Eighth Grade's Jewish Family History Exploration

Kol hakavod – well done! – to all of our eighth graders on their intensive research and astounding My Family Story projects, and todah rabbah – thank you! – to Ms. Liz Shrier and Mrs. Elana Moskowitz for making these projects a reality.

A special mazal tov to Avital D. '21 and Jaime D. '21 on being named the Beth Tfiloh school winners. Their projects will be sent to Beit Hatfutsot to compete against projects from students around the world! 

Read each students' project description: 

Anna A. '21, I Am Adelstein

This piece is about the story on how my family acquired their last name, Adelstein. In essence, my project is constructed of canvas paper, ink, Papier maché cardboard, wire and cellophane wrap. My family story began in Lithuania in the late 1800s. Unfortunately, my ancestor, Simon Dorfan's parents were killed in a wagon crash. Many of Simon's siblings moved to South Africa, while Simon and possibly his younger brother, Nathan, made their way to the United States of America. There, Simon was taken in by a family named Adelstein. Simon was so grateful, that he changed his last name to Adelstein. This story is very important to my identity because a last name is what connects you to your family. My grandfather, Robert Simon Adelstein, his middle name from Simon (Dorfan) Adelstein, has helped me embrace my Jewish heritage. I am proud to be an Adelstein. 

 

Isabella A. '21, Separated Trains

My artistic display represents my family’s travels from Ukraine to the United States. My mom and grandparents took a train from Ukraine to Rome and from Rome they took a direct flight to Baltimore, Maryland. To create my project I first took a wooden box and I painted it to look like a train track. I then, cut a cardboard box and shaped it into a train shape. I Papier-mâchéd the open sides of the cardboard box and then painted it all black. I made three little people to represent my mom, my grandpa, and my grandma. My mother was only twelve years old when my grandparents told her that they were moving to America. They left because they were being persecuted and Jews were not treated as equals in that time. They went through some difficulties with border patrol and being separated with family from The Soviet Union, but overall, the 4 month trip was smooth. When my family came here they knew no English and had to learn a lot just to get a job, which was challenging.  This connects to me because the trains and flags show how my mother came to America for a better life.  If she had never moved and made the sacrifices that she did, I would have never been able to get a Jewish education and live the free life that I do now, including dancing and singing.

 

 

David B. '21, The Flight to Freedom

In my family story sculpture, I have created a plane because it represents freedom. The project all started from a piece of a 12x12 block of wood. The plane itself is made from one piece of cardboard and crumbled up pieces of papers and covered in Papier-mâché. Then I painted the box sky blue and the plane white so it looks like the plane is in the sky. The story behind the plane is that my mother, aunt, and grandmother all emigrated from Russia to Italy and then to New York. The project has to do with my identity because in Russia, my mom and her family could not be Jewish or they would get beat up and treated differently. My mother, aunt and grandmother had no choice but to leave Russia because they would be bullied and beat up because they are Jewish.  I am now able to openly and proudly attend Beth Tfiloh: something my mother never could have dreamed of in Russia.

 

Nomi B. '21, A Long Way Home 

My project depicts the long and hard journey that my family had two take to the fulfilling life that we have today. After surviving multiple concentration camps, my great grandparents had to move to Haifa, Israel because the United States would only let people in if they had close relatives there. After eight years of living in Haifa my great-grandmother was able to move to Baltimore because she had family there. She sadly had to leave behind her the rest of her family until she could move them to Baltimore too. Once she was in Baltimore it took her six months to arrange the paperwork for the rest of the family to join. So, after six months my great-grandfather and the rest of the family immigrated to the United States and met my great-grandmother in Baltimore for a cheerful reunion. As a family they worked very hard to strive and become successful so that they could get to the great life we have today. From this story, I have a high level of respect for my great grandparents for their strength through their hardship. Who I am today would not be the same without the journey my family had to take to get from hardship and suffering to freedom and happiness. As a result of how hard they worked, it teaches me to always persevere and have a good outlook on life.

 

Noah B. '21, One Name, Two Families

My project depicts how my great-grandfather, Bernhard, was sponsored to leave developing Nazi Germany to come to America. I used a wood stain to represent the feel of the home that Bernhard found in America.  I also covered small cardboard pedestals in Papier-mâché and stained them too. Bernhard was in Germany when he received the news that he needed to leave immediately. Without any family in America, he needed a sponsor.  The Jewish agency helped find him a sponsor to immigrate to the U.S, and happened to find someone with the same last name – Mansbach.  This story strikes a chord in me because Mr. Mansbach, a complete stranger, was willing to sponsor my great-grandfather for a new life in America.  My great-grandfather being sponsored to come to America impacted my family because it started generations of American Jews.  I am the beneficiary of Mr. Mansbach’s kindness. 

 

Ari B. '21, From Darkness to Light

In my project, I depicted how my father went from the Communist Soviet Union to raising 4 children in America. At its foundation, my project is fashioned from cardboard, popsicle sticks, and Papier-mâché.  Additionally, I used fabric and aluminum foil. To compliment my project, there is a story behind it that is even more remarkable. It started in Kiev, Ukraine where my father lived, under the rule of the Communist Soviet Union. In the late 1970s when the Soviets were still letting Jews leave, he would ask his parents every year if they could leave, but they always answered him with, “Maybe next year.” This continued until the Soviets stopped letting Jews out of the country just a few years later. Although he knew that he and his family would not be able to leave the country, he still dreamt of the possibility. So naturally, when Jews were permitted to leave in the late 1980s, my father was very excited and he told his parents that they had to leave right away because they didn’t know when the Soviets might stop letting people out again. My father knew that he had to leave quickly because the Soviet Army was drafting all males at the age of 18. Therefore, my father left the Soviet Union by himself. He first went to Italy and stayed there for six months while he waited for his visa, and then he proceeded to New York. When he first arrived, he had no relatives or anywhere to stay, so he lived in a night shelter that I depicted in my project. He took many very low paying jobs and usually held multiple jobs at once, some of which included working night shifts and then working a day shift right afterward. After living like this for a year, he decided that it would be very hard for his family to live in New York. Therefore, he moved to Baltimore where he has lived ever since. This is a crucial part of my family’s history because it is the story of how my family left the Soviet Union and came to America, the land of the free.  My father has inspired me to dream, work hard and to persevere through challenges.

 

Tobbi C. '21, The Journey Apart

My project depicts where everyone ended up after their own scarring journeys. My family all started in a village in Poland, where my great-great grandparents desperately tried to send their kids somewhere else in hopes of a better life because they were very poor. When they made enough money, they sent their children off to find a better place to live. Some came to the USA, and some went to South America; one stayed in Poland and died in the Holocaust, but they were never able to all see each other again. I made this project out of papier-mâché and wood. This story connects to me because this is how my family ended up in the United States.

 

Eli C. '21, The Feet Saved a Life

My family story sculpture represents why I am alive. My sculpture is a plaster cast of my foot because my great-grandfather’s flat feet prevented him from going to be a solider in the Battle of the Bulge. Before being sent to the battle, an army doctor did a routine physical and diagnosed him with flat feet, preventing him from being called up. The Battle of the Bulge had the highest casualty rate of any other battle in U.S history. This relates to me because I inherited flat feet from him. If it weren’t for his flat feet then I wouldn’t be alive and neither would he. This story was a miracle because he didn’t get sent and everyone else did. This makes me see that G-d does things for a reason. G-d gave my great-grandfather flat feet so when he got drafted he wasn’t able to go. G-d also gave my grandfather this condition so that he could continue his Jewish heritage and raise a Jewish family.  

 

Jared C. '21, Flying Through Family

For my family story project I chose to represent my family’s love for aviation. I chose to show this with an airplane and three people. The airplane represents my family’s love of aviation and it shows how three generations - my grandfather, my father and me - have all enjoyed it. My grandfather started the passion when he got his private pilot’s license, and my dad is continuing the tradition by programing systems for aircrafts.  I too love aviation and fly remote controlled aircrafts, build model aircrafts and learn about aircrafts. Flying has also given me an opportunity to see how small we truly are, and to see how we are able to influence the people and things around us. I created this display by sculpting the three people out of foil, and by creating the airplane out of plaster strips on top of a plastic. 

