Eighth Grade Tells Their Families' Jewish Stories through 3-D Art

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

UPDATE: Mazal tov to Maya T. '22 and Erela I. '22, whose My Family History projects won the recent local competition at the Jewish Museum of Maryland. Their projects will be sent to The Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot in Israel. Maya's project was one of 50 projects selected from around the world for the My Family Story 2018 International Competition in June.

 

Gabriella A. ’22, Canoeing to a Free Land
My family story display represents my grandmother going to her Jewish homeland. My grandmother was born in Iraq, as a Jewish girl to a wealthy man. My great grandfather was a polygamist, which meant that he had many wives; four to be exact. He also had many children, and so my grandmother had twenty siblings. My family knew that they would not be able to live their Jewish identities to the fullest while living in Iraq. My great grandfather decided that the best choice for his family would be to leave Iraq and go to Israel. My great grandfather knew that it would not be that easy for 26 people to leave a country that did not want people leaving. So, he made a plan. The plan was that they were going to leave their home in the night and go and ride on canoes until they arrived in Israel. So, that is what they did. They carried through with the plan and succeeded. My family's story really reminded me of how lucky I am to be able to take my Jewish identity for granted and not have to fight for it like they do in other parts of the world. I am so grateful for the life that I have in a free country, all thanks to the smart decisions and the faith in God that my great grandfather had.

Daniel A. ’22, The Secret Shul
My artistic display represents the importance of my family’s Jewish traditions in the former Soviet Union. The building was designed like a government building, but was in fact, a shul. On high holidays in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, my grandparents would go to this discreet building to pray. They couldn’t have told their neighbors or friends because they feared persecution. Due to the government corruption, Communism had a strong impact on the people of the former USSR, which Ukraine was a part of. Lack of freedom of religion and other parts of life was fiercely prevalent and affected my family. I created this building out of cardboard and plaster gauze. This was chosen, in order to make the building sturdy and life-like. I also used Styrofoam for the columns in the front of the building. This story shows how dedicated my family was to keeping their Jewish traditions alive. It impacts my life because it makes me happy to have freedom of religion in this country, and makes me proud to come from a family that embraces their Jewish culture.

Jacob A. ’22, The Diamonds in the Clock
My artistic sculpture depicts a story of a group of people moving to America from Belgium. The people are a very close family friend (I call him Uncle Sy), his mother and sister as they were checking in to Ellis Island. They had just arrived at Ellis Island after escaping Belgium when Hitler was taking over Europe. Knowing they were Jews and in danger, they left with all they had. My sculpture also shows a children’s clock with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which he brought over from Europe. At the moment shown by the sculpture, the alarm clock was filled with diamonds, which was very relevant at the time because, in the 1940s, many Jews were in the jewelry business both in America and Europe. When my story occurs an inspector is going through my uncle’s family’s luggage. Inside of the alarm clock, depicted in my sculpture, are hidden diamonds that my uncle’s family was trying to smuggle into America. The inspector takes the alarm clock with the diamonds and brings it over to the corner of the room to inspect it. Just then my uncle’s mother starts to get worried because inside of that alarm clock was all that my uncle and his family had coming to America. So his mother, who was getting more worried by the second, pinched her children’s behinds and they started crying so that the inspector looked over at them and came over. Then his mother told the inspector that the kids loved and cherished alarm clock so he gave the alarm clock back.

Ryan B. ’22, Gap Walk
For My Family Story project, I have created Masada, in Israel. My mother took a gap year in Israel in between her college years, and she vows that walking up Masada was her most valuable memory of this trip. I created this sculpture out of wire, plaster gauze, Paper Mache, and paint. My mother says that she loved this experience. The trip had lots of culture in it, and it showed her how it felt to be in the state of Israel. This relates to me because my mother wants me to follow her footsteps by doing a similar trip, and this story connects to Judaism because it happened in Israel.

Sarah B. ’22, Heart of a Lion
During World War II, my maternal great-great-grandfather lived in Rechitsa, Belarus. Rechitsa was a small town whose population was mostly made up of Jews because, at that time, Jews could not live in big cities. Not only did Rechitsa have a large Jewish population, it was one of the largest and oldest Jewish villages in Belarus. My grandmother left Rechitsa with her parents and siblings. However, many people did not leave because they did not expect such terrible persecution of Jews. My great-great-grandfather was one of the people that stayed. The Nazis occupied the town on August 23, 1941 and in November all 3,000 remaining Jews were gathered in a ghetto. On November 25, the Jews were murdered by the Nazis. My great-great-grandfather was one of the Jews murdered that day. First, the Nazis tortured him by pulling out his beard, and then they tied him behind a horse and chased the horse into a river. The town had no synagogue, and in 1970 the Jewish population was estimated at about 1,000. In the 1990s most Jews of the town emigrated to Israel. My great-great-grandfather never got to go to Israel. He never had a proper funeral. He never got to see his grandchildren grow up to be the amazing people that I know today. His children and grandchildren survived the war and that’s why I am here today. My project is in memory of my great-great-grandfather, who was so passionate about Judaism. His name was Lev Pikovski. Lev in Hebrew means heart. Lev in Russian means lion. I like to think of it as him having a heart of a lion. He was brave and practiced his religion even though it was not allowed. He endured torture from the Nazis. The poem, in Russian, by David Samoilov is about a boy who had a dream about his father. In his dream his father was telling him how sorry he was that he was never with him and that he would have to live through such terrible times. I thought this poem was very fitting because my great-great-grandfather was not there for his children. The poem ends with the boy realizing that he would have to say the same thing to his own son. Luckily, our generation was born into a better time, and the soldiers who helped fight against the Nazis saved my religion. I am forever grateful.

Maya B. ’22, The Nazi Effect
My family story sculpture is representing my maternal grandmother’s journey from France to Ellis Island. In 1946, my grandmother traveled on a ship called Ile de France with many other children who had also lost their parents to the Nazis and were put in orphanages. My grandmother lost her mom in a concentration camp and her father to mental illness after he escaped the concentration camp. In this sculpture, I made a ship with an Eiffel Tower on one side, and the Statue of Liberty on the other side to show from where she started her travel and ended her travel. To make this display, I colored tinfoil blue to represent the ocean. Next, I built a ship and an Eiffel Tower from cardboard, Paper Mache, and painted them. Then, I built a Statue of Liberty using blocks which I Paper Mached and painted. I also put little wooden people on the ship to show the crowded journey that my grandmother experienced. Due to my grandmother’s journey to America, she allowed my heritage to be passed down through the family by meeting my grandfather, which allowed me to grow up in a Jewish community. This sculpture is a good representation of my Jewish identity because it shows one of the many places that my heritage came from.

