Mesorah
Betzalel Studio - Etrog Box
Israel
Bea Berger
Harrison "Harry" Betzalel G brought this Etrog Box for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This original Betzalel Studio Etrog Box, which is over 100 years old, was given to Harrison's great-great grandparents, Leopold and Betty Oppenheimer. They received it as a gift from a young man who came from Israel in about 1915. He stayed in their house and acted as a Hebrew tutor to Harrison's great grandma Bella and her brother Herman. The young man’s parents sent the etrog box to Hamburg, Germany which is where Harrison's great-great grandparents lived, as a thank you for hosting their son. Harrison's great-great grandma Betty packed it among a few other belongings that were sent to America in 1939. She was supposed to come and meet Harrison's great grandmother Bella, but she was sent to a ghetto before she could leave Hamburg. She perished by the hands of the Nazis. Harrison's great grandma Bella kept it safe and now Harrison's grandma Bea Berger, is its keeper. The object is used on every Sukkot by Harrison's grandma. The Berger, G, Oppenheimer, and Petrover families cherish this object.
The Berger, G, Oppenheimer, and Petrover families cherish this object.
Bowl
Europe
Asher R. brought this silver bowl for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This item was buried before World War II near the Lazar family’s house in Hungary. This object is important to Asher’s family because when Gabriella Lazar’s uncle dug it up he said that he would stop being Jewish as being Jewish caused him much harm. He was devastated that his mother died due to her religion. Ultimately, he made the decision to remain a Jew. Today the R. family keeps the silver bowl in a special cabinet in their kitchen.
The R. and Lazar families cherish this object.
Magen David
Hungary
Sarah S. brought in this book of zemirot with the yellow Jewish star for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This star belonged to Sarah S's maternal great grandfather, Menashe Rosner. Menashe was given the yellow star in Hungary, during the Holocaust. He was tortured by the Nazis, and had to walk around with the yellow star patched onto his shirt being shamed by the Nazis for being Jewish. He was sent to a concentration camp along with his wife and six children, who unfortunately, all perished. Although he had no family left he decided to push through. After surviving the Holocaust he went back to his Hungarian city and found his wife Sarah, who Sarah S. was named after. Mr. Rosner bought a book of Shabbos zemirot, which later on his sons, Moshe and Yosef Rosner found, and taped the Jewish star into. Today the book of zemirot isn’t used for singing on Friday night, but as a memorial to remember the family’s past, and what the S. and Rosner family had to go through to be a full, complete, happy family. The Rosner and S. families cherish this object.
The Rosner and S. families cherish this object.
Chanukia
israel
Jonathan I brought this Chanukia for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. The Chanukia was received by Jonathan I great grandfather in Israel. He got it as a gift from the police department on his 80th birthday. Jonathan I mother and grandmother use it to remember Jonathan’s great grandparents. The family lights it each year on Chanukah.The Kenan and I families cherish this object.
The Kenan and I families cherish this object.
Torah Scroll
Afganistan
Talia K. brought this piece of a Torah Scroll for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This portion of a Torah scroll once belonged to a gentleman from Englewood, New Jersey, named George Blumenthal. He was strolling through a flea market in Afghanistan in 1978, when he spotted a section of Torah parchment that stopped him in his tracks. He immediately ran over to the booth to inspect it, knowing that it is an obligation to rescue a Torah at any cost. As soon as the merchant realized Blumenthal was Jewish, he rejected his bid, recognising that he could most likely get him to pay a much higher price due to the religious significance of the object. In the end, the scroll was sold for $35 to Blumenthal, which was a hefty sum to pay at that time. This parchment is from Parshat Beshalach, and was gifted to Talia's father in 1998, as a thank you for preparing his son to layn for his Bar Mitzvah. Today it has a permanent home in the K. dining room, where the family admires its beauty and history, and acknowledge how blessed the family is to have received it. It is now safe in the hands of people who appreciate and honor it, while Talia knows that in Afghanistan it would have been deemed worthless and discarded. Talia has no doubt that the K. family will preserve the scroll with the respect it deserves for generations to come.
The K. and Blumenthal families cherishes this object
Seder Plate
Israel
Abby G brought this seder plate for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This seder plate once belonged to Abby’s paternal great grandfather. The seder plate was sent to Abby’s great grandfather, Lois Schin, by his brother Zalman Schwindelman. The brothers had different last names because Abby’s grandfather’s name was changed to Schin when he came to Ellis Island in August 1951. Great-great Uncle Zalman sent this gift to Abby’s great grandparents in March of 1952. The seder plate was made in Israel at the Zionist kibbutz where Abby’s great-great Uncle Zalman lived. This seder plate is significant because it was the first Jewish object Abby’s great grandparents owned after the Holocaust. Abby’s great grandparents were able to celebrate their first seder in the United States using Uncle Zalman’s bronze seder plate. It is interesting to see the shape of Israel pictured on the seder plate. It was drawn larger on this old seder plate than it is drawn on today's map with larger borders. The seder plate is displayed in the G family’s dining room to remind them how much the seder plate meant to Abby’s great grandfather.
The G family cherishes this object.
Torah Scroll
Israel
Daniel A brought this Torah for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. Daniel A brought his grandfather’s Torah. Daniel’s grandfather, Michael Avitan, purchased the Torah from the rabbis in Israel. At the same time, they also gave him a blessing. Daniel’s grandfather bought it before moving the America to start a new life. He got it to protect him.
The A and Avitan families cherish this object.
Tefillin
Poland
Cal C brought this pair of tefillin for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This set of tefillin once belonged to Cal C’s paternal great-great grandfather. He lived in Poland in the late 1800’s. Then, in World War II, he was forced to leave his home and this set of tefillin was one of the only things that he brought with him on his journey. This set of tefillin is significant to Cal C’s family because it is one of the only objects that his family has from him.
The C family cherishes this object.
Ketubah
United States
Aurelia K brought this Ketubah for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This gorgeous Ketubah was from the 1960s in St. Paul, Minnesota. It belonged to Aurelia and Henry Apt, Aurelia K’s great grandparents. Their original Ketubah was lost, so Henry, a Sofer and artist, decided to make a new Ketubah for himself and his wife, Aurelia, written and illustrated by himself. Aurelia’s husband died in the Holocaust as well as Henry’s wife and twins. Henry was kept alive during the Holocaust to make watches for the Germans, because he was so good with his hands. Now, the beautiful Ketubah sits in the K family office as a piece of artwork and a remembrance of how amazing Henry and Aurelia Apt were.
The K family cherishes this object.
Ketubah
Poland
Boaz O brought this Ketubah for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. Boaz’s object is a Ketubah that his family has had for many generations. Boaz’s great grandparents, Rae and Joseph Kushner, had this object with them when they got married. Shockingly, they were married in a forest in Poland during the terrible Holocaust. They lived in the forest for a few years as partisans. Boaz’s family keeps this object in their home as a reminder of the Kushner’s love and strength.
The O and Kushner families cherish this object.
Ketubah
United States
Sabrina W brought this Ketubah for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair.This Ketubah belongs to the W and Stifelman families from their maternal great grandparents. It is originally from the United States of America. Sabrina`s great grandparents were both from Europe and met in night school learning how to speak English.
The W and Stifleman families cherish this object.
Kiddush Cups
Japan
Myles S brought these kiddush cups for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. These kiddush cups belonged to Myles S’s grandfather, Morton Sorkin, who bought them while he was in Japan fighting in the Navy for America in World War II.
The S and Sorkin families cherish this object.
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