Sacred Seasons of the Jewish Year
Holidays set the rhythm of a Jewish community. For many Jews, festivals and weekly Sabbath observances lend structure and stability. Several holidays celebrate Biblical and historical events. Every spring, for example, Passover recalls the escape from slavery in Egypt. Hanukkah, in the winter, hails a military victory and rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. In the fall, Rosh Ha-Shanah and Yom Kippur span ten days of self-examination and repentance. Many holidays are both seasonal and historical. They reflect Jewish roots in the land of Israel - the ancient cycle of planting and harvesting and pilgrimages to Jerusalem. Jews continue to invest rituals with new meanings as well - messages of freedom, faith, and continuity that link traditional Jewish values to modern Jewish lives.
Candlesticks
Austria-Hungary
Gift of Betty Edell
Candlesticks used on the Sabbath and festivals are often passed from mother to daughter. This pair once belonged to Mrs. Flatow and was later passed down to her granddaughter, Betty Edell.
Candles are lit on Shabbat to symbolize Shalom Bayit (harmony in the home) and Oneg Shabbat (Sabbath joy). The passing on of Jewish objects is a testament to the continuity of Judaism and the relevance Jewish objects still hold in the daily lives of Jews.
Passover Kiddush Cup
Barchfeld, Germany
Gift of Edith Riemer
Isidor and Grete Lefor hoped to escape Nazi Germany and immigrate to England, where their young daughter Edith had gone before them in 1939. They sent this wine glass or kiddush cup along with other items from their household. Tragically, the Lefors never made it to England; they died at the hands of the Nazis before they were able to escape Germany. Edith donated this kiddush cup to the Museum.
Kiddush cups like this one are filled with wine and used by Jewish families all over the world to symbolize the joy of the holiday celebration.
Oil Burning Hanukkah Menorah
Flehingen, Germany
Gift of Louis Heidelberger
The Heidelberger family lit this oil-burning Hanukkah lamp or menorah during World War I when candles were unavailable in their town. This lamp is distinct because it has two rows of eight cups which enables two families or two people in the same family to use it at the same time.
This menorah is a testament to the ingenuity of some Jews to maintain their practices and identities during times of scarcity. The two rows of burners also indicate that holidays are meant to be shared with friends, neighbors and family.
Embroidered Matzoh Cover
Hungary
Gift of Robert and Flora Klein
This matzoh cover was made by Rose Gottfried Schoenwald for her father in 1888. Rose embroidered the cover with the Hebrew blessing for matzoh.
This matzoh cover illustrates the concept of hiddur mitzvah or the value in performing a religious obligation beautifully.
MA'YAN Passover Haggadah
New York
Gift of Ma'yan: The Jewish Women's Project at the JCC in Manhattan
This Passover Haggadah is called "B’tzait Yisrael" in Hebrew, or "The Journey Continues" in English. Passover is a holiday that celebrates the Jews' freedom from slavery in Egypt thousands of years ago. The Haggadah is the story of Passover that Jews read during the holiday meal. The Haggadah guides participants through a reenactment of the story of Jewish freedom. The Ma’yan Haggadah highlights the role of women in the Passover story.
This Haggadah’s title, “The Journey Continues” as well as the cover illustration of a women’s seder, indicates that these women feel a connection to each other and to other women, as women around the world still struggle for freedom.