Riley B. ’22, The Long Haul
My project displays my mom's journey from Ukraine to America. Throughout her journey she went to many places and saw many cultures. She was born in Odessa, Ukraine and at the age of 4 her family decided to leave. They decided to leave for a better life. In Ukraine it was very hard to succeed and prosper in such an underdeveloped country that was full of controversy, especially as a Jew. My grandparents wanted a better life for my mom and for the generations to come. They started their journey by taking a train to Vienna, Austria to decide whether they wanted to go to Israel or America. From there they took another train to Rome, Italy so they could wait for their visas, and then they took a plane to New York, and finally another plane to Baltimore where they have lived ever since. My project is half of a globe with red pins marking the stops my mom made along her journey and a red dotted line to show her path. The globe also had various planes and trains showing how she got to the many places she visited along the way. This is very significant to my Jewish identity because if my mom had stayed in Ukraine I probably wouldn't be here in America going to a Jewish day school and having so many opportunities that she never would've been able to imagine if she stayed. I am so grateful that Mom moved across the world for my future as a Jew.

Samuel B. ’22, A Rough Start
My display is the building that my great grandfather and also my grandfather owned together. When my great-grandfather, Hersh, was forced to leave Belgium because of WWII, he began a new life in America. In America, my great-grandfather put all the money he had into opening a diamond business. Since my great-grandfather was getting old, he could no longer run the business himself, so my grandfather, whose name is Marcel, joined the business and helped his father. At first, the business was not getting any customers, which almost resulted in the business closing, but with some luck, more and more people started going to my grandfather’s business to buy diamonds. To make the building, I used cardboard which I then painted. For the counter I used small wooden blocks which I then glued together. From this story, I have learned that even though some things may not work out at first, you should always keep trying because it may result in something great in the future. Despite all the persecution that my great-grandfather and grandfather faced, they were still able to recover from it all and start a successful business.

Jake C. ’22, The Journey
My artistic display represents my grandfather, Chaim Kornblit, who went from Siberia to the USA. Chaim was living in Poland, but then, when he was seven, he was sent to Siberia. He lived in Siberia for five years until he escaped with his family – he wasn’t expected to live. My great grandfather was able to help my grandfather a lot because he sewed clothes. I know it doesn’t sound like it was a lot but it was because he fixed up clothes for people and in return they gave him food. That food kept them going in Siberia. The food on my project represents the food that got them out of Siberia. The needle and thread represents my great grandfather’s sewing skills. And the Jewish star represents my grandfather’s love for Judaism. If my grandfather didn’t get out of Siberia he wouldn’t be able to continue the Judaic life he lives.

Gabriella C. ’22, The Banana Boat that Saved My Family
In My Family Story project, I recreated the boat that my maternal grandfather, Henry Reichenberg, and his parents traveled on to get to America. To escape Germany during the Holocaust, they took a train from Frankfurt to Munich in July of 1941. Then, they traveled on a ship called the Magallanes from Munich to Barcelona and then to Cuba. Lastly, they went from Cuba to New York on a boat filled with bananas. They arrived in New York on August 24, 1941. In my art design, I Paper Mached cardboard to create a boat and then I pasted bananas onto it. I added three wooden people to represent my grandfather and his parents. Also, I recreated the trunk that contained the only possessions my family was able to save from Germany. Lastly, I placed pictures around the project to display the real life journey. The Holocaust was a horrific time in the history of the Jewish people and I am so honored to recreate the trip that saved my family. If it weren’t for the sacrifice my family made by leaving Germany with only very few items, I would not be able to live my life as a free Jewish woman in the United States. I can learn from this how devoted my family was to their Jewish heritage and how they always wanted to keep their Jewish values alive.

Audrey D. ’22, Recipe of a Lifetime
My art piece displays symbolism and real-life actions pertaining to a famous family kugel recipe. Kugel is a traditional Jewish sweet baked pudding of noodles and a part of festive meals in Ashkenazi Jewish homes, particularly on Shabbat. A component of my display is a staircase with women on it representing the recipe being passed down from generation to generation. My grandmother, Saralee Kreshtool, got the recipe from her mother, Dorothy, who emigrated from Lithuania with her family in the 1920s. This recipe is special to my Jewish history because it was made for Shabbat every Friday night. Another component of the art piece is the doll house scene of me preparing and baking kugel. Also, the flags on the stair case are representing places the recipe has been passed on, which is the Lithuanian flag on the top and the United States flag at the bottom. My mom taught me how to make this delicious family recipe so I can pass it down for generations. This recipe is one of the many special items that celebrates the family traditions in my family.

Maya D. ‘22, Cheating Death
To exhibit the purpose of my project, I chose to represent my late grandfather, Philmore Dennen, and to display the event that changed his perspective on life. During WWII, he fought in the US navy, on the SHEA Destroyer. The event that I’ve decided to depict is when a kamikaze dive-bombed into the SHEA, the ship that my grandfather was on, and left only him along with several other crew members alive. He was the gunnery sergeant, and had gone below deck for his break, when a huge explosion sent him running back up. After seeing the gruesome after-effects of war, he was no longer just an 18 year old, but had now seen what actually happens during battle, and therefore had mentally aged. The broken, yet still connected flag pole represents the feeling Philmore had upon seeing this; emotionally broken, but mentally intact. This is where the title comes in place. Along with the many deaths of the crew on deck, the gunnery sergeant, the same man who went up to do his shift after my grandfather had come down, was dead. The words that are on the ship represent what he still had upon seeing this, and the words scattered on the water represent what he had lost. If Philmore hadn’t gone down at the exact time he did, he would had died then and there, and my dad, aunts, uncles, my siblings, and I would never have existed. I’m very grateful that God was watching over him, and that my grandfather was given a second chance at life. Whenever I visit my grandmother, we always sit in her bedroom and she tells me all the stories that Philmore would tell her about being in the Navy. This way, I can feel connected to him.

Rachel E. ’22, My Grandfather’s Necklace

For My Family Story project, I chose the story about a necklace that was passed down to me by my grandfather. It’s a pure gold necklace that has a Star of David with writing in the middle of it. The word in the middle says, “Zion,” which will be Israel’s new name when the Messiah comes. My grandpa was given the necklace for his Bar Mitzvah by friends of his parents. He wore it for fifty-three years, only taking it off for surgeries. My grandpa gave me the necklace right before my Bat Mitzvah. He was crying as he said that he was so proud to give me, his oldest grandchild, something that meant so much to him. He told me to wear it and never take it off until I pass it down to either my children or grandchildren. A few months after he gave me the necklace he felt like something was missing, so he went and bought himself another necklace that was very similar. It also is gold with the Star of David. For my project, I made a 3-D Star of David out of cardboard. I painted the star gold and painted a gold chain onto the wooden background. After that, I placed a picture of my grandfather wearing his necklace and a picture of me wearing my necklace. This necklace means so much to me because it meant so much to my grandpa. My grandfather is not religious, but he still wore the necklace and had a sincere relationship with it. I am so grateful that my grandpa chose to pass down the necklace to me, and I will cherish it and wear it every day before I give it to my children.

