjoy holidays with family.
Hotpoint Oven and Stove Top
Made in America, bought in Mexico
Adela C.
My great grandmother Matilde bought this stove top and oven when she was married c.1930. When she passed away, my grandmother wanted this artifact, so she took it to get repaired. Now she has this stove top and oven in her kitchen today as a memory of her mother.
The Jewish significance of the stove top and oven my grandmother keeps in her kitchen is that with that artifact from her mother, my great grandmother fulfilled the custom of cooking for Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest and the Jewish holidays. She also sent food to Israel, the Jewish state, to help them during World War II.
Mortar and Pestle
Syria
Francine S.
This mortar and pestle was given to my grandfather by his mother. When my great grandmother came from Syria, she brought it with her. She waited until my grandfather got married, and then she gave it to him because he was the oldest of all his siblings. My great grandmother used it to make all different kinds of Syrian foods. She used it to smash garlic and spices to season the food. A mortar and pestle was used in the old times like a modern blender or food processor, and isn't used so much today.
This mortar and pestle was used to make traditional Syrian food, and was used to make food for Jewish holidays and for Shabbat. Back then some people also used it to make foods to sell and make money for their families. They gave some of the money to charity for the poor people, to do hesed.
Harmonica
China; purchased in New York
Steven N.
The significance of this artifact to my family is that my great grandpa was a very special person. He played his harmonica because he wanted more love and laughter in the world. He grew up in a very hard time period and he brought joy to the world. Everyone can learn a lot from him.
The significance of my artifact to my Jewish heritage is that when my grandpa was very young, his father took him and his siblings in a wagon to find people who wanted to learn Torah. They would teach the people and my grandpa would play the harmonica for them. When he got older, he was known for being very funny. He would go up to random people and do tricks on them and play the harmonica for them. Once he got older and wasn't able to walk, people would drive him to wherever he wanted to go. In the car, he would do tricks and play the harmonica as well. When people remember my great grandpa, the first things that come to mind about him were that his father started the first Yeshiva in Brooklyn, his mitzvot, how funny he was, and his harmonica.
Porcelain figurine
Spain
Margaret A.
My great grandmother Margaret got the porcelain figure as a gift from my Great Grandfather Jonah in Europe. The artifact was handmade in Spain by a company called "LLADRO". Before my great grandmother passed away she gave 4 porcelain figurines to my aunt. She told my aunt "When I pass away give this figurine to Margaret." My aunt liked my mother's better than hers, but she didn't want to go against my great grandma, so she just told my mom to pick out hers and my mom's. My mom picked the one my grandmother picked out for her. This artifact is very important to my mom because my great grandmother hand picked it out for her. This figurine is worth over $1,000.
My artifact connects me with generations of my family before me.
Shell Jewelry Box
Old Orchard Beach Maine
My Grandmother, Rose R.
My great grandmother gave it to my grandmother, Rose R, and then she gave it to my mom, Lily R. That's how my mom got it. My great grandmother bought it while she was in Maine. Every summer she used to work in a store that sold shell jewelry boxes and that's where she got it.
My mom used to put her Jewish jewelry in the box. Some examples are Jewish stars and Jewish necklaces.
Backgammon Set (Toleh)
Aleppo, Syria (Ottoman Empire)
Grandfather Shlomo D.
This backgammon set was taken from Syria, by my great great grandfather Selim. It belonged to his father, Yeshia. It is handmade with mother of pearl and it is one of the few items he was able to bring with him. My great great grandfather was a scholar and he ran the Jewish Press of his time. He had many books and when he took a time out from his studies, his favorite activity was to play Toleh (backgammon) with his family. The set was passed down all the way to my Grandfather, Dennis S, and sits in his house today.
The significance of this artifact to Jewish history was that this toleh set belonged to Rabbi Yeshia. Members of the family were the heads of the Bet Din in Aleppo for hundreds of years, dating back to before the Inquisition. Rabbi Yeshia was the last Dayan to head the Bet Din in Aleppo.
Silver bowl and plate
Phillipines
Naomi B.
My great grandfather bought this artifact from the Phillippines and gave it as a present to my great grandmother. My great grandmother passed it down to my aunts and my mother in New Jersey.
This artifact is normally used on Shabbat. It is used to serve toppings for your food like: olives, tehinah, humus and more. We still use it on the table to this very day.
Squirrel
Iran
Ilana S.
This stuffed squirrel was a gift to my mother from her grandmother. She gave it to her when she left Iran. This artifact may not reveal its importance on its own, but along with it comes the story of my mother leaving Iran.
This artifact connects to my Jewish heritage because if my relatives weren't Jews they would not have had to leave Iran. They had to leave Iran because the Shah got overthrown by Ayatollah Khomeini who was an Islamic fundamentalist religious leader and he didn’t like the Jews much.
Turkish Coffee Cup
Turkey
Esther S.
My great great grandmother bought this cup in 1905 and drank from it everyday. When she got old she gave it to my great grandmother Esther, who then gave the cup to my grandmother Pamela. Grandma Pamela then passed it down to my mom for this project.