 

Henry D. '21, Reaching Out

My visual presentation represents the traits of kindness and reaching out to other people, traits that will hopefully continue to run in my family. After my great-grandfather set up his new pharmacy, he needed to hire some workers. One of these employees was a young African American boy who wanted a job. After years of working and learning from my great-grandfather, it was time for him to apply for college. With not nearly enough money, my great-grandfather took it upon himself to help him out financially. Not only did he pay for his application, he would send him a few crumpled dollar bills in brown envelopes every few weeks. He was always so kind to him no matter how much money he had or what race he was. One little act of reaching out started a chain reaction. Now that young boy is Congressman Elijah Cummings. I depicted this amazingly inspirational story by re-creating the bills and envelopes that my great-grandfather sent, and using papier-mache for the two different hands, one black and one white. The kindness that my great-grandfather showed inspires me to treat everyone with respect, kindness and compassion. In my daily life, I try hard to emulate this trait.

 

Jamie D. '21, The Journey to Freedom

In my family story sculpture, I have recreated my mother and grandmother seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time. My mother and grandmother, whom I call Babushka, emigrated from Ukraine, which was part of the Soviet Union. They left in 1980 and arrived in the U.S in 1981. They left because they were Jewish and Jews were treated like lower class people. I sculpted a ferry that my Babushka and my mother took right after they came to New York. It was sculpted from white paint with a white pipe cleaner. The Statue of Liberty symbolizes peace and freedom and my mother and Babushka did not have that in the Soviet Union. I sculpted the people out of tin foil and put fancy cloth on them to make them clothing. My mother was three years old when they left and arrived the day before she turned four years old. It took them many months of waiting in Italy and Austria for visas to make it to the United States. My sculpture depicts that they were not free in the Soviet Union but when they immigrated to New York, and saw the Statue of Liberty, they finally felt that freedom was within their reach. I think that if my Babushka and my mother didn’t immigrate to America then they wouldn’t have been free to live as they wanted. Had it not have been for their move and sacrifice, we never would have gotten a Jewish education.

 

Romi D. '21, The Forgotten Theatre                                   
My project depicts a theatre that my great-grandfather used to sing and act in. My great-grandfather, Isaac Shklar, was a singer and actor in the former Soviet Union and he performed in a Jewish theatre in his town. Often, he used to come home and sing songs to his family, which he loved.  Things changed, however, when he was drafted into the Red Army in World War II and had to go fight for two years. When he returned from war, the theatre had been boarded up and closed down. This destroyed him but he decided not to let the music die and kept it within himself and spread it to his family. From then on every night he sang and the Shklar house was then always called the “music house”. 

My project started with a plain wooden box. I first started by collecting these little wooden people and painting them gray to portray communism at the time. I then lined the floor and walls with beautiful fabric along with pieces of cut up cardboard which was painted. I papier-mâchéd the stage and then duct taped over the stage and painted in black. I cut out a big cardboard arch because that is how Russian theatres looked like back then and put a picture of my great-grandfather as a memorial for him. This is how my project came to life.

I relate to my great-grandfather in many ways. One way is that I myself am an actor and singer just like he was. I love bringing home my songs and music and that is exactly what he did. He used to sing Jewish songs in his house and to his family which is what I did when I brought the song “Eshet Chayil” to my house. Every Friday night we now sing this song because I brought it home with me one day. This is how I connect with my great-grandfather. 

 

Gabi D. '21, Curator Statement

My project shows the connections between my great-great Aunt Gert and myself. I drew a picture of the two of us at the opera, where I am singing and we are wearing dresses that I designed. We are holding hands, which shows our connection. There are pictures of her and the family she cared for, with pink ribbon and pink flowers, as well as a lace background to represent out mutual interest in fashion. I am named after my great-great Aunt Gert, and we have many similar interests and character traits. We both love opera and classical music, as well as fashion. We share a love for our family, as she cared for children who lost their parents, and I support and love my family unconditionally. It is a Jewish concept that your name represents your personality and traits, and that you have a connection with the person you were named after. I think this is true and that this concept perfectly captures my relationship and connection with my great-great aunt.

 

Shoshi D. '21, The Candlesticks Between Us

My family story project represents how the women in my family have passed down candlesticks for generations. My project physically shows generations of women celebrating Shabbat together, hand in hand, around a table with the candlesticks, challah, and a cup of wine. I painted a rug on the base for the floor. Then I made a table out of cardboard and wooden pieces with a table cloth over it. On the table are candlesticks made of beads and wooden pieces, a wine glass made of clay and wire, and challah made of beads, a wooden piece, and a mini fabric challah cover over it. Around the table are the women, which I have made of wooden pegs that I glued fabric on for dresses and yarn for hair that I styled. They are hand in hand with wires. The candlesticks have been passed down five generations and are over one hundred years old. The candlesticks first came from Celia Caplan, my great-great-great grandma, who brought them from Russia to America by boat. They were then passed to my great-great grandma Dora who then gave them to my great-grandma Bess. Of the four candlesticks, my great-grandma Bess gave two to her daughter-in-aw and my Bubie Adeline and the other two to her daughter and my great-aunt Ruth. Both my Bubie and my great-aunt Ruth gave them to my mom, Sharon. My mom will then pass down two candlesticks to me and two to my twin sister, Gabi. The candlesticks are very important to my family because they are from our ancestors. The candlesticks connect generations of women on my family. The candlesticks represent how important family and Judaism are to my family.

 

Avital D. '21, The Risky Bridge

My artistic display is a bridge that my great-grandmother crossed every day in the Lodz Ghetto. I made my bridge out of popsicle sticks, toothpicks and cardboard. The street underneath is made of crushed stone. The ghetto was a walled off neighborhood located near the city center of Lodz, segregating the Jews from the rest of the population. Two streets cut through the ghetto to connect the rest of the city. Jews were not allowed on these streets; there were walls on either side preventing their entry. The Jews crossed over to the separated parts of the ghetto via one of three wooden bridges. Sometimes, for sport, the soldiers patrolling the streets below would fire their weapons up at the bridges.  My great-grandmother was one such person who had to risk her life regularly just to travel across this bridge. "כל העולם כולו גשר צר מאוד והעיקר לא לפחד כלל"   - “The entire world is a very narrow bridge, and the most important thing is to not be afraid.” My great-grandmother inspires me to persevere no matter what challenges I face. I know that when life is hard, I will remember that she survived the Holocaust and to never give up no matter how hard it is.  The key is to keep going, be resilient and not to be afraid.

 

Justin F. '21, Coats, Friends, and Business

My project depicts my great-grandparents’ coat-making business in New Jersey.  My great grandparents immigrated from Amsterdam to New Jersey after the Holocaust.  With little to no money they began sewing and started a coat making business.  After some time, they merged with another company and became very successful, while becoming good friends with the other owners.  For this depiction I sculpted hands from a tracing of my own hand and used Papier-mâché and paint.  Because of my family’s past, I am more optimistic when making decisions because you can never know when you get an opportunity to succeed.  My great grandparents made something from nothing and I hope to do the same in my life.   

 

Emily F. '21, Candlesticks to Lead the Way

My project displays the candlesticks my grandmother gave to me when I was younger. My grandmother and grandfather bought the candlesticks from a store in Brooklyn, New York in the 1980s. I used wood to recreate the candlesticks and I also included a collage of pictures from Brooklyn, New York during the 1980s, and a picture of the store the candlesticks are from. When I was younger, before my grandmother passed away, she gave me the candlesticks and told my parents the importance of going to a Jewish day school and the importance of learning about my Jewish heritage. She is the reason I am who I am today.

 

Eran F. '21, The Great Escapes

The prison I made represents the Nazi and Italian prisons that my great-grandfather escaped during World War II. I used Papier-mâché to make the prison, after cutting out metal wires to make a fence. Then I painted the prison gray and made brick-like patterns on it. There are flags on each side which represent each prison that my great-grandfather was held in. My great-grandfather was captured twice by the Germans and once by the Italians while fighting for the South Africans in World War II. He successfully managed to escape all three prisons. This prison is meaningful to my family since it represents my great-grandfather’s dedication to preserving and protecting the Jewish religion and his native country of South Africa. I am grateful for his courage and bravery for fighting for what he believed in.  

 

Jenna F. '21, A Train from Travesty

I made this project in honor of my grandmother and grandfather, Maya and Lev Fooksman. This project depicts their journey with my father and uncle, from Russia to America. I used cardboard and a vast amount of Papier-mâché. I placed images of all the places my father and his family stopped during their travels. My family was struggling practicing Judaism in Russia, and then heard that people were leaving to America, for a better life. They decided to move to America, but only after my grandmother’s mother died, as she wanted to stay with her for the rest of her life. They bought train tickets, and on their journey, they stopped for days, weeks, or months at a time. They stopped in Ukraine, Vienna, and places in Italy. Because of their bravery, I am able to be who I am, proudly Jewish. I am able to go to an amazing Jewish school and not be scared of the consequences. I hope that in the future I will be as brave and willing to sacrifice everything for a better future.

