Religious Artifacts
by Shelley M. and Linda G.
In this gallery, you will find many religious artifacts that were used on Jewish holidays and Shabbat. The artifacts that relate to our Jewish traditions are Hebrew books including siddurim, a Pizmon Book, and a Tanach. You will see old megillot, a kippa from Yemen, special shofars, Shabbat candlesticks and even Torah pointers. Something unusual is part of a yellow Jewish star patch that some of our ancestors needed to wear in Europe during the Holocaust. These artifacts are very precious to the owners.
These artifacts were kept by our families for many years. Each artifact represent the religious traditions that continue until today and is a link to the Jewish observance of those in our families who came before us. We researched, interviewed and learned about the story of our past. Our hindsight is 20/20.
Antique Torah Pointers
Italy
My dad
When my grandpa was sick, they had to remove his kidney in order for him to survive. Before the surgery he made a promise to Hashem that if he survives he will devote the rest of his life to read the Torah. He survived the surgery and commenced learning to read the Torah. His first parasha was “va-et chanan” which took him 4 months to learn. People were unsure that he was going to be successful. He persevered, and studied everyday wherever he was. He finally read it in shul and was flawless. During one of his travels overseas he saw a saw a beautiful pure silver antique Torah pointer from 1872 and bought it. Whenever he was traveling and saw a rare pointer, he bought it and added it to his collection. He soon collected a pointer for every grandchild in the family.
Although we don't know the history of each pointer, it's safe to assume that they were used in the most amazing shuls around the world. It's very special to the whole family because each grandson has one in honor of my grandfather.
Megillah Esther
Syria
My Father Morris C.
The artifact comes from my Great Grandfather, Hacham Mousa, in Syria. It is very special because it has been used by my family for four generations. It was made in the late 1800's-early 1900's. My Great Grandfather comes from Syria and has passed it on to my grandfather, who also was from Syria. My Grandfather, David C., passed it on to my father who lives in the United States of America. Finally my father, Morris C., has passed it on to his 4 children. The Megillat Esther is made out of a tin case, calfskin, a brass holder, and leather, and parchment. My artifact is significant to my family because it came all the way from Syria where my great-grandfather lived.
A Megillah is a written Hebrew scroll that the Jews take out on the holiday of Purim and read. The Megillat Esther talks about the Jews in the city of Shushan, which was controlled by the terrible King Achashverosh. The Megillah tells the story of how the Jews coped with the wicked, non-Jews.
Yellow Magen David Patch
The Holocaust in Germany
Helen S.
This is part of a yellow star of David that was used to show that you were Jewish during the Holocaust. The significance is that it's from the Holocaust. My great grandpa was forced to wear it to show he was Jewish during the Holocaust in Germany in 1939. My great grandpa lost his entire family except his brother (my other great grandpa) in the Holocaust and had to start over in America.
It is very cool that he was able to get it to America. When you think about it, you can feel a little of what it was like to live during the Holocaust.
Religious Hat
Yemen
This religious hat or kippah got passed down through the generations.
A kippah is worn by Jewish men. This special kippah has been in our family since before my great-grandfather. It was used for special occasions like holidays etc. My family has it now, but we have encased it to protect its delicate condition.
Photograph
Turkey
Joseph D.
The photograph of my great great grandfather, is important because he was very good friends with the Sultan of Turkey and was a very, very, very important rabbi in Turkey. The Sultan awarded him many medals that we can see in the photograph.
It's important to me because I know that I have a rabbi in my family.
Kiddush Cup
Aleppo, Syria
Ezra K.
The kiddush cup is very significant to my family because they have used it so many times between my dad and my grandpa. It has become a part of us and we are used to it being the famous family kiddush cup. It is very valuable and an important part of my family history and always will be.
My artifact is very important to me and my family because on every Shabbat my father and his father would take it out and make kiddush on it. Kiddush is the prayer that is made on the wine on Shabbat. Shabbat is very important to the Jewish religion.
Tallit
Istanbul, Turkey
Albert B.
My grandfather got this tallit for his bar mitzvah. It was the first time he used it. He got it from the rabbis in Istanbul.