My great grandmother used to drink from this cup every morning; she would drink it slowly and savor the flavor. The coffee cup was made out of porcelain and copper. She drank from it every Shabbat.
Mortar and Pestle
Lebanon
Great Aunt Vivian C.
Years ago, in Lebanon, there was no garlic presser like the modern equipment that we have today. This mortar and pestle served to crush garlic.
This artifact reminded Vivian of her Friday nights in Lebanon. Vivian used this mortar and pestle to crush garlic when she cooked Friday night dinner with her mom. She was 12 years old when she first used this garlic presser on Friday night. She crushed the spices for food.
Anoon
Egypt
Grandma Rachel A.
The artifact that I am bringing in is a musical instrument that my great grandpa, Joseph C. played. The instrument that he played was a string instrument called an anoon. He was in the first Syrian band. He was also about to get really famous by going on T.V. show.
The instrument was used in the first Syrian band.
Encyclopedia
Chicago, Illinois
My Grandmother
In 1986 my grandmother felt that her family could benefit from a set of World Book encyclopedias. They would help them with their schoolwork and research papers. My grandmother knew they would come in handy. My grandmother decided to sell encyclopedias and thereby help with the finances of a growing family.
These books represented my grandmother's love of education and literature. My grandmother inherited this from her parents who always strongly stressed the importance of our strong Jewish faith and a solid education. All the members of my mother's family attended colleges and have important careers.
Sewing machine
America
Marilyn C.
This sewing machine was passed down to my Grandma Marilyn and my Grandma Marilyn gave it to my mom. My Great Grandma Mollie used it to make aprons and clothes using this machine. This sewing machine is very special to my family because it belonged to my Grandma Mollie who taught my Grandma Marilyn how to sew.
This sewing machine was used to make clothes and aprons. Making clothes and aprons was my Great Grandma Mollie's favorite hobby. This sewing machine was handcrafted just for her. The sewing machine is very special to my family.
Wired Graphic Design
New York
Alan S.
This artifact was created by my grandfather, Joseph A.S. This was an original prototype of the many other larger pieces which hang in the houses of many our immediate family members. It is made of copper wires on velvet with nailheads. My grandfather was a very creative and inventive individual and was an electrical engineer before he went into the real estate business. This piece of art that my grandfather made shows the potential of man and his ability to create inspiring things that you wouldn't see everyday.
This graphic design is an example of the Sephardic tradition to connect and inspire those around him to develop one’s intellect to their capacity from all sources of knowledge. The artifact shows the thought of a Syrian Jew in older days, and how Sephardic Jews had an urge to inspire and have an impact on the world, and the Jewish nation.
Pastry Decorator Tool
Panama
My Grandmother, Tita
This tool was used by my Great Great Grandmother, Nana. She used this tool to decorate her food for her family and friends. It also has ties to my family's tradition of chesed and love for making people happy.
This tool shows the endless chesed my family did. She her friends and family made the best looking food possible. She didn't only make her food delicious but it also looked very nice.
Tea cup
Russia
Walter Z.
This tea cup was given to my grandfather, Walter Z, by his father before he went on vacation to the mountains. It is very dear to him, since it is one of the only memories he has of his parents.
The owner of the cup is my grandfather, who is a very strong and courageous man.
He was determined to leave the Soviet Union and come to America to give his family a better future.
The Russian community had a lot of antisemitism. Jews were not allowed to practice religion. This artifact is one of our family's few belongings that survived the Holocaust and communist Russia.
Pillow case
Israel
Grandmother Rachel A.
My artifact is a pillow case made by my great great grandmother, Rachel. She would ask my grandmother, Yaffa to draw pictures of flowers when she was 10 years old. Then my great great grandmother would embroider it on to a pillow case or table cloth. My great great grandmother was blind in one eye, but always did it perfectly.
This is significant to my family because it was passed down from one generation to another. It was originally my great great grandmother's, then passed down to my great grandmother and then to my grandmother. We hope to continue this on.
Lamp
Damascus, Syria
Natan A.
Subhi A. is my grandfather and he made this chandelier/lamp by hand while he was in Syria.
It was a rare piece for Jewish people to find in Syria. It's also a piece that can't be made anymore.
Mortar and Pestle
Aleppo, Syria
Grandmother Ginger K.
My great-great-grandmother, Zekieh D, escaped Syria in the early 1900’s without many possessions. However, she managed to sneak with her a 15 pound solid brass mortar and pestle. She used this to prepare most of the meals for her family. She then passed it on to my great-grandmother, Fortune J, who recently gave it to my grandmother, Ginger K.
Back then, in Syria, many Jews were not treated respectfully. They did not have so many ways to make food. This mortar and pestle was the only way for my great-great-grandmother to make kosher food for her and her family.
Porcelain Milk Boy
Bulgaria
Lina M.
During the Holocaust my grandmother went to live with her non-Jewish neighbor, because the Nazis were going to kill her and her mother. She hid in their basement, and would clean the milk bottles. When she left Bulgaria her neighbors gave her this porcelain milk boy.
This porcelain milk boy is a memory that represents how my grandmother survived the Holocaust. The Holocaust was a very dangerous times for Jews in Europe.