Gal E. ’22, A Journey for Freedom
My artistic display represents my father fighting for his people’s freedom and his journey doing so. My dad joined the Israeli army in August of 2000 after a year and four months of training. He joined the Special Forces in the bomb squad unit, and sustained many minor injuries and one major one on his hand during his service. I started my project by filling a base with sand to represent the places where my father fought. Then, I formed a man out of tin foil, Paper Mached it and then painted it. I did the same for the Jeep and the siddur. After that, I picked out a stone and drew the word “שְׁמַע” on it. Lastly, I inserted a picture of him. My father’s religion was and is still very important to him. No matter what, my father kept fighting for our people. That shows persistence. He prayed often, believing and trusting that G-d will help him and his fellow soldiers. As the years go by, my father reveals more about his past and how it affects him now. This year we celebrate 70 years in existence of Israel. If it were not for my father, and other soldiers who sacrificed so much to fight for the state of Israel, we most likely would not have the land and freedom of religion we do today.

Ahron F. ’22, The $300 Coat
My great grandfather, Benjamin Perlitch, lived in Sudidkov, Russia during the rule of the Czar. Benjamin was the oldest of three kids. During this time, the Czar was drafting people into the army, especially Jewish boys, and they would be forced to serve a long time. Benjamin was good with numbers so he worked in an office job for the army instead of fighting. His parents knew the army would make him fight at some point since he was 16, and they wanted a better life for him, so his mother sewed about $300 into his jacket when he was drafted into the Russian army in 1912. He jumped on a train to Austria and then another to Hamburg, Germany where he boarded a ship to America. He made it to America in 1913. I can relate this story to my Jewish identity because if he never moved to America and stayed in Russia, he would have stopped living as a Jew and give up his Jewish identity, and I would not be here today. My display shows a map of his travels, with 2 trains heading to Austria and Germany, and a boat headed to America, with the coat with $300 dollars inside as the centerpiece.

Ella F. ’22, Happily Ever After
For my family story, I created a keepsake box. The outside of the box is painted like a Swedish flag because it represents where my mother is from. On the inside, there is a Jewish star to represent that my parents met in Israel. There is also a letter that my father wrote to my mother when they were both in their own birthplaces. This letter shows the love between them. There are also photographs of my parents when they were in Israel. The photographs show how they met and decided to live a life together, and raise a Jewish family. I am lucky to become a part of the family they are raising.

Aaron G. ’22, The Journey for Change
My project depicts the scene of my maternal grandmother, Miriam, and her family walking from her southern village in Yemen to entering the city of Adin, Yemen with her family in 1947. The sand is real sand to display that she walked through the desert. I used wooden figures as people – she had one brother, three sisters, and a mother. Two of her sisters died on the journey there, which is why they are not present in my model. I made a house and mosque to represent the anti-Semitism that they were experiencing in Yemen which is why they immigrated to Israel. I made the buildings out of paper wood which I then paper-mache’d. Because of the sacrifice my grandmother and her family went through I am now free to practice my Jewish religion. I am the direct beneficiary of her hardship and perseverance, and for that I am grateful.

Alexis H. ’22, Freedom for the Future Generations
My artistic display represents a major event that will shape the future generations of my family. My parents are both originally from Iran. They lived there for a good amount of time before they had to escape. During the revolution, Jewish lives began to be dreadful and burdensome. Living in Iran meant my mother had to wear a hijab and had to hide her true Jewish identity. Although she went to a Jewish school, they could not celebrate Jewish holidays the same way I can today. They could not practice Judaism freely. After 10 years of planning, my mother’s side of the family decided to make it possible that the next generations could have lives where they don’t have to hide their beliefs. Escaping Iran was just the first obstacle. They had to journey to Vienna and stay there for a few months before being granted an immigration visa to enter the United States. I represented this story by creating America and Iran out of a foam board. Then I painted on the current American flag and the old Iranian flag. The old Iranian flag represents that Iran used to be a safe environment before the revolution. The countries were placed on top of the ocean made out of tin foil and tissue paper. There is an air Austrian plane showing the journey from Iran to Vienna, ending up in the United States. On the back, there are some real pictures of my mom and what she had to wear every day. One of the pictures shows the limitations of observance even at the Jewish school. They are wearing crowns to dress up for a special Jewish holiday called Purim, but still have to abide by rules and wear their hijabs. I’m am so thankful that my grandparents made the sacrifice to leave Iran for their freedom and their children’s freedom. Due to this, I now go to a Jewish school where I can freely practice Judaism.

Gabe H. ’22. Park Playfellows
For My Family Story project, I chose to capture the life of my paternal grandfather, Stanley Heyman, through a story that he told me about his childhood. In his preteen years of growing up in Baltimore Maryland he spent his summers playing baseball. He would go to the park with a bunch of other kids from around the neighborhood and play all day. He would go to a corner store and eat a meal after a full day of playing sports along with all of the other boys. Some kids in his neighborhood were not so fond of Jews at that time. One of them was especially anti-Semitic, but after a little bit of getting to know my grandfather, he changed his views and did not bother him anymore. Some of the other kids also changed their views on Jews who they had previously looked down upon. I️ chose to portray the story by putting a simply painted baseball field with sand glued onto the infield to represent the field they would play on. Across the street is a Paper Mached, small store where they would go and eat afterwards. My grandfather and a few others are standing together – friends despite their differences. The lesson of the story is that anti-Semitism was, and always will be an issue. My favorite part of this story is how my grandfather changed the discriminatory opinions of some kids and impacted their lives positively. Everyone can make s positive impact on the people around you just by exposing them to something new. All they needed was someone to show them that Jews were just as normal as they are. Protecting my Jewish identity is very important to me, just like my grandfather.

Erela I. ’22, A Light Surrounded by Persecution
My Family Story display shows my family’s heritage of religious Jews who lived in Iran. In my project I have a black surface with a collage of images of Persian Jews, Arabic writing, and the persecution of Jews in Iran. The collage represents the environment that both of my parents grew up in. One filled with hate and bad opinions towards all Jews. My family was surrounded by this threat of danger all throughout their lives in Iran until they immigrated to the US in 1984 and 1992. In the center of my project is a figure shaped like an open house. This represents my family’s safe haven in a habitat of darkness. Set up inside of the house is a setting of a Shabbat night dinner table with lit candles a family saying Kiddush. These moments in Iran, in this event, represents the light that being Jewish brought to my family.

