Printing Press
Identification
Poland
Anna Y. brought this identification paper for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This identification paper is 82 years old and is originally from Poland, 1936. It once belonged to Anna Y’s paternal great grandfather, Simon Strasburg. He received this paper before the Holocaust started as every adult in Poland had a requirement to get one. During the Holocaust, when the Nazis invaded his home, he was sent to the Warsaw Ghetto, and the ID was the only thing he had with him. When Simon escaped, he ran away and traveled to America with the ID.
The Y. family cherishes this object.
Correspondence
United States Of America
Kira A. brought these thank you letters for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. These letters are from the U.S army saying thank you to Kira’s maternal great grandfather, Jacob Simony, for his donation of land during World War Two. This land was used as an airfield for the U.S. army troops. Today, that land is used as the Casablanca airport in Morocco. Another letter is asking Kira’s great grandfather for money to aid European refugees in Morocco. The 3rd letter is a thank you letter for his generous donation of 10,000 Dirham. The last letter is a thank you for Kira’s great grandfather’s donation of turkeys on Thanksgiving during a war so the troops could have a feast.
The A. and Simony families cherish this object.
Passport
Poland
Jordana W brought this passport for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair.Jordana W’s great-great grandmother, Beila Weingast’s, passport was originally from Poland. Beila Weingast was born in 1865, and she received the passport from the Polish government in 1923. This passport is very important to Jordana’s family because it was a legal document that allowed her to enter the U.S.A. The reason why Jordana’s great-great grandmother left Poland was because the Jews were attacked during pogroms. Jordana’s family keeps this object as a memory that is fascinating to learn and talk about.
The Gasman, Stifelman, W and Zimmerman families cherish this object.
Certificate of Naturalization
United States
Rachel B brought this Certificate of Naturalization for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This Certificate of Naturalization was issued in Albany, New York on February 21, 1955, and belonged to Rachel B's great grandfather, Nathan B. First, Nathan B survived the Holocaust, and then made his way to a Displaced Persons camp in Barletta, Italy. There, Nathan married Rachel S (to become B), a girl from his home town of Tomashov, Poland, and they had a baby named Israel B. He knew that coming to America would give his child an opportunity to have an education, and the freedom to be a Jewish boy. Nathan had no formal education so his job was to steam clothing. Everyday he would come home and his body would be all red because of the steam. His second job was sorting packages for the US post office. On this certificate, it asks for the “former nationality” which means where Nathan came from. Nathan had stamped out “Poland” and put in “stateless.” This is because he felt the country of Poland betrayed him as a result of the Holocaust. Also, on the certificate, next to Nathan B it says formerly B-owicz. This is because when Nathan came to America, he shortened his last name to make it sound more American.
The B family cherishes this object because it reminds them how privileged they are to be American and to remember that they started as immigrants.
Book
United states
Selah O brought this book for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This book tells the significance of Selah O's paternal great grandmother’s history. The book is called "To Have a Future" because it shows that she always believed that she would have a future despite her past. This book is about Selah’s great grandmother’s childhood and how she met her husband, Selah’s great grandfather. "To Have a Future" helps Selah’s family visualize previous generations with the pictures and information that is shared.
The O family cherishes this object.
Declaration
Russia
Tali A brought these objects which are, a Declaration and an image of the Mount Clinton for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. The Declaration, and image of the ship, Mount Clinton, once belonged to Tali A’s maternal great grandmother Rachel Schiffrowitz. Rachel Schiffrowitz was born in Russia In 1901. When she was about 19 years old there were pogroms in Russia. Rachel knew that Russia was no longer safe, and she had to evacuate immediately. Rachel applied to leave Russia for the next boat ride to the United States of America with a Declaration of Alien document. Unfortunately, she did not board the boat until six months later,in 1921. When she arrived in the United States Of America she married Tali’s great grandfather, and they lived happily in this country.
The A and B families cherish this object.
Document of Identity
Kobe, Japan
David R. brought this document of identity for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This certificate was given to David’s great grandfather in Kobe, Japan when he was on his way to Shanghai, China during the war. It served as his identity while he was on his way to Shanghai until he got his passport back there. He escaped the Nazis in Lithuania and went with men from his yeshiva to Japan. Afterwards, they traveled to Shanghai where they learned during the war in the Shanghai Yeshiva. This document is important because it shows how he survived the Holocaust, and the paths he took to escape the Nazis. It also shows that the Jewish community in Japan was trying to help in whatever ways they could.
The L. and R. families cherish this object.
Certificates of Naturalization
United States
Ariella B brought these Certificates of Naturalization for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. These Certificates of Naturalization belonged to Ariella B’s maternal great grandparents, Jean and David Moldavan. Jean and David Moldavan were born in Poland and both survived the Holocaust. After the war, they came to the United States to start a new life. Ariella B’s maternal great grandparents received these Certificates of Naturalization on May 16, 1955, in Freehold, New Jersey when they became proud citizens. These documents are important to the B, Schwartzman, and Schneider families because they remind them about their family’s history and arrival to the United States.
These documents are important to the B, Schwartzman, and Schneider families because they remind them about their family’s history and arrival to the United States.
Megillat Eivah
Prague
Jaclyn A brought this Megillah for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This Megillah once belonged to Rabbi Yom Tov Lippman Heller. He was put in prison for speaking against Christianity and wrote about his experiences in a Megillah. Rabbi Yom Tov Lippman Heller wrote this Megillah in Yiddish and called it Megillah Eivah. Later on, it got passed down to Jaclyn A’s paternal great grandfather, Haim A. Haim A translated this scroll into English, therefore, all of his descendants can enjoy this special scroll.
The A family cherishes this object.
Book
Poland
Noah B brought the Degel Machaneh Yehudah for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair.
This book was written by Noah B’s great-great grandfather Chaim and his brother. It was originally published 1912, and then again in 1956. This belonged to Noah B’s great grandfather Uri B, who found the book in a little book store in Brooklyn. He looked for and kept this book because it contained stories of 12 generations of his family. Uri had very few family members that survived the Holocaust and searched constantly to find family survivors. He knew of the sefer and tried to get a copy, visiting book stories n the Jewish communities of lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. His only memories of his family, his home, and his realtives ere all locked in his head. When he finally found a copy of the sefer he was overjoyed. The main character is Noah B’s great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Yehudah Tzvi B. He performed miracles for the Jews around him and helped them through tough times. Noah B’s grandfather translated this book in English in 2003 and now gives to every B child that becomes Bar/Bat mitzvah.
The B family cherishes this object.
Book
Morocco
Anna B. brought this song book for the 2018 Moriah School Heritage Fair. This song book belonged to Anna’s great grandfather, Rabbi Yehudah Simchon. This was written by him in a small town called Erfoud, Morocco. This is significant to Anna’s family because the B’s sing these songs every Shabbat and at religious events. Rabbi Yehudah was from twenty six generations of rabbis.
The B, Simchon, Chetrit families cherish this object.
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