 

Alyssa F. '21, A Life-Saving Tradition

In my family story display, I have created the Carpathia, a boat which was used to save those who survived the crash of the Titanic. To create this display, I have painted the body of water on which the boat is sailing, and built the Carpathia using a Papier-mâché technique. I have also cut out and glued photos of my immediate family and grandparents onto my display. In my story, a distant cousin of mine, Leah Aks, was separated from her ten-month old son when the Titanic hit an iceberg on the fourth day of their journey. A man threw the boy, Philip or “Filly” Aks, overboard, and Leah continued to search until she was pushed into a lifeboat. When Leah reached the liner Carpathia, she searched all over. She was devastated for the loss of her son, and after an unsuccessful search, she took to a mattress for two days. When another passenger instructed her to finally come up on the deck for air, she was hesitant but went up anyways. When she did, she heard Filly’s cry. Unknown to Leah, Filly had fallen into another lifeboat into the arms of a Catholic-Italian woman who had lost her husband. This Catholic woman had believed that the boy had been sent to her from God as a replacement for her husband, whom she longed for during this hard time. However, when Leah tried to claim her child, the woman refused to give him to her. Leah then appealed to the Carpathia’s captain, now put in the same role as King Solomon was once put in. The captain decided that Filly did in fact belong to Leah, as she was Jewish and the baby had previously had a Brit Milah. Nine months after arriving in New York, Leah Aks gave birth to a baby girl. She named her Sara Carpathia in honor of the ship that had rescued her family. This story has tremendously impacted my Jewish identity. During the past few years, there have been many events causing uncertainty and fear in Jews, and putting their lives in danger. However, we must not forget that being Jewish can also save your life. My distant relatives, Filly and Leah Aks, are an example of this. My family story couldn’t be possible without Brit Milah, a Jewish, life-saving tradition.

 

Simon G. '21, The Journey of Young Norbert

My project depicts my grandfather, Norbert Ripp’s journey from Germany to England, and his escape from the Holocaust. He escaped through the Kindertransport, an organization where children younger than 18 years old could leave Germany. I made part of the boat he was on. I used wood sticks and a picture of my grandfather. My grandfather was around my age when his mother sent him to safety through the Kindertransport. He went from Germany to England where he was in an orphanage for a while before coming to America. The sacrifices he made led to many opportunities for me to be a proud Jew in America today, many years after the Holocaust, including the opportunity to go to a Jewish day school.

 

Caleb G. '21, Marriage of Jewels

This depiction of the ring that my great-grandfather gave my great-grandmother when they were engaged is a play on of the fact that they met and worked at my great-grandmother's father's jewelry store. It was constructed using a wooden box, a tiny wooden platform (both of which were painted black), tin foil (which was partially painted and the unpainted part was put on top for the ring), black string, gorilla glue, and plastic cylinders to help lift the model of the ring.

 

My great grandparents both worked at my great-great-grandfather's jewelry store, Paul's Jewelry. EVERYONE had a crush on my great-grandmother, Shashe, because she was so pretty. After work, all the workers would go up and kiss Shashe, including my great-grandfather, Milton. However, according to his version, he didn't. Some of the guys at the store would ask Shashe out, including Milton. Out of all the boys she dated, Shashe loved Milton the best, because, unlike the others, Milton listened to her. He cared for her. He truly loved her. Only a few years after their first date, they got married. They had two children, one of which had another four, which led to Shashe and Milton having eight great-grandchildren!

 

Their encounter and marriage is very crucial to my identity because, if it weren't for that, I wouldn't be here today. Besides for that, they passed on their Jewish heritage to their descendants, leaving us with a much better understanding of who we are and what our purpose in this world is. They have completed their mission in this world and may they rest in peace in Gan Eden, from now until T'chiyat Hameitim! (revival of the departed)

 

Ethan G. '21, The Bravest Storeowner

My project represents my great grandpa’s convenience store during the Baltimore riots in the 1960s. I made the store out of balsa wood and the fire from tissue paper. I have represented what his store probably would have looked like. It would have been very easy for him to close down during the riots to stay safe. But my great-grandpa didn’t take the easy way.  My grandpa and great-uncle stayed in the store, during the riots, with a shotgun in hand. If I were in his spot, I wouldn’t have been as brave as him. This story connects to his Jewish identity because he believed in doing many mitzvot, a core Jewish value. After the riots, he helped the town clean up while seeing past racial differences and resentment.

 

Harper G. '21, An “Egg”cellent Tradition

My artistic display represents the story of a Passover tradition. The hands in my project are made out of Papier-mâché, I painted my box, and the eggs are plastic, which I painted white. For a few generations, every Passover, my family would play a game of “Heads and Butts.” The game involves two players. Each person holds a hard-boiled egg firmly in their hand. One player holds their egg upright. The other player turns their hand upside down, also with their egg upright, and proceeds to tap their egg against the other. The player whose egg cracks first loses that round. The game then proceeds to the “butts” side of each egg, and the process is repeated. This tradition connects to my identity because, during Passover, we are commemorating the Jews’ Exodus from slavery and becoming free. Jews from the past have passed sad times by playing humorous and light-hearted games. My family and I continue this tradition today.

 

Avi G. '21, Blast of Unity

In the project I created, there is a shofar on top of a camouflage-painted box. The shofar is created from spiraled tin foil, which was papier-mâchéd and painted. Once a year, my dad visits a veterans’ nursing home, Charlotte Hall, but not as a doctor like usual. When he goes this time of year, he blows a shofar for the residents. Not all of the residents are Jewish, most are not, and it can take a while for him to find all of the Jews. He said, “At the Veterans home, there are probably nine or ten (Jews) that I know of."  Obviously, there are not many, but for the few there, it is a highlight of every year for them. For most of those Jews, it is their only opportunity to practice their religion. It is a big part of my Jewish identity because it is a way for Jews of different generations and backgrounds to practice Judaism together.  I have grown up watching my dad proudly display his Judaism and spreading his passion to others, and I hope to do the same one day.

 

Leah G. '21, The Ladispoli Love Fountain 

In my display, I recreated a fountain that is in Ladispoli, Italy. The fountain is where my parents met while they were emigrating from the former Soviet Union. In 1988 my parents, who didn’t know each other at the time, finally made the decision to immigrate and leave the Soviet Union. My mother, who was only 16 at the time, came from Grodno, Belarus and my father, who was 24, came from Tashkent, Uzbekistan. They were on their way to freedom, but first they stopped in Ladispoli for a few months. Every night all the immigrants would meet in the town center around the fountain and find out if they could leave Italy and come to America. One night my father saw my mother and he instantly fell in love. After that, every night my mother and my father would meet at the fountain until they came to America. To create the base of the fountain, I used Papier-maché around a painted, plastic container. For the spout of the fountain I used a glass candle holder and then painted it. I also created two small people to represent my parents. This story is important to me and my Jewish background because when my parents left the Soviet Union it was so they could be free and embrace their Jewishness. Also if my parents never went through immigration, they would have not met and my family wouldn’t be here. Their love is inspiring to me and I am grateful for the fountain that brought them together.

 

Drew G. '21, Woman and Her Soup

My pot of soup represents how my great-grandmother always had soup on the stove for anyone who wanted it. My project is made out of cardboard for the pot and pot holder. All items in my project were papier-mâché. The flames are made out of card board, red wrapping paper, and orange netting. The base is a wooden box painted black. The story behind this pot is my great-grandmother always had soup on the stove and how she always had people over for dinner whether it was friends, family, or both. My great-grandmother’s story relates to me and my family because, like my great-grandmother, we have Shabbat dinners with friends and family almost every week.

 

David G. '21, The Tall Start

My re-creation of The Twin Towers represents a big move and a new life for my parents. In 1991, Svetlana and Eugene Gomberg decided to make a big move from Odessa, Ukraine to America. I used papier-mâché to build the Twin Towers and used white and gray paint to make the towers look like they are made of glass. My parents moved due to anti-semitism and an unhealthy economy in the former Soviet Union. They had been living in Ukraine for 25 years and made the choice to move with their first son to America. When they immigrated to the U.S.A., their first stop was in New York, and the first image they remember seeing was the World Trade Center. My parents seeing the towers connects to me because it symbolizes freedom of religion and my parents’ ability to freely and openly practice their religion in the United States. I am lucky that I am able to go to a Jewish day school to study and learn Judaism – something they never had the chance to do. Even though the Twin Towers no longer stand, their image will be embedded in my family’s memory forever.