Aryeh K. ’22, The Israeli Army and its Profound Connection to America: My Sister, Shuli’s Decision to Join the I.D.F.
My Family Story display is about the deep connection between my family, America and Israel. My project shows the story of how my sister, Shuli, who lived in America, decided to join the Israeli army by choice. She did this because of her and my family’s intense connection to the land of Israel. My project depicts a shooting range like the one my sister will have to use during basic training to be in the Israeli army. The targets symbolize all the enemies Israel will face and the challenges that my sister will face. The picture of her and one of my brothers symbolizes all the people who helped to inspire her. It also shows how the Jewish people have made it this far through all the challenges. When I started my project, my sister didn’t know what she wanted to do in the army, but she then decided on “Search and Rescue.” It is a very special thing that she joined the Israeli army because she didn’t have to. I think it shows a lot of courage and bravery that she made this sacrifice for her people and the land of Israel. Joining the IDF inspires people and has inspired me to have a better connection with the holy land of Israel. Since it is Israel’s 70th year of independence, this act is even more significant. My sister is a true inspiration to me, my whole family, and the Jewish people as a whole.

Sophia K. ’22, From America to Israel
On my globe is a piece of yarn. It goes from Maryland to Ramat Beit Shemesh,in Israel. The yarn symbolizes just how far the trip to Israel is. Above this is a plane. In the year two thousand, all of my maternal grandmother’s immediate family lived in Baltimore or Salisbury, Maryland. The first person to leave was my uncle Avrum (Mark). He moved with his wife, Eshkie, and his six kids, Nechuma, Benji, Dovi, Rivki, Shaindel, and Yaakov. Next, was my aunt Tamara (Tammy). She moved with her dog, Oscar. Last, but not least were my great grandparents, Harry and Elaine. The story that spoke to me the most was my aunt’s. When I asked her why she moved, she said that when she was in Baltimore, something was missing, but when she was in Israel, nothing was missing. The stories all had that same message, but no one else could describe why they moved. By the time I entered kindergarten, they had all moved. When I was ten, I was able to visit Israel. This is the same age that my great-grandfather was when Israel became a state. This year, he is eighty. It is amazing to me that both of them are still around, and that Israel is thriving at 70 years even though it is surrounded by enemy territories.

Ariella K. ’22, Two Heroes
My artistic display depicts the heroism of both my paternal and maternal great-grandfathers. They both were American soldiers during World War II. My paternal great-grandfather, Paul Glasser, fought against the Japanese Imperial Army. I recreated the B-24 Liberator, a heavy bomber plane that he flew in, using tin foil and plaster gauze. Further, I painted a representation of my great-grandfather in the bell turret, the area from where he would shoot down enemy planes. On the other side, I chose to illustrate my maternal great-grandfather, Martin Jeremias, who parachuted behind enemy lines to spy against the Nazis. To portray this scene, I constructed a model of my great-grandfather in a parachute, descending into a Nazi controlled territory. Finally, in the background, I compiled pictures of my grandfathers to further recognize their story and accomplishments. The notable bravery and strength my great-grandfathers had to defend and protect their people is a true inspiration to me. Though neither are still alive, I am proud to have two heroes to look up to. I hope to follow in their courageous footsteps.

Shira K. ’22, My Family Mystery
My Family Story displays a legend that has been passed on in my family for three generations. When I first started My Family Story, I found out that the story I had always believed may not have been true. My project depicts a furniture store with three floors made of wood. I painted the floors and created all of the tiny furniture pieces. On the first floor, there is my great-grandfather and great-grandmother. I was told by my mother that they owned this furniture store. Their last name was Trensky and they felt that they weren’t getting enough business because of their Jewish name. Therefore, they changed their name to Morgan. My grandfather and great-aunt are on the second level; they symbolize the Morgans. My father, mother and I are on the third and final floor. My mother, whose maiden name is Morgan, married my father, Irwin Kramer. So, the Jewish name was restored and thereafter a Jewish lifestyle came back to my family. When researching this story, my grandfather told me that he had never heard of his father’s furniture store and that my great-grandfather was a store clerk. He said that they changed their name simply because it was Jewish and they didn’t want to be associated with Jews. In every family, there is some sort of mystery or folklore. I may never know the true story, but Jewish identity isn’t about what your name is, it’s about how you act and present yourself as a Jew. Whether my name is Trensky or Kramer, I am a proud Jew just the same.

Eden L ’22, Horses for Freedom
In My Family Story project, I have created a representation of my great-great grandfather, Morris Zenzelsky’s, escape from Russia. He was drafted for the Russian army during their civil war, and he did not want to fight his own country, but if he refused he would have been killed. Morris leaped onto his war horse and sewed money into the inside of his jacket in case of need and galloped until he reached the border of Russia. When he reached America, he had to change his name so it wouldn’t sound as Russian as Zenzelsky. He saw a seltzer truck drive by and decided on the name Seltzer. For my project, I got a toy horse and painted onto it a saddle and bridle and made my Grandpa out of foil and wire. Morris Seltzer used a horse for freedom and because of him, I am able to do what I love to do most; riding horses. I hope I grow up to have the same traits as my great, great grandfather; brave and strong.

Nathan L. ’22, The Great Escape
My Family Story project depicts how my great-grandfather, Solomon Leder, escaped the Warsaw ghetto in 1947. He escaped because the guards that were supposed to be watching him walked away and the guard at the front gate of the ghetto fell asleep, so he ran out into the forest. I used paper wood boards and papier Mache to make the houses. I used chicken wire to make the fence and wooden figures for the people. This story connects to me because if he didn’t escape the ghetto neither me nor my family would be here. Another way that this story connects to me is because I am named after him, his name is Solomon and that is my middle name.

Ella L. ’22, My Family's Immigration Story
In My Family Story sculpture, I created a visual of immigration. The boat explains how my family got here – on a boat. As you can see there is a red state that is Maryland. That's where they lived in America. The rest of Maryland is green, to show the riches they thought they would have. Like most immigrants, they had a reason why they left. They left Poland because they were poor and didn’t have a good life so they decided to go to America and live the American dream. This, financially, didn’t work out for them. They were more protected, however in America, they could get their children a Jewish education. It’s good for kids to get their Jewish education because they will know their Jewish identity. It’s also good for children to learn Jewish studies in a safe, non-anti-Semitic, and non-violent place. This ended up working in the long run because soon after, they got better jobs and were able to support their big family. They never moved to another state because this state was special for them as well as its special now for us.

