Everyday Life
The artifacts in this gallery are used by many different people from our great-great grandparents to us today. They range from photographs to objects or clothing that was used every day. All of these artifacts represent different generations\\\' daily lives and show a glimpse into the Jewish communities of those time periods.
Photo of my Great-Grandmother's Family
Ukraine
Irene (My Grandmother)
My great-grandmother owned it and she kept it all her life and it was passed down to my grandmother. The people in the photo are my great-grandmother, her little sister, little brother, mother and father. My great-grandmother is the one in the middle.
They were killed in Novgorod-Seversk (present-day Ukraine) in 1941. They were shot when the Nazis invaded their city and lined the Jews up in the town square. My great-great grandfather survived because he was drafted into the Army as a hairdresser and my great-grandmother survived because she was in college.
This photo is significant because it is the only photo we have of them and it makes you remember all of the people who were killed and that we didn't get to know.
My great-grandmother kept this artifact her whole life and showed it to my grandmother every year on November 7th, the date her family had been killed.
Mortar & Pestle
Probably Russia
Ann (My Mom)
My mom's great grandma Bessie originally owned this. She was born in Russia and immigrated to Philadelphia in the early 1900s. She brought the mortar & pestle with her, and later gave it to her daughter, who gave it to her grand daughter (my mom)!
This mortar & pestle makes me feel connected to my family and ancestors and reminds me that my family and our traditions have been around for a very, very long time.
Life for Jews in Russia in the late 1800s was, well, long story short, it was not a desirable life. It was common for Russian Jews to flock to America. They felt comfortable doing this, knowing German Jews had done the same and became very successful citizens. The German Jews helped them settle into America, but didn't always welcome them into their cities, and the Russian Jews found themselves in tenements.
Clock
Switzerland
My Grandma
My grandfather's family brought it over from Europe after World War II. It was passed on generation to generation.
It has a lot of sentimental value to my family. We are reminded everyday of how many family members it has touched and how many family members it will continue to touch.
A Photograph
Baltimore, MD
Edythe (My Grandma)
This picture was originally owned by my grandma's family. She made a copy and gave it to us. The photo was taken in front of my grandma's family's store in Baltimore.
It makes me feel happy to look at the picture because my grandma grew up in a poor family but was able to build a great life for herself and her family.
The significance of the artifact is that it has some of my very old relatives. It was taken not long after the end of World War II. During the war, many people were kept in refugee camps. My grandma was born in a refugee camp in Italy. There were many refugees from Eastern Europe, and they tried to build new lives for their families.
Family Picture
Lower East Side, Manhattan
Bonnie (My Grandmother)
This picture originally belonged to my great grandmother Lila and was passed down to Grandma Bonnie.
This photograph is more than 100 years old. It shows my mother's family going back many generations at the turn of the century. Life was very difficult and different for them then. Everyone had to work very hard. They lived in a small apartment on the Lower East Side. My great grandma is the little girl in the photo.
The Lower East Side wasn't very clean and was very crowded. They used blocks of ice instead of refrigerators. Bathrooms were in the hallways.
It would have been interesting to get to know my ancestors in the picture and get to know how my great-great grandma made chicken and noodles.
Plate
Unknown
Richard (My Grandpa)
My great grandpa originally owned it and it has been passed down through generations. It made it through the Holocaust and today it's mine.
The plate tells the story of our family and reminds me of my great grandpa.
Picture of School
Israel
My Mom and Grandma
My great grandparents created schools in Israel. I've personally gotten to visit the schools. This makes me feel proud that members of my family helped society in a kind way. I feel this way because it gives me something to live up to, and sets a goal for me to also do good for society.
I know my family helped create Israel and even though they only did a little to help, the things they did changed people's lives. Since my great grandparents died, I hope that through this I get a better understanding of them, and that one day I can fulfill their legacy.
In 2017, I visited Israel and we visited a high school. We got to tour the school and meet teachers, and it turned out that the principal actually went to the same school that I do!
Mezuzah
Israel
My grandparents
My grandparents have this mezuzah and have moved it from each of their homes.
It is a symbol that shows that we are Jewish.
Documents and Pictures
Ellis Island
Sidney (My Grandpa)
My great grandpa got this document when he went through Ellis Island in 1921, and then he gave the document to my grandpa who has had it every since.
My great grandpa was 20 when the Ukrainian army tried to force him into the army and he knew he would not survive, so he decided to go to America to start a new life.
This is a great reminder of my great grandpa long ago and how hard it was for him to come to this country because he didn't speak any English and had no money or job.
Star of David Necklace
New Jersey
This artifact was made by my Safta. It is significant to me because it reminds me of my Safta, whom I lost at way too early of an age.
Since the necklace is a Star of David, it has a very high degree of significance to our Jewish heritage.
Family Photograph
Israel
My great-uncle, Nachman, is the thirteen-year old boy in this photograph, which was taken on the day of his Bar Mitzvah. My great-grandmother, Batsheva, great-grandfather, Mordechai, and great-aunts Dina, Carmella, and Esther are also in this photograph.
This photograph is meaningful to me because my great-aunt Carmella gave it to me when I met her on my first trip to Israel two years ago. It shows some of my distant family, along with my grandmother, Ruthie (bottom left). My grandmother did not have an easy childhood. Her family was large and very poor. I like to think that they managed to stay happy even though they had very little and faced many challenges in life.
This photograph is important to my Jewish identity because, while my Grandfather's family came mostly from Hungary and Russia, my Grandmother is actually mostly native to Israel. Since this photograph was taken only slightly after Israel became independent, this is an early picture of an Israeli family actually living in Israel. I am proud that this is my family.
I look up to my Grandmother because she is very happy now, even after a difficult life. I try to remember that when I get frustrated.
Lladro Samurai
Unknown
Izi (My Grandfather)
This samurai was left to me by my grandfather Izi. He was a concentration camp survivor from Romania who come to the US via Israel.
I am very proud of my grandfather's story and the statue that he left me!
Silverware
Europe
Doris (Grandma)
My grandma Doris owned this artifact. When I was born, it came to me.
Doris was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia. In 1941, the Germans invaded Czechoslovakia and Jews had to leave the country or were arrested just because they were Jewish. Doris and her parents were able to get on a boat and traveled for 2 years until they were able to make it to the United States.
This artifact is my family's story. I feel that it is very special to me.
The Living Museum is a project of the Education Department of the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust.
The Living Museum is made possible through the generous support of The Covenant Foundation. The statements made and the views
expressed, however, are solely the responsibility of the grantee.