 

Alana G. '21, Smuggling Cyclist

In my family story, I have created a bike on a trail, which depicts how at one point my great-grandmother worked for the French Underground Resistance. For my bike, I used silver wire and empty ribbon holders, and for the trail background, I used a variety of paints, yarns, and decorative brown material. When my great-grandmother was around 13 years old, she was in Paris, France at the time of the Holocaust, and she had been in hiding. The French Underground Resistance later recruited her to smuggle items for them, and she would put things like money in her pockets that her mother sewed into her dress and would ride her bike to bring them the items. This is important to me and my Jewish heritage because she risked her life to do this, as it was dangerous to be out on the streets as a Jew at the time. Despite the risk, she continued to smuggle. This reminds me how meaningful it is to be Jewish, and how I should appreciate it, because when she was my age, it was difficult to be a Jew, and she didn’t have the kind of religious freedoms that we do today.

 

Lily G. '21, An Oven for a Girls Future

My oven represents my great-great aunt’s dedication to educating girls and the contribution she made toward the Jewish future of many women.  My great aunt, Gussy Polikoff, worked with a group of women who were very involved in the formation of Bais Yaakov. This group of women was much more involved than the men who were also involved. Gussy was a very warm and friendly person, everyone who knew her called her Aunt Gussy. She thought there was a need for a Jewish education for girls and not just boys. She devoted her time and energy to creating the school. She and the other women held lunches, and would do all the cooking and charge for the meals. The raised a lot of money from the lunches. They also held banquets and also charged for those. My sculpture of an oven, made of Papier-mâché, cardboard wire and paint, represents this hard work for the future of Jewish education. I benefit directly from her dedication to a girls’ Jewish education every day by going to Beth Tfiloh and learning about the Jewish people. I would not be the Jewish person I am today without her carrying out her values.

 

Rachel H. '21, Dancing Through Life

I have displayed the pathway through my grandmother’s, my mother’s, and my own dancing careers throughout our lives. I have used gold wooden tiles to display the pathway through our lives. I have also used aluminum foil and papier-mâché to show the different stages in our lives. I have finally used poster board and pictures of our dancing careers. Three generation, three different dancers, that is what I am showing. My grandmother, my mother, and I are all dancers, and I have shown how we dance through life and how dancing is similar to a tradition in our family. Dance is my identity. I am a dancer. I have been a dancer my whole life and so have many people in my family. It brings us together and we show how we are all stronger with dance.

 

Eliav H. '21, Seder on the Seas

My project depicts a Seder on a boat to America from Italy. On the outside of my project, I cut, applied papier mâché to, and painted a piece of cardboard in order to represent the SS Washington, the boat on which they were brought to America. The painted table and chairs, which are made of papier mâché, are where all the Jews that were on the boat would have been seated for the Seder. The Seder plate is there to show that it was Pesach. The story behind this starts back in Germany, where my father’s side of my family is from. On Kristallnacht, my great-grandfather was taken by the Nazis to the Buchenwald labor camp. Six weeks later, he was released because he had fought on the German’s side in World War I. When he was released, the Germans had already taken control of his house; so his family was living with their neighbors. My grandfather’s family was told to flee to Italy because they had a better chance of being able to leave from Italy. They eventually made it to Italy, where they boarded the SS Washington in the spring of 1940. We never got exact dates but they arrived in New York two weeks after they left from Genoa, Italy. When they landed in New York, my great-grandfather didn’t want to travel by any means that would break Yom Tov, but it seemed necessary, so his family convinced him to. At this Seder, on the SS Washington, my grandfather said the Ma Nishtana. It inspires me that my great-grandfather had the koach, or strength, to maintain his Jewish values and tradition in the face of hardship. While many lost their traditions under similar circumstances, my family maintained their Jewish heritage and even keeps Yekke (a German Jewish) customs to this day.  One such custom is that we wash hands before we make Kiddush on Shabbat and holidays. I am proud of my ancestry and their ability to be strong-minded. 

 

Abigail H. '21, A Walk to Liberty

My artistic display represents my great-great-grandmother’s journey to religious freedom. I have created a battlefield terrain made of Papier-mâché. I used wooden figures as the dead and painted them black. I used fabric as the clothing and wire as the barbed wire. This scene represents my great-great grandma who lived in Ukraine, on her journey to her boat to America. She traveled alone at night and only had the clothes on her back. She had to travel in this way because both of her parents were killed so she had no one left. She had to travel through several battlefields at night, and that is what I depicted her doing in my display. She eventually made it to her boat and immigrated to Ellis Island. From there she met her husband and made a family in New York. Finally, in the United States, she could practice her Judaism freely. She will forever remain an inspiration to my family since she never gave up. She is a huge part of my identity.

 

Jacob H. '21, The Blizzard of 1947

My family story describes how my grandfather and his friend got stuck in the famous Blizzard of 1947.  My grandfather and his friend were stuck in my grandfather’s house during the blizzard.  They were 10 years old at the time. That storm lasted from Christmas day until December 26, 1947.  During those two days the storm dumped 26.4 inches of snow on the ground. It was a record breaking snowstorm. During the storm my grandfather played ping pong with his friend to pass the time.  The next morning my grandfather’s friend’s brother trudged through the snow to pick him up and bring him home. The snow was so deep my grandfather’s friend had to be carried on his brother’s shoulders.  For my project I used papier mâché and cardboard to make the ping pong table and my grandfather’s house. I then painted the table and house.  I also used aluminum foil to create my grandfather and his friend and I used cotton to make the snow. I enjoyed listening to my grandfather tell me the story of what he did during the famous blizzard of 1947.  He is 80 years old now but remembers every detail of those couple of days. I hope, some day, I will be able to tell my grandsons or granddaughters some of the interesting things that have happened to me.

Matan J. '21, The Exodus-Once More

My project is a model of the S.S. Exodus, a ship that sailed from France to Israel carrying around 4,500 Holocaust refugees. The ship was not granted permission to enter and had to turn back to Europe. My project is made of cardboard that was glued together and then papier mached, building the S.S. Exodus. The sea is made of small pieces of blue paper dipped in papier mache.  My great aunt and her husband were two of the refugees on the Exodus. This relates to me because it was only one step closer to uniting my family in Israel. The rejection from what then was Palestine just encouraged the refugees to try to get there another way.

 

Ryan J. '21, Immigrant to Entrepreneur

I have depicted my great-grandfather’s nightclub, The Club Charles in Baltimore, Maryland. His is an important story because he was a Russian immigrant who became a successful businessman. This is an inspirational story for me because if my great-grandfather started a successful business in a new country without two pennies to rub together, then I can do anything. For my project I used modeling clay, Legos, medicine cups, lace, construction paper, a wooden dowel, a 12” by 12” wooden box and perler beads. I used the perler beads to make the stage and the dance floor. The construction paper and lace were used to make the tables and the medicine cups were used for chairs. The Legos were built into a piano, and the modeling clay was made into the man and the bases for the sign to support the poles with the sign on top. The wooden box was the setting in which I put everything. This is an important story because it demonstrates that the free market is actually a free market for anyone, no matter where they come from. He was a Russian Jew who started a successful business in America right before World War II. The business lasted throughout the war and was successful for a long time after.

 

Sam K. '21, The Move That Changed It All

In my houses, I have depicted some of the most important parts of my family’s history and how my parents ended up with way more than $2,000. My parents emigrated from Ukraine on March 1, 1994 with only $2,000 in their pocket. They were a simple family with not much, but now, they have a healthy and good family. When my parents moved, they had a baby on their hands, so they needed to work extra hard to pay for her education and to feed her. It was already hard enough to feed themselves, but now they had to feed an extra person. This story is significant to me because it teaches me the value of hard work. Additionally, I look up to my parents for their ability to make something out of nothing. I hope that I too can emulate their hard work and resilience.