Jenna L. ’22, A New Beginning
In My Family Story display, I created the ship my grandfather came on. In January of 1945, my grandfather, John Abosch, came with his mom on the Queen Mary ship. He came from Bradford, England and the boat came to Ellis Island. They then moved to Baltimore after that. His mom and he came to America because there were not a lot of Jewish people in England, but they had a lot of Jewish family in Baltimore. The flag of England, and the American flag, show how they immigrated. I made the ship out of cardboard and Paper Mache, which is very hard and sturdy. That shows also how the Jewish people have been tough throughout history. When his mom and he moved, it meant that the future generations of our family could be influenced by other Jewish people around us. If I were living in England, I would not have as many Jewish resources that I have living in America. Here, I can go to a Jewish school and shul that are both near me.

Yonah M. ’22, Farrell's Legacy
My great Zadie, Farrell Shar, was born and raised in a small village in Lithuania. His father died when he was young so he, his mother, two younger sisters, and his brother lived with their grandparents. One day with the imminent threat of World War II, great Zadie`s family decided to send him off to America. Once my great-grandfather had raised enough money, he would get the rest of his family out of Lithuania. Unfortunately, through a series of events my great Zadie found out that everyone in his family were murdered in the Shoah. It was very important to him that his family be remembered so once a year he pulled out pictures of his home and shared them with his family. Through this project I have learned a lot of what it was like to live in my great Zadie`s town and learned more about his story. This project is in memory of my great Zadie and to let him know that I remember too. The wooden base of my project is painted to look like the Lithuanian flag because that is where my great-grandfather was from. I then chose a few pictures that are both significant to me and were to my great Zadie. One of the most important pictures is that of the shul. This picture is so important because it was the pride of the town. One of my favorite pictures is of the gate to the town. I like this picture because you can see the Jewish star, which is openly saying that it is a Jewish town, not having to fear anything. The final pictures are of my great Zadie and his family and friends. I included these pictures because I wanted to show my family what was important to my great Zadie.

Aryeh P. ’22, From Nothing to NASA
Samuel Caplan was the son of a poor blacksmith in Russia. He left Russia at a young age and went to New York. He left Russia at a young age for fear of being drafted into the Russian army. My display shows my great, great, great, grandfather, Samuel Caplan, running from a Russian officer. The officer holds a list of those to be drafted to the Russian army. Samuel is running across the ocean to New York from Russia. In New York, Samuel worked in textiles. After him, his son Harry Kaplan worked for NASA in Cape Canaveral, FL. Harry’s daughter, Penny, married Wayne Pasch. Wayne owned an auto repair shop. It was called J Auto Parts. Throughout the years and generations, my family has always worked with machines. I was inspired by this story because it connected all the generations through profession. I personally aspire to become a mechanical engineer myself and my great grandfather Harry inspires me because he went from nothing to NASA.

Yosef P. ’22, Saved From a Cattle Car
My project depicts the story of my great uncle-in-law, Charlie. When he was just a baby he was in a cattle car on his way to a concentration camp. The cattle car was captured by the Russians and he was sent to a displaced prisoner’s camp for a while. I started my project out by making the cattle car. I made it out of cardboard, Paper Mached over that, then hot glued popsicle sticks on to it, that I painted. After that, I started on the ground. I took a wooden board, taped crumpled up paper to it, then Paper Mached over that as well. While that dried I molded people out of tin foil, which I also Paper Mached over. This story is very important to me because if Charlie had not been saved by the Russian soldiers I would not have my uncle or cousins, who I am very close with. Also, I would have never met Charlie, and he is very important to me.

Jacob P. ’22, Lithuanian Days
For my family story project, I have made something that is very powerful and intense but that is my story. My story is that my great, great grandmother, Lena, had a brother who was being drafted into the Lithuanian army, so the family hid him. When the army found him they hanged him from a tree in front of the whole town to make an example that if a person does not willingly go into the army they will be hanged. After this tragedy Lena came to New York on a boat and then she moved to Baltimore and started a Jewish family. I made my tree out of wired mesh and plaster gauze; then I covered the plaster gauze in Paper Mache and then I painted over it. This story relates to me because my great, great grandmother was helping people in Lithuania and escaped and because of her I am in America today and not back In Lithuania. This teaches us to look out for the future generations so that they can be happy just like I am happy to be Lena’s great, great grandson.

Lilly P. ’22, A Coat of Bravery
In my family story sculpture, I recreated an army jacket worn by my great grandfather in World War II. The original jacket had many different medals on it, which I made from cardboard and papier-Mache. The variety of medals from different battles represent acts of bravery. One example of this was the story of when he got shot during the battle of Guadalcanal in 1942. This act of bravery earned him a Purple Heart. I chose to do my project on this because I believe that bravery is one of the most important traits someone can have. People came together from all religions and all cultures to help the Jews beat the Nazis. As well as the soldiers, the Jewish people themselves needed immense bravery to face those dark times. We all came together as one people to show our resilience and to support one another. I have learned many lessons through the process of learning about the coat and completing this project that I will carry with me throughout life. This is a symbol of resilience and teaches me how to fight for the greater good and inspires me to protect the things I love.

Sophie P. ’22, Courage in Difficult Times
In my artistic display, I created a Paper Mache sculpture of the Queen Mary ship from World War II with a collage around the border of the board. The collage has pictures of artifacts like metals and badges and pictures of the actual war itself. Also, I made the water that the ships sailed on multi-colored to symbolize that it wasn’t just Jews killed in this massacre, but millions of other people died as well. It’s important for everyone to remember this event, so we aren’t doomed to repeat history. The actual ship departed from New York in 1943 and it transported around 1,087 crew members and 11,990 troops including my great grandfather, Marvin Potlack. The ship also had on it huge guns and other weapons. My great grandfather sacrificed his life, along with so many other people to go fight the Nazis and end one of the worst genocides in history. The Holocaust affected so many Jewish families worldwide and every person who fought the Nazis made a difference in the outcome of the war. My classmates and I are direct beneficiaries of the true sacrifices that people like my great grandfather endured. I only wish I could exhibit bravery like he did.

