Jewelry& Accessories
By Esther S. and Hilah I.
In this gallery you will learn all about how style was back when our ancestors lived. You will be able to experience how our grandparents and great grandparents used to dress and accessorize.
There were all different types of jewelry materials including: gold, silver, copper etc. In this gallery you will see gold bangles, a gold heart locket, and bracelets. You will also see some clothing and accessory items that our ancestors wore. These heirlooms are very valuable to the families who wore them; they have been very well taken care of.
Gold Bangles
Egypt
The gold bangles are 18 karat gold from Egypt. My great grandmother got them when she was married. When my grandmother’s oldest brother was born her grandmother bought them for her.
There is a Sephardic Jewish custom that when a Sephardic woman gives birth or gets married she receives one bangle and keep adding on additional bangles on happy occasions in her life.
Handmade Handkerchief
Aleppo, Syria
Raquel G.
This beautiful embroidered handkerchief was from my great great great grandma (Salha) which was given to my Great Great Grandma Lulu. It was passed down each generation and was given to me on my Bat Mitzvah. Salha used this handkerchief when she went to shul and covered her hair.
This handkerchief was used by my ancestor to cover her hair when entering the shul. This handkerchief is important because it shows how married Jewish women covered their hair out of modesty and to respect the holiness of Hashem.
Gold Heart Locket
Egypt
Grandma Rachel S.
This locket is five generations old.The locket came from my Great Great Grandma as a present from her husband. It has my Great Great Grandma's Mom's initials on the locket because he loved her so much. On the locket it also has the date. This locket is 18K gold and inside it has a picture of her and her husband as a symbol of how much they love each other.
This locket is important to my Jewish heritage because both sides of my family are from Egypt. My Grandmother received this as a token of remembering Egypt and never forgetting the history of her roots.
Bangle
USA
my Mom, Jaime B.
This bangle belonged to my grandfather’s mother, Anne, and it had sentimental value because she passed away when she was really young. My sister still wears it which makes my grandfather really happy.
My sister wears it everyday including Shabbat and Yom Tov.
Knitted Sweater
Brooklyn, New York
Uncle Leo P
My Great Grandma Addy P. hand knitted this red and white sweater, which means she needed to take time to knit each stitch. She had a flatware, dishes, and serving pieces store which originated in her basement. She later bought a retail store on the street. In that day and age not many women had their own shops and businesses. My Great Grandma Addy has a lot on her plate but somehow she always made time in her day to knit. Even though I never met her, I know that knitting was one of her favorite things to do. This knitted sweater shows me that whatever you’re doing you can, and should, find or make time for something you like to do. This shows me that I should have determination to do the things I love and to be responsible.
My Great Grandma Addy was a woman of chesed. She helped her community in a huge way. In her store, in the bottom desk drawer she always kept a few extra knitted sweaters and blankets. Every time someone gave birth she would give them a new blanket, and when someone was cold she’d give them a sweater. This kind little deed she did made a great impact on her community.
Bracelet
New Orleans/ LA
Grandpa Victor C.
This is a gift to my grandpa for his bar mitzvah
it was made in New Orleans.
Bracelet
New Orleans/ LA
Grandpa Victor C.
This ID bracelet was made for my grandfather for his Bar Mitzvah in New Orleans. It was a beautiful bracelet that he loved. His name was Hymie but his parents thought it sounded too Jewish so they changed his name to Victor. My great-grandparents were concerned about anti-Semitism and they did not want their son to stick out. My family received this bracelet one year ago.
This artifact is significant to me because I am also getting Bar Mitzvahed this year and I am so proud to be a Jewish boy who is following in the footsteps of his family.
1856 Silver Half Dollar
United States
Bramm T.
This coin was a bar mitzvah gift that my Great Grandfather received from his maternal Grandfather. It was passed down to my brother at his bar mitzvah.
This was a significant gift as it was a United States coin that is valuable but important for my Great Great Great Grandfather to gift to his first grandson as it was a coin from new country.
Beads - Misbaha
Lebanon
My grandpa Dany Chocoury
My artifact was given to my grandpa by his uncle Albert who has now passed away, and my grandpa keeps them as a memory from him. His uncle had no children but he loved my grandpa like one of his own and my grandpa loved and respected him back.
It is called misbaha and my grandpa uses it as a relaxing tool to run each bead through his fingers.
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The Living Museum is made possible through the generous support of The Covenant Foundation. The statements made and the views
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