 

Atara K. '21, Kindness is the Best Medicine

In my family story display, I have created my great-grandparents’ pharmacy that was located in the inner city of Philadelphia. My display is made out of cardboard that I formed into the shape of the pharmacy. I papier mâchéd the pharmacy and then painted the outside to look like brick. Next, I cut out paper dolls and pasted them around the pharmacy. Finally, I made fire out of tissue paper which I glued together to represent the destruction that occurred in the streets of Philadelphia. The pharmacy building was three stories high. The pharmacy was on the lowest floor, and my great-grandparents, my grandfather and my great-aunt lived on the top two floors. My great-grandparents worked hard to have wonderful relationships with the community, who were very poor, and almost completely African–American. Having strong relationships with the community was important during the Philadelphia Transit Strike of 1944. The strike was a labor strike by white transit workers to protest the training of African-Americans to operate streetcars. In response to this racist action, African-Americans across the city went through the streets in anger, and many buildings were destroyed. Due to the great relationships my great- grandparents had with the neighborhood community, their pharmacy was protected. African-American men in my great-grandparents’ community took turns guarding the pharmacy from violence during the strike. In Judaism, the Torah says that we should treat others as we would want to be treated. My great-grandparents were kind and respectful to everyone. This trait runs in my family. In return, the African-Americans in the community felt deep gratitude. My great-grandparents were always very thankful toward the community for providing protection during those scary nights. Our rabbis stated that the world stands on three things: Torah, service, and good deeds. My great-grandparents’ good deeds, and the gratitude of the community, kept the pharmacy standing through this difficult time.

 

Ryan K. '21, North of Nowhere

This project depicts the mountains that both of my grandfathers saw during their military service. I used a special mixture of blue paint to emulate what a “nice” day might look like in Nome, Alaska or Finland, Minnesota. The figure of a soldier was scrupulously hand-crafted from heavy duty tin foil. My paternal grandfather was stationed in Nome, Alaska and my maternal grandfather was stationed in Finland, Minnesota, both during the height of the Cold War. These are some of the coldest places on earth.  My maternal grandfather was training to be a pilot at the Finland radar station and my paternal grandfather’s job was to be the first defense in the case of a “red” invasion. Both of my grandfathers experienced the coldest winter of their lives while stationed in these areas. After a certain amount of time both of my grandfathers rotated to different bases. Military service has been nearly a constant among the men in my family. This call to duty has even driven my uncle to serve in the IDF, in the Golani Egoz unit and I have aspirations to serve in the military as well.  My grandfathers have been superb role models for me in my adolescence and their bravery has given me an example to follow.

 

Alison K. '21, Family Comes First

In my family story project, I have shown a physical representation of the struggles and sacrifices that we go through for our family. To be able to depict this struggle I have painted two separate sides of my great-grandfather’s life. The left side is painted as a clothing store, with Joseph folding clothes. On the right side is Joseph’s room where he is studying at night. The story behind my sculpture is Joseph taking over his family business, due to his father’s failing health, as well as having to attend school at a lower intellect level because he now had other priorities. As you can see, the importance of family was a value that was instilled in Joseph so deeply that he put his dreams on hold to support his family. This connects to my identity because I have been taught the same thing from my grandparents and my parents, that the importance of family trumps everything else, and that your family will always be there for you. A way to connect this to Judaism is the fifth commandment; honoring your parents. Joseph honored is father’s wishes and took over his business. This commandment is also something that makes up my identity.

 

Sydney K. '21, Chaya Sara: A Family Tradition

My project represents my family's connection to the Torah portion, Parshat Chaya Sara.  I created a Torah using papier-mâchéd paper towel rolls and parchment paper. One side of the Torah is thicker than the other because the Torah is opened to one of the first Parshiot, Chaya Sara. My two brothers read this Parsha for their Bar Mitzvahs and I was able to read it at my Bat Mitzvah. My brothers and I were born several years apart from each other but our birthdays are within 5 days of each other. The fact that we share this Torah portion is very meaningful to me. My brothers were able to help me practice my Torah portion and read the Torah on the day of my Bat Mitzvah. This made me feel more connected to not only my Jewish identity, but also my family. 

 

Chanan K. '21, The Bombed Bridge

My display depicts how my great-grandfather bombed many bridges to save many Jewish lives. I created this by using cardboard and wood. Then I taped all the wood to form a bridge. After all that was done, I papier mached the whole bridge. The last step was just to paint the bridge, and that is what you see today. The story behind this is that my great-grandfather was a major in the Russian army. When my great-grandfather was in the Russian army, he earned many medals. As the Nazis were progressing to his town, he and his unit were assigned to bomb all the bridges in his area, so the Nazis couldn’t pass. He followed through with this order, and saved many Jewish lives.  Because of this heroism, I look up to him. I chose this story because I have a strong connection with him. When he died, my mother made a promise to herself that the first boy she had would be named after him. Luckily, that was me and I have a lot to live up to because he lived a very full and honorable life.

 

Olivia L. '21, Sew Much Love

My artistic display honors my great-grandmother and all her hard work. It is a display of my great-grandmother’s living room in her apartment. Essentially, my project is made out of cardboard. The chairs, table, packages, couch, wall and woman are all made out of cardboard then papier mached and painted. My great-grandmother was a seamstress who worked from home to create costumes for various theatrical performances. She worked in her living room and used lots of beads and sequins in her work. Each costume paid roughly 10 to 20 dollars. Using the money she earned, she put her three children through college and one of them, my grandfather, through law school. Judging by these actions of hers, she must have believed that hard work pays off. I try to work the hardest I can every day to help those around me just like my great-grandmother.

 

Joe L. '21, Three Generations, One Country

My project represents our ongoing family tradition of military service. My grandfather was the first generation to go into the armed services, then my dad joined along with some of his siblings, and now my brother will be the third generation to serve in some capacity for the United States. My dad’s siblings cover all five branches of the armed services. On my project, there is a soldier in the middle surrounded by five branches. These represent our family’s respect for the armed services, as well as the five branches that my family has served in. Lastly, I created an American flag to demonstrate the tremendous respect we have for the United States of America.  This tradition of service has affected my identity by showing me to believe in a greater cause and by giving me role models who have chosen and choose to serve their country.

 

Alexis L. '21, Art Dynasty

My display shows how my grandmother’s artistic ability was passed down through our family to me. My grandmother had a short life, passing away when my father was a child, but drew many pictures while she was with us. Rheda Luntz, my grandmother, died in the year 1980. My project is a flower that I drew in the center. Materials used in my project were a white pen and pictures of Rheda Luntz’s art around the sides. Rheda Luntz was a professional artist. She did a lot of abstract, as well as, still life, flower arrangements, and she used very original techniques including putting sand and glue and adding texture to her paintings. My father tells me how my grandmother’s art was passed down through my grandmother to my father and then to me. I chose to represent this story because I feel connected to her through art and hope to continue her legacy of creativity and artistry.

 

Nathaniel L. '21, Would You Trade Tea for Water – If You Had It?

My project depicts a brief piece of imagery of my grandmother’s journey coming to America from England. Growing up, my grandmother was very poor and was raised by a foster family in a small, rural town outside of Liverpool. She tried her best to survive and have a good life. To support herself she had to work odd jobs such as working as a hair dresser, as a seamstress, as a dog walker and as a ticket collector on a double-decker bus. She came to the United States when she was 18 years old to become a nanny for a family who had two children.  When she came to this country she had just four dollars in her pocket and a paper suitcase which held all of her belongings. She hoped that moving to the United States would provide her with new opportunities and a stable life.

 

In this piece of art work, I used a wooden square block as the base to represent the suitcase that she brought with her and papier mâché for the top part of the suitcase. I also created an airplane to represent the one my grandmother came to America on. This amazing piece of history taught me never to give up and that with hard work and determination eventually one can overcome adversity.

 

Shayna L. '21, Lighting the Generations

My artistic display shows a pair of golden candlesticks that my great-great great-grandmother brought to the United States from Russia. Since then, the golden candlesticks have been passed down through the women in my family. Before my great-grandmother passed away in 2015, she gave the candlesticks to my mom and to me. We have used these candlesticks every Shabbat since we got them, and will continue to use them and eventually pass them down to the future women of our family.  The candlesticks enhance our Shabbat and holidays and I look forward to using them for years to come. My physical presentation is a re-creation of the candlesticks on a Shabbat table that I created using a wooden box, wood pieces, papier-mâché, and paint.

 

Zachary L. '21, The Jump to Freedom

For my project I made a cattle car on a hillside. The cattle car represents incarceration and the hillside represents freedom. To make my cattle car I used papier mâché, cardboard, wire, and tin foil. When my great-grandfather was in his 20s he was in a cattle car on his way to a concentration camp.  On the car with him there were also other people including one very smart child. He figured out that one of the windows was missing a bar. He crawled through the window and unlocked the door. So my great-grandfather and a few other people jumped off the train. When my great-grandfather was rolling down the hill he hit a tree and lost all of the teeth in his mouth.

 

This project has connected me even more to my Jewish roots. The reason it connected me is because the Nazis tried to stop us from being Jewish and they failed epically. This attempt made me think if Jews were willing to jump from a train for Judaism, why should I be willing to do anything less?