Nathan R. ’22, A Tale of Two Necklaces
On my Bar Mitzvah both of my grandmas gave me a necklace that has the Star of David on it. There are many reasons why I cherish theses necklaces so much. One reason is that they both interconnect my family because they were both passed down to me. On my mom’s side my great grandma gave it to my grandma then my grandma gave it to me. And on my dad’s side my grandma got it for my uncle who is dad’s brother and he was the youngest of all four of them. He told my grandma to give it to me because I was the first boy to become a Bar Mitzvah. My parents tell me that in Azerbaijan, they tried to follow all the holidays, but it was hard because it is a Muslim country that accepts Jews. But then there was a bad government so they all decided to immigrate to the free country that was the USA. They told me when they immigrated they could start following all the holidays again as Sephardic Jews. This relates to me because if my parents never immigrated, I never would have known about Yom Kippur or Pesach or Shavuot, which would really affect me because my whole family and I wanted to follow all the holidays. In conclusion my family has been through a lot but we still try to follow all the holidays. And what my parents said to me was that my two necklaces have been through everything they also went through, so I made my project about the sentimental value that that both necklaces carry.

Emily R. ’22, Million Dollar Idea
My art piece exhibits the stages of my uncle Eli’s life and journey to success. My uncle Eli was the first in his family to escape the Holocaust from Germany and move to America. He was not allowed to bring any money with him, so his family bought him a first-class ticket on the ship. When he got to America, he was broke, so he decided to start a fabric company. He decided to name his company Fabric King. Fabric King became a very successful company but, as Eli got older, he decided to sell it before he died. In my project, I created a stair-like structure that shows how he came to America, then how he was broke, and then became very prosperous. My uncle Eli has taught me a very good lesson that even though you think you have nothing, you can always make the best of things and make something great. Even when my family was still in Germany, they still observed Shabbat under some very harsh conditions. Another lesson that I have learned from my uncle’s experience is that an idea can turn into a dream. My uncle had a dream which he created into reality which is very inspiring.

Skylar R. ’22, Sacrifice and Bravery
My artistic display is about my great uncle Morris and his inspiring story. On the morning of September 1, 1939, Moniek was awakened by the sounds of airplanes flying overhead as German forces invaded Poland. As the war drew closer, Moniek fled but was soon caught near the Vistula River. On August 12th, Moniek’s parents were selected for deportation as well as many other innocent Jewish families. They were all taken to the Auschwitz killing center. Moniek was later deported to several concentration camps; the prisoners including Moniek were sent on a death march to the Buchenwald concentration camp. Walking more than eight hours in the freezing cold with only a piece of bread to eat, Moniek survived the death march and was liberated at the Theresienstadt ghetto by Soviet troops. He then, later, reunited with members of his family, sadly his parents and five out of 10 of his siblings passed in the time of the Holocaust. Moniek after several years of going to different concentration camps immigrated to the United States. My display is made out of wood, Paper Mache, paint, and wooden people. This story is so inspiring to me and he is such an important man in my life; his story lets us know that we will face many hard challenges in our lives, but we should never give up and we should always keep trying. This relates to Judaism because the Holocaust was one of the many hard challenges that the Jews faced, but Moniek kept his head held high and is an inspiration to me and many others.

Jacob S. ’22, The Ring that Started it All
In My Family Story display I created a golden ring that is made out of Styrofoam that’s in a velvet ring box which is made out of wood. The ring has been passed down for two generations and will hopefully be passed down to the next generation. In 1941, my great grandpa Leon bought a ring that said “אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי לִיי” which means “I am my beloved my beloved is mine.” This phrase is from the Song of Songs by Solomon, from a Jewish text. Leon loved the meaning so he bought it to propose to my great grandma, Mary. Leon died when my mom was 13 and the ring was saved for when my mother got married. She gave it to my dad after he proposed to her in 1996. They were married in 1997 and my father’s wedding date is now inscribed in the ring along with Leon’s wedding date. This relates to my Jewish identity because of the Hebrew inscription and the strong Jewish message of the husband and wife’s love for each other.

Jonah S. ’22, The Deli Around the Corner
In my display, I am depicting the Eastern European style deli called La Bodega Universal that my great grandparents owned. This deli attracted many eastern European Jews that had previously escaped Europe. It was opened in 1948 and was located in downtown Lima, Peru. My great grandmother, Sara, reunited with one of her old friends from Ukraine. They decided to open up this deli because they wanted to be the first deli to attract eastern European Jews who had immigrated to Peru from Europe. It would also be a gathering area for Jews who had the same experiences in Europe to share with others. Downtown Lima was a great place for opening or starting different types of businesses because of the busy traffic. La Bodega’s main products were imported from Europe, including, herring for Norway, Kalamata olives from Greece, and a variety of cheeses and wines from Holland, France, Denmark, and Italy. Another thing they sold was cold cuts or cold slices of meat. Along with these foods they imported halvah from Turkey. In 1968, the Peruvian economy crashed so it was very difficult to import European goods. Therefore, my great grandparents decided to sell the store to a Chinese businessman who later opened a Chinese restaurant under the same name. That same store is currently an optical center, where they sell eye glasses and contact lenses. In my project, on the right, there are barrels in which the herring was imported. In the middle, I have the deli case or meat counter where meats where displayed for customers. On the left, there is a money booth where my great grandmother would receive money for what the customer bought. My uncle worked at the deli case while, as I said before, my great grandmother dealt with the money. All my family members who worked there were extremely hard workers and I hope I can spread that with my family and many generations to follow. In addition to the hard work, I hope I can spread many recipes that come from La Bodega Universal to my family to embrace my family Jewish tradition and story.

Wyatt S. ’22, The Rustenburg Shul
In My Family Story project, I created an Orthodox shul that was built by my great, great uncle, Max Mainzer, in Rustenburg, South Africa. This was the first shul built in the city, for there were very few Jews living there. In fact only nine people belonged to it when it first opened in 1934. Today the shul is used as a museum for the Jewish culture of Rustenburg. I chose to construct this shul because it changed the way my paternal grandma practiced Judaism and is the reason that she is Orthodox. Her story influenced my family so much that we celebrate Shabbat and holidays with her. I learned from Max, that despite there being such a little population of Jews, it is still good to make a difference because you never know who you might inspire.

Phillip S. ’22, The Great Battle’s Coincidence
My display depicts a scene of a battle between the Soviet Army and the Nazis over the Volga River. This was the great battle of Stalingrad; the successful defense became the major turning point in WW2. This battle had intense bloodshed of over two million people. Two of my great grandfathers fought in this battle not even knowing each other at the time. One was my maternal great grandfather and the other was my paternal great grandfather. My grandfather on my mother’s side, was a commander of an anti-air defense system, while my father’s grandfather was an infantry unit Master Sergeant who oversaw some fifty troops. In my artistic representation there is a German plane being shot down by a missile from an anti-air defense turret, which symbolizes my maternal grandfather’s impact on the battle. Also, there is an infantry unit behind cover with one soldier bigger than the rest, which symbolizes my paternal grandfather’s command over that unit. This represents a Hebrew phrase called “Min Hashamayim,” which means a coincidence from God. They didn’t know how their fates would intertwine later on. They both got injured in their legs during the battle. Soon, divine providence brought my parents together and joined my great grandfathers together. If they were never as brave as they were when fighting for freedom and more, maybe my family and I wouldn’t be here today.

