Documents & Photos
Documents and Photographs from Our Past
By Jacqueline A.
In this section of artifacts you will find old documents, important papers and photographs of special people from our past. Each document and photograph has its own amazing and wonderful story behind them. They are important to the person who owns them because they have precious memories and interesting stories behind them. Artifacts in this gallery include passports from foreign countries, wedding photographs, immigration certificates, a special plaque, personal letters and a book about the KGB. We have learned a lot about our family history from these documents that belonged to our ancestors.
Photograph
China
Tzeporah Franco
This picture shows my great grandpa, my great grandma, and my great uncle in a newspaper article. They were in China on a business trip, right before World War II. While they were on the trip, the Japanese took over parts of China. My grandpa's family wasn't allowed to leave. They were Japanese war prisoners. My grandpa was born while they were stuck there. A few years later, thankfully, they became part of a war prisoner trade and were able to return to America. My great grandma wasn't allowed to leave because she was from Turkey, and her papers weren't good, so my great grandfather decided to stay with her.
A couple of years later, my great uncle and his cousin went to see the baseball scores in the newspaper. They found "The Daily Mirror" with the picture of his parents and a brother he didn't know and a caption saying, "They will be returning from China to America shortly."
Photograph
San Diego, CA
Taly R.
This is a photograph of my grandfather, Zvi Arje, when he training in San Diego. He came from Germany, and moved to New York.
He got drafted into the army during the Vietnam War and was sent to San Diego for basic training.
My Grandfather was one of the many Jewish soldiers who served in the US Army.
Refugee Travel Document
United States Of America
My Dad, David K.
The Refugee Travel Document was given to my dad when he entered the United States.
Daoud Khdideh left Syria because his family knew that in the future it would not be safe for them to live there.
This document is given to a person before he gets his citizenship.
Book
Poland
Maurice Shainberg
This book is called "Breaking From The KGB."
My great grandpa, Maurice S. wrote this book during the Holocaust, and it's about his experiences in Poland during the Holocaust. It was published in 1986.
This book is significant to Jewish history because it's evidence that the Holocaust really happened. It is also special because everyone in my family read it and saw how bad the Holocaust was.
Passport From Syria
Syria
Mayer S.
This is my dad's passport. He used it to come out of Syria because it was very hard for the Jews to get a passport. He left by airplane when the President let them leave. It was a little difficult for them to leave because after the president let a lot people leave he stopped letting people go.The president told him that he couldn’t take any of his belongings with him. He came with family when he left Syria .
This artifact is so significant to Jewish Heritage because it says "Jews" in the passport.This is way they used to recognize the Jewish people. They wrote on their passport "Mousawi" (Jewish.)
Certificate
Halafax
Carol Aboudi
If Bertha Taub hadn't left Hungary for Ellis Island many things would be different. My family would probably not have as much religious freedom. My grandparents would not have met each other. Because she was able to get away our whole family is here.
My great grandmother and her family escaped the Holocaust. If they hadn't our whole family probably wouldn't be here today. My great-grandmother left Hungary right before the Holocaust and got away from Hitler. When they got to America, they were able to practice the Jewish religion.
Note from Grandpa Howie
Korea
Nancy S.
My grandfather, Howard Nussbaum, received this card from the army and sent it to his family on Rosh Hashana when he was in the Korean War. He wrote a very nice letter in it and sent it to his family back in the U.S. My mom kept it because it is part of our family's history.
It has a drawing of a Jewish star on a scroll on the card. This is part of the way the US Army remembered the Jewish holidays overseas. The Korean War has a very important role in Korea's history and the United States of America.
Photographs
United States
Charlottte Cohen
These pictures are important to my family because they are of both my great grandparents at their weddings. My grandmother keeps them on her vanity and looks at them everyday to remind her of them and their accomplishments. My great grandfather built Shaare Zion, where most weddings are held today.
It's important for me to see that so many years ago my family was religious. They had the same wedding customs we have now.
Letter
Poland
Dr. Jeffrey E.
This artifact is significant to my family because my grandpa was in World War II and he sent a letter for help. He was trying to get to America and be safe from the Nazis. The Nazis were killing monsters. They were led by a man named Adolf Hitler. Hitler was a very bad person who would not stop until all the Jews were wiped out.
This artifact is very special to Jewish heritage because six million Jewish people died during the Holocaust. If someone was to read this letter it would be proof that the Holocaust really did exist. Some people say that the Nazis didn't harm the Jewish people.
Certificate of Naturalization
Macon, Georgia
Grandma Linda Rosenberg
My great great grandpa became a citizen in 1927. He had come from Syria and was finally becoming a citizen. The family kept this certificate and passed it down because he was the reason we are here today.
The significance of my artifact to Jewish Heritage is that it is my great great grandfather's naturalization certificate. He received it when he became an American citizen.
Letter from Frames Tours Ltd.
England
Nurit A.
This letter was sent to my great-grandfather, Reuben Joseph, asking for confirmation of his trip to the US on the S.S. “American Shipper”. This artifact is significant to my family because when my great-grandfather moved to the U.S. he met my great-grandmother.
This artifact is significant to Jewish heritage because many Jews moved to America and it shows a little of what that was like.
Plaque for the first mikveh in Deal
New Jersey
Grandpa Abe S.
This artifact is a plaque for the first mikveh in Deal area. It is significant to my family because it was donated in honor of my great grandmother who passed away very tragically.
The family wanted to donate to building a mikveh because in 1975 there was a big meeting with all the women in the community about how important it was for every Jewish woman to go to a mikveh. At that meeting, my grandma Sylvia stood up and emphasized how important it was for the purity of every Jewish home.
Certificate of Arrival
Ellis Island
Edmond Erani
This artifact is a certificate that was given to my great great grandfather, Nissim Isaac when he came from Israel to America.
He first traveled from Iraq to Israel to make an aliyah but because of the War of Independence broke out in Israel, he left to America on the S.S. "Nieuw Amsterdam" from Tel-Aviv to Ellis Island.
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