 

Ethan M. '21, From Injustice to Justice

My mother was born on April 25, 1972, in Kiev, Ukraine, which at that time, was part of the Soviet Union. She and her parents immigrated to the United States in 1979. They came to the United States hoping to find religious freedom and the opportunity to thrive in their religion, since they couldn’t in the Soviet Union. 

My mom was a little girl who always worked to make sure that people are treated fairly. She was the main advocate for her family when she was little. She learned English quicker than her parents, so she spoke for my grandparents. My mom not only brought justice to her family, but she made it her career. My mother is an attorney practicing family law and business law. Every day she continues to help people find justice under the law. My parents are my biggest heroes and I admire my mom every day for what she does for other people and what she did for my grandparents as a girl.

What you are looking at is a wooden box painted white because I wanted to symbolize my family's purity and what they embody. Inside of the box you will see a background of the American flag and the Ukrainian flag. I painted these flags because it shows the journey that my family took to come here. On top of the Ukrainian flag there is a gavel. This symbolizes that my family was looking for justice. Inside the gavel you will notice a warm light shining through on to the American side to symbolize that when my mom and her family came to this country, a light shown for them on what they would become. On top of the light there is a crafted Jewish star made out of wire, which symbolizes that they always kept faith throughout their journey. They followed the light and that is why my family is so successful and why keeping faith in Hashem and your family, seeking justice and working hard is so important to my family. 

 

Alma M. '21, A Rabbi, An Angel, and A Melamed Go on A Sled...

My project represents the time when my grandfather was in need of a miracle. He was running away from the Nazis with his rabbi, the rabbi’s wife, and the rabbi’s two daughters. They were trying to find someone who would help them, and bring them to Russia. No one would help until one man with a sled told them he would take them two kilometers. He ended up driving them around from place to place for three weeks. When they got off the sled, the rabbi told my grandfather that the man was not who he said he was. The rabbi told him that the man wa Elijah, the prophet, or to him he was like an angel. This is a well-known story in my family and it is part of my grandfather’s journey to flee the Nazis. It is a story that was passed down and will hopefully continue to be passed down in our family. This story is meaningful to me because it proves God’s existence in our lives and how God is watching over us and has watched over my family.  This story helps me to increase my faith that even in hard times, God is still watching and protecting our family - even in the form of an angel.

 

Samantha M. '21, The Magic Ticket

My family story sculpture shows the process of how my parents came together. My dad lived in South Africa and decided, in 1998, that he wanted to move somewhere. My dad got a ticket around the world to stop at places where he knew people. He stopped in Perth, Australia, Sydney, Australia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, New York, Baltimore and London. When my dad got to Baltimore he stayed with family friends that ended up being my mom’s cousins. My dad went to a Shabbat dinner with his family friends at my mom’s family’s house. Right when they saw each other it was love at first sight. If my dad never met my mom he would be living in Australia.

The materials I used for this project are half a papier mâché’d soccer ball, paint, a boxed frame, flags, and the plane ticket from my dad’s visit to Baltimore.  I drew the continents on the papier mâché. Then I painted the ocean and the land blue and green. Next I put pins on the map at the places my dad visited. After that I put the flags and pictures of the places around the sides of the box of my project. Also, I put a copy of the real ticket on my project.

My connection to this is that if my parents never met at the Shabbat dinner in Baltimore I wouldn’t be here today. I’m grateful that my family has a connection to Judaism, and I am thankful for all the experiences that brought my parents together.

 

Talia M. '21, Navigating America to Victory

My artistic display represents my grandfather’s patriotic love for his country. I made a radio out of cardboard and aluminum foil to represent the radio used to navigate bomber planes. I made an aluminum foil figure to represent my grandfather and put an American army uniform on him which is identical to his actual uniform. I draped an American flag across the back of the radio to symbolize his love and commitment for his country. My grandfather, Harvey Honick, took after his father who also served in the American army, during WWI. During WWII, my grandfather felt that he needed to serve his country. He was assigned and trained to work as a radio technician. He navigated and directed bomber planes. My grandfather’s service connects to my Jewish identity because he enlisted in the army to protect and serve his country. It is a Jewish ideal to be selfless and giving. My grandfather did an amazing thing and this story will continue to be passed down throughout many generations in my family.

 

Livneh N. '21, Sabras

This project honors my great-grandparents, Uri and Shoshanna. The physical art piece is a papier mâché Sabra cactus with Sabra fruit. The term “Sabra” refers to someone born and raised in Israel. Why a Sabra? Just like an Israeli, the Sabra fruit is prickly on the outside and sweet on the inside. My great-grandparents were born and raised in Israel. Both, starting at a young age belonged to the Haganah, and helped to found the state of Israel.

Uri was born in 1924, during the British Mandate. Uri’s father, Shmuel, was also part of the Haganah. Shmuel was responsible for a very large, secret hiding place for weapons in Yarkona. Uri was a commander in the Haganah. He was a commander in the city of Netanya, and was responsible for communication between the different facilities in the Sharon area.  The Sharon area was the center of the Haganah. One of Uri’s subordinates was former Prime-Minister Ariel Sharon. During Uri’s time in the Haganah he also met other notable people such as Ygal Yadin, the second chief of staff.

Shosh was born in 1928, also during the British Mandate. When she was younger, she lived near Ness Ziona. Her father owned a secret building there, with weaponry for the Haganah stored in the floorboards. Shosh would transfer these weapons on her bicycle from place to place, and no one would suspect her because she was a small child. Later on, she was part of Haapala, meaning “coming to Israel,” a sector within the Haganah.  She would go to the shores, bringing clothes for people, helping sneak them into the country. Later, she was transferred to Uri’s sector of the Haganah, where they first met. Uri was Shosh’s commander at the time.

While I am not a Sabra, my father is, as well as his parents. But I am Israeli with a dual citizenship of Israel and the United States. The fact that my great-grandparents helped to found the state of Israel is of great importance to my family, my Israeli/Jewish identity, and me as well.

 

Brady P. '21, One Last Story

My family story depicts my great-grandparents moving from Truckenbrod, Poland. The way I created my project is that at first I painted the American flag inside my box. Next I cut a boat out of cardboard. Then I papier mâchéd it so I could paint it. Finally, I painted the base of the boat black, white, and red. My story is about my great-grandparents moving from Truckenbrod, Poland after World War I. They came to the United States in 1918. They went to an island called Ellis Island, New York. The connection I have between myself and my project is that my grandfather was on that ship and he has taught me a lot about his parents. Also, this is the only story I know about my great-grandparents. 

 

Haley P. '21, The Navy Life

In my family story sculpture, I have created a pin that my great-grandfather wore while serving in the United States Navy in 1941.  My maternal great-grandfather was a doctor in the navy. He had a pin that he wore that had an American eagle on it.  Before my great-grandfather died, my great-grandfather gave the pin to my grandmother as a token to remember him by.  I created this pin by painting the American flag on a wooden box and then cut out a drawing of an eagle from a peel off sticker and put it on top of the American flag.  This pin represents my great-grandfather’s sacrifice for his country and his commitment and dedication to saving lives through his service.  My older brother wants to join the military and continue this legacy of service.  I never met my great-grandfather, and yet I wish I could have talked to him about his job, how he served and all about his life. This project is a tribute to my great-grandfather.

 

Aiden P. '21, “Boat-Load” of Flowers

My project depicts how my family got to the U.S.A. from Poland. In 1920, my great-grandma, Hilda, went on a boat to Baltimore from Poland and opened up a flower shop that ended up becoming one of the biggest flower shops in Maryland. On the trip to immigrate, in 1920, she only had potato skins to eat and other scraps to survive. My grandmother bought the flower shop in 1938 and named it Roland Park Florist. For my project I have created a boat traveling to the U.S.A., as well as the Polish and U.S flags to symbolize their journey to freedom. My project is made of papier mâché and cardboard. I have also glued flowers around the sides of the boat to show the flower shop that she opened in Baltimore. She bought the flower shop during the Great Depression and it had been vacant for 5 years until they bought it in 1938.  I am inspired by my great-grandmother’s perseverance and determination in starting with nothing and building a great business. I hope to follow in her footsteps and emulate her hard work.