Tal S. ’22, Searching for a Place to Call Home
Imagine going back in time to the 1930s. The Great Depression had caused dark and scary times for the people living in Europe, especially for people living in Germany, Austria, and Poland. No one had known if they would have stable jobs or food to bring to the table. My family had been extremely fortunate to find a way out of not only the Great Depression but also the scary future which was on its way. In 1933, my great grandfather, Ludwig Schwartzchild, began his long journey to find a safe place for his two children to grow up in. After moving the whole family from to Paris, Ludwig then traveled to Ethiopia, where the Lion of Ethiopia demanded to speak with him. The Lion had wanted to ask if Ludwig would start a hospital there since he was a very successful doctor. Torn between going to Ethiopia or going back to Paris, Ludwig decided to take a quick stop in Palestine, that would be later called Israel. While in Palestine, he quickly fell in love with the land because of its history, but could not find a stable job, so he returned to Paris. While traveling back to Paris, Ludwig and his family sent letters to each other. After being in Paris for a while, Ludwig had gotten in touch with a family member who had been in the U.S. at the time. Being patient for the family had finally paid off when they received the papers to travel to America. For preparation for the long voyage, my great grandparents hollowed out my grandma’s little toddler shoes. After hollowing them out, they placed diamonds in them, so then, in the future, they could use them to have a better life in America. The globe with the black marks represent the long voyage Ludwig had experienced. From the countries of Palestine and Paris, I have paper airplanes flying to represent the letters that they sent to each other. The ship between America and Europe explains that many people had been traveling to America alongside my family and many others. The shoes along the globe represent the hollowing out of the shoes and the placement of the diamonds so my family could have a better life America. Next to the shoes on the right there is a stethoscope and a picture of the Lion of Ethiopia. On the left there is the Statue of Liberty and the objects are symbols from my great grandfather’s journey. This story means so much to me because I cannot imagine what my great grandfather endured to get to America. I was so fortunate to have such a privileged life, relative to my great grandfather’s. Not only did my great grandfather bring my family to America to have a better life, he also paved a way of Zionism in my family. Returning to Israel has now become something that I would like to do when I am older. Returning back to Israel and joining my family means so much to me because Israel is a beautiful country that has protected and hosted my siblings since I was born. Israel will be soon celebrating its 70th, years after my great grandfather had gone there. I believe that my great grandfather would have been shocked to find out that Israel is now celebrating its 70th through all the hardship Israel has gone through.

Maya S. ’22, The Long and Hard Journey
My artistic display represents the different places my father, uncle, grandma, and grandpa went through on their journey to America. The wire connecting the countries on my project represents all the places they went to before they reached their destination. My dad’s family was living in Kiev, Ukraine. The first place they went to was Vienna, Austria for three months, and applied for a green card. Then after they moved to Venice, Italy and spent two months there, and they had a choice to go to America or Israel. My dad’s family chose America because they had many relatives living there. They came to the U.S.A. in December of 1979. This immigration story relates to Judaism because my dad’s family came to America to have more religious freedom than they did in Ukraine. This affects me because without this happening I wouldn’t be able to go to a Jewish school, study Judaism, and see what it’s like to be a Jew. When my family came my grandma and uncle were put on the front cover of The Jewish Times titled “From Russia with Hope.” Finally, when my dad’s family came to America they were greeted by Sheri Wohlberg from HIAS, who is Rabbi Wohlberg’s wife.

Maya T. ’22, 1801 West Mosher Street
This representation of my family story depicts the grocery store that my great-grandparents owned when they moved to the U.S after surviving the Holocaust. My grocery store is made in a wooden box. Inside, there are four parts to the store. The fridge, resembling the frigid weather that my great-grandparents had to endure in the DP camps, and the shelves, with bread and crackers, resembling the only food that my great-grandparents were given. Then I made a fruit stand, with six different fruits with significance to six million Jews killed and the differences between each person and his story. Lastly, the tiles on the floor represent the silver dollars used to pay for the groceries at my great-grandparents’ grocery store. These silver dollars are very important to me because my great-grandmother saved those dollars and gives them to me and my brother when we lose teeth. Finally, on the outside of my box, I have created a collage of pictures with me and my great-grandmother because I am so fortunate to be able to know her and her amazing story. One of the lessons I can learn from my great-grandmother is independence. Even at 93, my great-grandmother makes the holiday meals for all of our family. I can also feel connected to her by the silver dollars that she gave me. I keep these silver dollars safe, and plan on giving them to my great-grandchildren, and telling them my great-grandparents’ story, in hopes of instilling their values in future generations, when the time will come.

Justin T. ’22, Kindness Saved the Day
My Family Project represents a survival story that has been passed through my dad’s side of the family. My great-great grandfather, Yosef, was imprisoned after the Soviet-Finnish Winter War of 1939 by the Finnish Government. Yosef was forcefully recruited into the Soviet Army’s infantry and sent to fight the Finns in December of 1939. During the battle, he was captured by Finns and became POW in Finland. Yosef and other Soviet POWs were held in the camp near Helsinki, the capital of Finland. There was very little food or warm clothing and with temperatures in winter reaching zero degrees, lots of prisoners died. Out of about 1,000 POWs in the camp only 400 survived after three years of captivity. Luckily, for Yosef, a small Jewish community of Helsinki sent their rabbi to the camp together with representatives of other denominations to look for people of their faith. A rabbi found Joseph and another Jewish POW there and persuaded a commandant of the camp to allow the rabbi to help fellow Jews. The Helsinki congregation collected food, warm clothing and even brought Yosef to Helsinki for a week. Thus, Yosef had survived imprisonment during those years and finally was released back to the Soviet Union. There he was quickly imprisoned for another six years as an enemy “sympathizer.” The cell represents the prisoners of war being held captive. The person outside the cell is a guard giving food and clothing to Yosef, my great-great step-grandfather. The background is the whole prison. The lesson Yosef gave me was the lesson of Chessed (kindness). The kindness he received was brought down through my family and then to me.

Matan T. ’22, Sergeant of the Jewish People
For the “My Family Story” project, I’ve displayed my paternal great-grandfather’s story as a sergeant in the United States Army. As a religious Jew in the Army, my great-grandfather, Allen Rubinfeld, kept kosher, even when it was extremely difficult. To keep kosher, Mr. Rubinfeld, had a very strict diet of potatoes and the occasional shipment of matzah that his sister, who lived in Cedarhurst, Long Island sent him, so he could share it with his Army friends. For my artistic display, I have displayed a Jewish Star with the United States Army sergeant logo fading into it to show that he was leaning on his Jewish identity throughout his Army journey. The most important thing that I learned from my great-grandfather is that the sky is the limit, that you can do anything as long as you try and put in your effort.

