Household Items Unma
By Rowena K. and Marilyn M.
In this section you will discover historic items from around the house. The items in this section were commonly used by many of our ancestors. There are many significant and unique kitchen items, like Turkish coffee pots, a mortar and pestle, a tea set and a brass tray. Some of these items are still used today, such as the brass tray. The Turkish coffee pot was used to make coffee. The mortar and pestle is used to crush ingredients into a paste, or a powder. You will also see a grandparent's musical audio mixer and a drum used to play traditional music and a Tiki man that was a souvenir.
These items are special to us because many of our ancestors used these items in their home country. These household items have been passed down from generation to generation and are very meaningful to their present owners.
Mortar and Pestle
Syria
Ginger G.
This mortar and pestle, a tool used to smash and grind food back in the day, originally came from my great-great-grandmother. When my great grandma was 13 years old, she was put on a boat with her younger siblings to escape Syria. She thought that they were headed to America, but instead they ended up in in Venezuela, South America. On this long trip my great grandma had to carry this very heavy artifact. A few years later my great grandmother was then sent with her siblings to New York to join her other family members. All through this journey she kept the artifact secure.
The foods that we eat are very important to our heritage and religion. This artifact was used to make many Shabbat and holiday foods for my family.
Turkish coffee pot
Syria
Jeanie K.
My great aunt Jeanie K. got it from her grandmother. It was a coffee pot that she used to make Turkish coffee. She made it in Syria in the early 1900's.
Our family traditions are very important to us and making Turkish coffee is one of our traditions.
Derbeke
Aleppo, Syria
Great Grandpa Alfred
This derbeke brings us closer to our Syrian roots, and reminds us of the lengths my great great grandfather had to go just to come to America. He left all that he had in Aleppo at such a young age. It teaches us how to be brave, and to always work hard if you want to have success in your life.
This artifact is very important, and has a lot of significance to our Jewish heritage, because it is a symbol of happiness, and pride. We have used this special type of drum for ages in our community to dance, and sing all of our favorite Syrian songs, and to celebrate many happy occasions until this very day. It takes us back to our roots and reminds us of where we came, and how hard it was for our ancestors to pick up and leave all that they had. They left to pursue a better life here in America where they would be safe and free to practice our faith, our Jewish religion. It teaches us of the faith and love for Hashem that they had and we still have.
Vintage Chinese cloisonné enamel vase
Hong Kong
Great Grandma Sylvia A.
My artifact is a golden vase with little flower and leaf designs on it and a few big flower designs. My Great Grandma Adele bought it from Hong Kong in December 1984, and she gave it to my great grandma Sylvia in 1986 as a gift. Then my great grandma gave it to me in 2015, when I was seven years old.
My Great Grandma Sylvia prayed in the same room as the vase when she didn’t go to shul and prayed at home.
Brass tray
Egypt
Vivian S.
My artifact is a brass tray used for serving Turkish coffee in Alexandria, Egypt. My grandmother remembers her mom serving coffee on this tray.
As per our tradition the men stayed up all night on Sheva shel Passover to learn Torah. The coffee that was served on this tray helped keep them awake.
Wine dispenser
Poland
Isaac F.
This artifact is from a gold shop in Poland and it was also my grandmother's wedding gift. It was made especially for my grandparents.
My great great grandparents used it for wine and whiskey. There was no technology so they had to pump it by hand.
They used it on Shabbat when they enjoyed having a drink.
Turkish Coffee Pot
Egypt
Grandma Marlene E
Drinking Turkish coffee made in pots like this one brought the family together every time it was served. My grandma handmade Turkish coffee pots in Egypt. That is how the family made their money back then. It was a family business.
It still brings the people together. We still gather for coffee every morning.
Turkish Coffee pot
Syria
Alan T.
The significance of this artifact to my family is that when my great great grandmother passed away, my grandfather took this coffee pot from her house because it brought back memories from the old days. My great great grandmother was born in Syria, and continued to use this pot here in the U.S. rather than the newer, more modern coffee pots that were sold in the U.S.
The significance of this artifact to Jewish heritage is that my ancestors would make coffee from this. They would call it "acua,” and it was very heavy dark black coffee.
Tea set
US occupied Germany
Bonnie N.
My great grandma and grandpa bought this tea set while they were in displaced persons camp as refugees. Refugees went to DP camps after WWII since they lost their homes and families. During this time the U.S occupied the part of Germany that they were in for 10 years. Everyone in the displaced persons camp was there either because all their family members died or because they had nowhere to go. This is one of the only things we have that belonged to my great grandparents.
The U.S didn't occupy Germany for a very long time so it's very cool to see something that was made in Germany and also the U.S.
Doll clothing
America
Grandma Zelda B
This artifact is significant to my family because it shows how we started in America. These articles of clothing was what my grandma and her sister got for Hanukkah one year, for their Betsy dolls. As you can probably tell we didn't start with much in America. That being said, every woman in my grandmother's family could knit and sew.
This artifact is significant to Jewish heritage because it shows how many Jews started in America. It was a rough period for Jews during the time of the Holocaust. Many countries were sympathetic toward Jews but not enough. In the time when we needed it the most, the world closed its doors. It was hard to get to America and a lot of people were not permitted to immigrate. And those who were, came with little money. This artifact represents the struggles of the Jewish people by showing that people still observed the holidays, and even though people didn't have much they did still have faith in Hashem and His holidays.
Turkish coffee pot
Syria
Grandpa Ralph A.
When my Grandpa Ralph was very young his family had to leave Syria in the middle of the night . They couldn’t take a lot of things with them, but they took the coffee pot because they used it every day.
This Turkish coffee pot is an artifact because it’s old. It’s not something that my family uses today.
Audio mixer 2
New York
Maurice M.
My Grandpa used to get together with his friends most nights to play instruments and to record songs. It was their favorite thing to do to pass the time. He loved to practice playing the guitar. He used to listen to many different classical records growing up and loved to try and copy his favorite songs. It was a creative hobby and kept him out of trouble.
He got it from his dad as a bar mitzvah present.
Waterfall pen
USA
Grandma Zelda B.
This artifact is important to my family because the pen was given to my great grandma when she graduated college. Our family has come a long way!
This artifact is connected to my Jewish heritage because if you graduated college while you were a girl in that time it's a sign of intelligence and hard work. In my Jewish heritage it's important to work hard, study, to be smart and do well in both English and Hebrew.
Tiki man
Syria
My Grandpa Joe
The Tiki man was a souvenir from Syria that my Grandpa Joe gave to my dad, Jack, when he was 20 years old. It was a tiki man sort of thing and it was a souvenir that's important to my dad.
My dad, Jack, escaped Syria from people who hated the Jews. This was a reminder to show that my dad escaped the many difficulties and antisemitism he would have faced as a Syrian Jew. As a Jew, he made it through, with the help of Hashem.
Jewelry box
Cairo , Egypt
Mona B.
This artifact is a jewelry box made out of wood, sea shells, and diamonds, with red velvet inside. The blue eyes on the "chumsah" on the inside of the jewelry box represent protection and good luck. It was used to hold some jewelry, such as rings and necklaces. On the inside my grandmother also put this little circlular box with a gentleman kissing a woman’s hand in a garden. The scene looks like it took place a while back.
This artifact is significant to Jewish heritage because my grandmother Mona got this artifact from her father. At that time they were being kicked out of Egypt, and my grandmother's father got this souvenir for her. For her, it represents that Jews are strong and her family will always have faith in G-d, just like every other great Jew.
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