 

Gabby P. '21, The Three Young Sailors

My project represents how strong my great-grandmother, Sara, was when she was only eight years old. In 1927, my great-grandmother sailed across the ocean along with her two younger sisters from Poland to America. They made this long and difficult journey by themselves, as their mother had died in Poland and their father was already living in the United States. Once they got to America, their father met them and brought them home. My piece is a model of the boat my great-grandmother traveled on. This display is made from cardboard, which was then covered with papier mache. For the sea, I used mod podge to secure small navy rectangles to the base of the box. While I never met my great-grandmother, learning about her story makes me feel as though I know her.  She was so brave, but persevered through a challenging experience and emerged stronger. I benefit from her journey.

Bailey R. '21, A Painting to Pass Time

 

My project depicts the painting my great-grandfather was given during World War II, while he was in the American army. He was traveling with a prisoner, who knew how to paint. He used this skill to make himself look vulnerable. The prisoner made my great-grandfather a painting of my great-grandmother, while my great-grandfather described what she looked like. The POW (prisoner of war) also signed the painting. Throughout the war, my great-grandfather kept this painting close to him. The painting is still in our family today and I have created a copy of it.  This relates to my identity because, throughout my life, I want to be a selfless person and take risks for others. I also aspire to be a good leader, role model like my great-grandfather, and judge others fairly.

 

Marissa R. '21, Design and Prosper

My artistic display represents my grandfather’s coat business in Montreal. I made my display out of cardboard to make the box. I then used a specific papier mâché method to paint the outside of my building. With wire I made a coat rack and for my coat hangers, I used paper clips. The coats and carpet are made out of different types of fabric. The story behind my project is that my grandfather made fashionable women’s coats and the name of the business was “Mejay,” because it stood for “Me and J (Joyce)”.  My grandfather was an entrepreneur who began his “Mejay” after another failed business.  “Mejay” went on to become very successful.  When I grow up I want to become an entrepreneur and start a physical therapy business for wounded soldiers.  My grandfather’s determination inspires me that I can accomplish my dream job and give back to the community in return. 

 

Noah R. '21, Trapped Justice

My project depicts my great-grandfather’s escape from behind Nazi lines, during the Holocaust. The boxcar is made of popsicle sticks glued together, the soldier is my grandfather and is made of papier mâché and the barbed wire is made of wire. My great-grandfather was fighting for the U.S. army during WWII and the Holocaust when he and a few others were trapped behind Nazi lines, and hid in a boxcar. They had to fight their way out in the middle of the night using their bare hands. Afterwards and in addition to this, he liberated two concentration camps and fought in major battles in WWII.  I am inspired by my great-grandfather’s bravery and courage and by his sacrifice in fighting for justice.  In the Torah it says, “Justice, justice you shall pursue” and he pursued justice in fighting for the U.S. Army on behalf of the Jews in concentration camps.  

This story connects to my Jewish identity because it shows the Jewish principle of justice.

 

Ephraim R. '21, Service: A Link between Generations

My project is an engraving of the ship that my grandfather was stationed on while serving in the United States Coast Guard. To create this effect, I designed a laser to engrave into wood.  Robert Ruttenberg, my grandfather, joined the United States Coast Guard in October of 1944 at the age of eighteen and was discharged in May of 1946. When he joined, he ranked Steward’s Mate 3rd Class and eventually ranked up three times to Steward 3rd class. The ship he served the most time on is the United States Coast Guard Cutter Mendota, which is the ship I have depicted. For seventy years, since my grandfather, no one in my family had gone into the service, until now.  My older brother is joining the IDF in November and will continue my grandfather’s legacy of serving.  My grandfather’s service is a source of inspiration to this day. I did not know him very well but I looked up to him and respected him.

 

Ethan S. '21, The Ride of Their Lives

In my family story sculpture, I have created a ship that traveled from Russia to Baltimore.  I created this ship out of papier mâché and painted the base of the sculpture blue to represent water. Around 1915, my great-grandfather and his family were very poor living in Russia. His father finally earned enough money to buy only one ticket to Baltimore. My great-great-grandfather had to work in America and earn money for the rest of the family to get tickets. After many years, he finally earned enough money to send to his family back in Russia. They bought the tickets and finally got to come to America. If they had decided to stay in Russia, I would have had a very different upbringing, without the same opportunities and religious freedom. 

 

Aden S. '21, Oh the Places You Will Go

In my family story project I am telling the story of Charles Wosk, my great-grandfather who emigrated from Poland to America with his family in 1916 when he was 6. Charles went from Poland, to England, then to Canada, and finally America. My project displays a plaster globe with the locations that my grandfather traveled to while immigrating.  I connect to this project as a Jew in the fact that I go to a great Jewish day school, I go to synagogue almost every other Saturday, and I am in a Jewish high school choir. All of these things connect me to the Jewish faith. If my great-grandfather did not immigrate to America, then I would not be here today to observe all of these opportunities as an American Jewish citizen. My project represents the journey of emigration from Poland to America, how hard the journey was, and how long it took. Charles Wosk is one of many people who emigrated from Europe.  They all made a hard choice but that choice saved multiple lives and brought people to the land of the free.

 

Sarah S. '21, The Journey That Started It All

My project shows the journey that my great-grandparents, Yosef and Sara, went on to get a better life. For my artistic display, I have papier mâché’d the shape of Romania, Palestine and Peru which are the countries that they traveled through. Also, I papier mâché’d small ships to show how they traveled from country to country.  My great-grandparents joined a Zionist youth group called the Beit Halutz of Kishinev following Yosef Trumpeldor’s Zionist ideals, in what used to be Romania. This group of young teenagers traveled by ship to what was Palestine under the rule of the British Mandate and snuck into Tel Aviv in 1920. While they were there they worked in tobacco fields and a few years later, in 1925, they had a son named Yona, my grandfather. Since life was very tough in Palestine they decided to move. Yosef had a brother named David who wanted to move to America but there were no more visas available. One of the few consulates which had visas available was the Consulate of Peru so he decided to move there. Since David was already in Peru, Yosef, Sara and their baby Yona decided to join him there in 1926. This connects to my identity because, after my great-grandparents moved to Peru, my family grew and together with many close relatives who have lived in Peru for last 90 years and have been able to stick to Jewish thoughts and beliefs.  While my immediate family and I no longer live in Peru, we are very close to our Peruvian family and I am grateful that Peru offered a safe and comfortable life.  I am amazed by my family’s international roots and the fact that we can practice Judaism everywhere and anywhere!

 

Talya S. '21, Running Out of Space

This project impacts my identity because in the 1900s my great-grandmother moved from Iraq to Israel. She had no money, her husband was sick, and she had to take care of her parents and her grandparents. She didn’t care, she did it anyway, and even after all these years, my grandmother says she’s happy it happened and that she would do it again. It was hard at that time in Israel; there were too many people and not enough space. All the new immigrants had to live in a ma’abara (a refugee absorption camp) in small huts. The connection between me and my project is that if my grandma never moved to Israel than I might not have been there today.  While I am currently living in Baltimore for the year, I am a proud Sabra and hope to carry on my grandmother’s tradition of resilience and toughness.

 

Allison S. '21, Wrapped in Tradition

My family story represents the reason that my family fulfills the mitzvah of putting on Tefillin. As captain of a landing craft in WWII during the Battle of Anzio, my grandfather watched bombs hitting other ships and felt that he would not make it through the war. My grandfather prayed that if God brought him through the war, he would put on Tefillin every day for the rest of his life. He survived and kept his promise. Now the men in my family put on Tefillin every day, from the day they are Bar Mitzvahed. Recently, one of my brothers visited Anzio, Italy and put on Tefillin overlooking the water where my grandfather fought. Even though I am not obligated to put on Tefillin, this story is very special to me because my brothers and future husband will continue fulfilling this mitzvah with even more meaning behind it. The promise that my grandfather made is the reason I am here because otherwise he may not have survived. I am very proud of my Judaism and feel so honored to have this tradition being passed through my family with so much meaning behind it. I recreated the landing craft in Anzio and Tefillin using cardboard, papier maché, and paint. I have sand and pictures that my brother got from Anzio that I put around my project.

 

Ronen S. '21, Fake Baptism, Real Jew

My project depicts the struggles my grandfather faced being Jewish in 1956. My grandfather was in the U.S. military during the Suez Crisis and had an assignment to get Americans out of Israel for their safety because of the dangers of Operation Sinai. The problem was that the U.S. Airforce wouldn’t allow him to fly over Egypt, since he was Jewish, and they were afraid of his imprisonment or death in case of capture. Because this operation meant so much to him, he went to a priest to get a fake baptism document. I put a map of the east coast of America, and a map of Israel and dotted the lines where he flew. I also put the document in the middle. The document in the middle of my project is a copy if the real document my grandfather had. This fake baptism allowed him to fly over Egypt into Israel and complete his mission. This story is very important to me because it shows how important being Jewish is in my family and the lasting connection we have to Israel.  During this dangerous mission, my grandfather even wore a Jewish star necklace under his uniform because he didn’t want to forget his identity.  I am inspired that he chose to go on this operation, even though it required risk taking, but that he never forgot his identity.