The tallit was used for when my grandfather prayed during the week. A tallit is a garment that Jews wear when we pray during the week. The tallit has fringes on each of the four corners known as tzitzit.
Pizmonim Book
Syria
My father Gerry N
My great grandfather Moses T. was a very respected chazan in our community. He was the leading authority of pizmonim. All the rabbis and other chazanim would come to my great grandfather for his blessing. To me, to have the very first siddur of one of the greatest chazanim in our community, is very special.
The pizmon (song) book that I have is the second edition of one of the most popular books/siddurs in our community. Every 10 to 15 years the rabbis add a few new pizmonim (songs) to create new editions. Right now, the newest edition is the eighth one that was issued.
Siddur
Jerusalem
Ted and Janet S.
This siddur belongs to my grandparents, Ted and Janet S. and is important to my family because it reminds us to be religious just like my great great grandpa was.
This siddur is important to my Jewish heritage because the Jewish people pray from a siddur at least 3 times a day. This siddur reminds us of how my family was and is still religious. It is one of many siddurim that my parents and grandparents treasure.
Shofar
Syria
Eddie S.
Eddie S.'s shofar originally belonged my great grandpa, who gave it to my uncle and he gave it to my Grandpa Eddie. He uses the shofar every Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. He blows the shofar for his shul. He practices for about a month before the holidays.
We blow the Shofar on Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah. We blow the Shofar on those days to wake up all the Jewish people, to do teshuva for every single sin they did the whole previous year.
Megillat Esther
Israel
David G.
This Megillah was a Bar Mitzvah present from my dad’s great aunt.
We use this holy Megillat Esther every single Purim. This tells the story of how the Jewish people were saved in the time of King Ahashverosh.
Tanach
Amsterdam
Gido Jacob K.
This Tanach was used by my great great grandfather, Rabbi Jacob K. (Jido),who was a great Torah scholar. It's been handed down for at least 5 generations,and maybe even more. The K. family traces back to the year 1492 to a man named Rabbi Refael K. This Torah is really important to me because it was used by my family to learn.
The Tanach represents the five books of Moshe, the Prophets, and the holy writings. It is the basis by which all of Judaism stems from. It is and always has been the most used book, not only by the Jewish people, but in the whole world.
Siddur
Syria
Salah S.
This siddur was given to me by my grandfather, Salah. He had been living in Damascus and he was 12 when he had received it as a gift.
He kept it with him on his journey to Lebanon, and kept it the whole time he was there.
A siddur is used to pray morning, afternoon and night prayers. This was given to him by his dad who told him to rip out the first 10-20 pages because it would give away his location and his shul. That would be a huge problem because in Damascus the military he was hiding and escaping from would either hurt or kidnap him.
Candlesticks
Poland
Wendy Z.
The artifacts that were given to me are two bronze candlesticks from the 1800's. My great-great grandmother could not bring many of her belongings on her journey from Poland to America, but obviously these candlesticks were important. My artifact is five generations old. My great-great grandmother gave it to my grandmother, who gave it to my mother. My great grandmother and my mother were extremely close, and would light Shabbat candles with these candlesticks every Shabbat.
The candlesticks show me that Shabbat was and still is a very important thing to my family. My artifacts bring in Shabbat, also known as the holy day of rest. The candlesticks separate the holy days of the week from the regular days of the week.
Tehillim Book
Hungary
Great Great Grandma
This Tehillim book was passed down from my great grandmother Lillian to my mother Ayelet. This Tehillim book is important to my family because it is one of the only items from my great grandmother to survive WWII. When my great grandmother escaped from Hungary she could only take a few precious items with her. She chose the Tehillim book so that she could pray for the survival of her family and community.
This Tehillim book is important to Jewish heritage because every person, no matter where they are, all say Tehillim in the same language. So no matter where we are and no matter what language we speak we are all able to pray from the same book. Jewish people from all over the world are connected through prayer. We pray for people we know and people whom we don’t know. We are part of one family.
Shofar
Israel
Grandma
This shofar was given to me by my grandma.
It’s my Grandpa's shofar but he passed away on July 22, 2012 when I was 5. I always blew it. He got it from Israel in 1900.
My grandpa's shofar is used at the School house shul in Oakhurst on Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah.
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