 

Josh S. '21, Driving Into Freedom

In my display, I am showing the trip my family took from Belarus to Baltimore. My family was from Belarus and moved to Baltimore in 1978 because of religious discrimination. They moved because it became hard for my grandfather to get a job, and for my father to have a normal life in and out of school, free of persecution. My sculpture shows the house they were living in in Belarus and the journey they took to get to America. In the United States my father opened a limousine and car service, which I represented with a garage with cars and limousines in it. I used papier mâché, cardboard, and paint. The connection to me is that now I go to a Jewish day school free to express my religion in and out of school without getting persecuted.  I am grateful that my family immigrated to America and hope to continue their tradition of hard work.

 

Lihee S. '21, Moving to Safety

In my project, I depicted my grandparents moving from Iraq to Israel and my parents moving from Israel to America. My grandparents moved separately to Israel where she was a seamstress and he was a cable worker. I drew a picture of the Middle East and America and two wires connecting them with stitches. Also around the edges I made stitches to symbolize my grandma sewing. My grandparent’s families lived in separate cities in Iraq for many generations, but it all changed in 1950. The Iraqis started to blame all crimes on the Jews, putting innocent people in jail. At first, they wouldn’t let anyone go, but then a very rich man came and said he would pay $2,000 to the Iraqis for every Jewish person they let leave. We don’t know what ended up happening to the man today, but he saved thousands of people. I am very thankful to this man because if he wasn’t so generous I might not be around today.

Meghan S. '21, Tread For Your Life

My display lets you see deep in my family’s story.  My great-great-uncle was a lieutenant in the United States Navy on a ship called The Zellar in World War II.  He was in the Atlantic Ocean with his crew when the ship he was on was hit.  He and a couple of other crew members ended up floating on a raft in the middle of the ocean for about a week until they were saved.  He was injured but alive.  His name was Leon.  While making this project I papier machéd a boat made out of wooden sticks.  I made a raft out of wooden sticks with a person on it, and I painted the ocean.  Afterwards, I papier machéd tissue paper to make an explosion.  I would say the reason my family has maintained their Jewishness for so long is because my great- great-uncle stayed strong to his Jewish identity through the naval academy and his stint in the navy!

Sivan S. '21, A Marine, Fighting for his Country

In my family story sculpture, I have depicted a larger version of the Purple Heart medal. In order to create this, I needed to use a wooden box as the box for the medal to look like it was actually “on display” as well as a clear cover to look like glass to keep the medal safe and classy looking. I also used a hot glue gun to create the man in the center of the medal, as well as yellow and purple paint to match the colors of the real medal. The story I am trying to tell is that, just like many Jews are proud to defend our freedom in Israel, my great-grandfather was proud to defend the U.S.A.  Charles was a Jewish marine who received this medal for being wounded in 1919 during World War 1 in Chateau Thierry, France while fighting to defeat Germany. This medal is a U.S. military award presented to anyone wounded or killed while fighting an enemy. The connection between this medal and my Jewish identity is that both have to do with the importance of defending our country and of being brave against our enemies.  I am proud of my great-grandfather’s sacrifice and hope to continue in his footsteps of fighting for what I believe in. 

 

Kayla S. '21, The Journey that Saved our Jewish Tradition

My artistic display represents the journey my grandfather experienced in order to have Matzah for Passover. I made a train out of cardboard to show that he traveled by a train. I also used a map for the base of my box because he had to travel from Dnepropetrovsk to Moscow to Leningrad in order to receive the Matzah. He and his family lived in Dnepropetrovsk, Soviet Union and there wasn’t any Matzah for him to buy there. Before Passover, he was going on a business trip to Moscow. He traveled on a train for a full night until he reached his destination, Moscow. He figured he could buy Matzah there because they had a major shul. Sadly, they had run out of Matzah. He wasn’t going to just accept the fact that they didn’t have Matzah because this is a Jewish tradition for Passover that he wanted to fulfill. Therefore, he started thinking about alternative ideas. Luckily, he knew about another major shul in Leningrad. It took him another full night to reach his new destination, Leningrad. When he arrived in Leningrad, he got the Matzah he needed for him and all of his relatives that had asked for it. This story shows our religious beliefs and that my family will do anything in order to fulfill the Jewish holiday we want to have. I have truly learned to never give up on anything just because there will be struggles that might occur during the process. This story also shows that my family will do anything for each other. Although my grandfather could have easily said no when his relatives asked him to bring back Matzah for them, he took it upon himself to do it. In my family, family is always first and my grandfather demonstrates this value in this story.

 

Sara S. '21, Letters of Life

My project displays letters and pictures that were sent to my great-grandmother from her family in Poland before the Holocaust. I used paint and wooden knobs to make my keepsake box, and foam to make the letters come to life. In addition, I used a piece of cardboard to make the lid of my box. I made this project all about my great-grandmother and her family. She was living in Warsaw, Poland before the Holocaust. Her family only had enough money to send one person to America. They sent her since she was the oldest child. For years her family sent her letters sending her good wishes and hoping to be reunited. Her mother passed away before they were taken to the camps. Eventually, the letters stopped coming and she never knew what happened to her family, despite searching for many years.  These letters were passed on to my grandmother and are a part of our family history.  Although she had to separate from her family, my great-grandmother still was able to maintain contact with them and began a new life in the United States.  My great-grandmother’s letters taught me to take a negative situation and persevere through it.  I will always remember these stories and tell them to my children.

 

David T. '21, Making It

My family story project depicts how my uncle made the journey from Baku, Azerbaijan to Maryland, USA. It depicts what jobs he had to do to get where he is today. To make this project, I used black printing ink and paint on top of a wooden box. On the box, I also have a symbol of all of the jobs that he had. My uncle moved from Azerbaijan to the United States of America in order to have a better life. He left Azerbaijan as a refugee because there were troops in his town. He did not have a lot of money with him. He moved to Detroit with his wife and daughter. He started working straight away to support his family. He started working at a kosher butcher shop. He worked at one more job in Detroit which was to be a dishwasher at a restaurant and then moved to Baltimore in 1992. He started working as a taxi driver at Dulles airport. After this job he also worked at a jewelry store and as a software engineer. He then started his own personal home care business in his basement. Since then this business has grown a lot and has become successful. This story inspires me to work hard and to never give up. The fact that he was able to make it to where he is today after starting with so little tells me that with all that I already have I can be as or more successful.    

 

Ben V. '21, Birthday Wish

My project represents my father’s peregrination to America. In my project I used cardboard and papier mâché to make the cake. I also used acrylic for the frosting. My grandparents, aunt, and father left their small town in Ukraine in 1979. Their journey to the USA had finally begun. On the journey they stopped in Austria and Italy. While in Italy my father turned ten years old. For his tenth birthday my grandparents got my dad a cake and took him horseback riding. Shortly after my dad’s birthday they got on a boat to the USA. They arrived in New York and eventually took a bus to Baltimore. This story connects to my identity because I am grateful that my family made this tough journey to the USA so I could be where I am today.  This cake represents my father’s new life out of the Ukraine and the sweet memories he made during his journey.

 

Jacob W. '21, The Big Decision

My project depicts the decision that my great-great-grandfather made to come to America instead of returning to Lithaunia.  I created stepping stones to represent the journey that my great-great-grandfather went on and cut and painted the flags of the U.S.A. and Lithuania.  Additionally, I molded tin foil models of my both my great-great-grandfather and his brother.  My great great-grandfather, Meyer, who was born in Lithuania, had moved to Australia during the gold rush of the 1850s.  Around the same time his bother moved to the United States.  After living in Australia for some time, Meyer’s brother contacted him and asked him to move to Baltimore, instead of returning to Lithuania.  His brother persuaded him by telling Meyer that there was a job, a wife and a place to live in Baltimore.  Meyer then had to make a big decision. To move to America would mean leaving his home, friends, and business behind. He made the decision to move to Maryland and lived a good life.  This decision impacted generations to come because the Lithuanian Jewish community was destroyed during the Holocaust, and I am so grateful that I grew up in America.  Meyer’s story taught me that even a small decision can have a big impact on the future and future generations.  Meyer’s decision changed my family history.