Ilan W. ’22, Ezra and Abuhav Shul
In my story sculpture, I have created a shul in Tzafat where my great-great-grandfather was a “Gabbai.” His name Ezra Haim Cohen. The shul is called the Abuhav synagogue. When my great-great grandfather died, his son took over as Gabbai. I visited the shul when I was in Israel and felt a connection to it. My project is made out of papier mache. It also has two staircases made out of cups and cardboard. The base is made of containers and cardboard. This project connects to the Jewish people because it is a shul that Jewish people go to pray and learn religion, helping to spread Judaism. My great-grandfather believed that Jews and Arabs should learn to coexist in peace, so he made an agreement with his Arab friends, he would make the pilgrimage to Mecca with them and they would attend together a Yom Kippur service at the Abuhav synagogue. At the end of the service, the families celebrated together. The Abuhav synagogue is a Kabbalistic shul that helped spread the Jewish mysticism. The shul was built in the 15th century, and was still standing when the region was known as Palestine and the Jews were not allowed to practice their religion freely. This coming Yom HaAtzma’ut, Israel is turning 70 years-old and Abuhav synagogue is a tourist attraction and a center for praying. My great-grandfather’s actions inspired me to be a tolerant person and accept people from different backgrounds. He taught me that people with different beliefs should learn to live together.

Sarah W. ’22, From Friends to Dating to Married
My artistic display is about how my parents met. My mom was married to someone else when she had my brother, but they ended up getting divorced. My mom was very good at swing dancing and loved to do it, but since she just had my brother she had to take some time off from dancing. My mom’s best friend was still swing dancing when she met my dad. She immediately told my mom about him and that my mom should come dance again. My mom ended up going dancing and meeting my dad. After three weeks of being friends, my parents finally started dating. After a year and a half of dating, my parents finally got married and had my older sister Samantha. After two years my parents had me and then had my sister Sophie. I did my artistic display on this because swing dancing is a huge part of my family. My dad swing dances, my mom swing dances and me and my sister swing dance. My project relates to Judaism because my parents have swing danced at all most all of our Jewish celebrations.

Isabelle Z. ’22, Bonjour Madam
My artistic display is the Eiffel Tower which is located in the middle of Paris, France. I decided to make the Eiffel Tower because my great grandmother was born and raised in France. In 1945, my great grandmother, Josette, met the love of her life, Abou. The got married twice, both times in France – the first time on June 29, 1945 and the second time July 29, 1945. They got married twice because in France, at the time, they did not recognize a religious ceremony. They got married again after Abou came back from the army on July 29, 1945. I made the Eiffel Tower out of cut out cardboard pieces and Paper Mache. I spray painted it silver because silver is the color of the real Eiffel Tower. I then made a bride and a groom next to the Eiffel Tower because my great grandparents got married in France. I also made a ship with war brides on it because my great grandmother, Josette, left France as a war bride. She inspired me to always fight for your dreams because if you don’t you will never achieve them.

Jacob Z. ’22, The Jewish Boy Scouts
In my project, I have depicted a troop of Boy Scouts having a prayer service on a camping trip. My grandfather, Joel Berkelhammer, started the first Jewish Boy Scout troop in all of North Carolina, which is the reason for the North Carolina flag, along with the Israeli flag. The Israeli flag is there to symbolize how the troop is a Jewish troop, along with the kipot on the Scouts’ heads. The moss and gravel path is there to show how the troop is out in nature camping in the wilderness. The person leading the prayer service is my grandfather, because he started the troop and served as Scoutmaster. He took charge as Scoutmaster because he saw a dying troop, and wanted to fix the troop. By doing this he has shown me that it is important to help people in need, and to do the right thing. To this day, I carry on his heritage by being an active Boy Scout in a Jewish troop.

Yael Z. ’22, Remember Where You Came From
My artistic design represents the moment when my great, great grandfather told my grandfather to never forget he’s Jewish. Since my Zayde didn’t grow up in a Jewish household, this was an important message to him. My grandfather’s father, Great-Grandpa Fred, was a movie producer and entrepreneur in the early 1930s. He sold his movie studio, Ziv Productions, in 1960, to United Artists. My Zayde grew up much like his father -- not caring about being a religious Jew. He broke the chain of every man in the Ziv family being a rabbi. My grandfather still remembers what he said to him, “Don’t forget where you came from.” He never forgot those words, and today, quite surprisingly, he married the daughter of an Orthodox rabbi and lives a religious life. This is amazing because if my great grandfather didn’t tell him to remember where he came from, he wouldn’t have had many influencers to remind him to keep kosher, celebrate Jewish holidays, and go to synagogue. Also, if he didn’t tell my grandfather to remember he’s Jewish, my father most likely wouldn’t be religious and I wouldn’t have my Jewish education. This inspires me to be Orthodox when I am older. The podiums on my display represent how Orthodox each member of my family was. Even though my grandfather’s grandfather wasn’t Orthodox, he managed to thrive to become religious.

Eliora Z. ’22, Passover Plate 2.0
The project before you is a re-creation of the Seder plate I made with my dad five years ago. It demonstrates the close connection I have with him. When I was in fourth grade, I had just moved from Virginia to Baltimore, and my dad and I decided to go to a Seder plate painting activity at Beth Tfiloh. I was so delighted with my dad’s and my new Seder plate, that I decided that I wanted to bring it to our first Seder, which was at a house a few doors down. I ran back home to get the plate along with my pillow. Being a nine-year-old, I had the “brilliant” idea of placing the seder plate into the pillow case and running back to the house speedily. To my dismay, I ended up dropping it and breaking it into numerous pieces, and to this day my dad and I plan to go and remake it. The Seder plate, which is painted identically to the one I made years ago, lies on top of all five items: Maror, zroah, beitza, karpas, and charoset. Unlike many others, my family has always used potatoes as karpas instead of parsley. The outside of the box is painted in a coral checkerboard pattern, representing the pillow case I held my plate in before it broke. The Seder plate is representative of our connection, but I have many more valuable memories. I remember my dad asking six-year-old me to paint his newly-bought “shtender,” a wooden box-looking item that would hold up a book when you pray, and myself painting it a yellow shade with small images of my favorite animals in other hues. I remember reading story books that were hidden in the flip-up desk in the synagogue to myself when I was younger, while my dad was next to me, davening. My dad has read a lot of books to me that are, to this day, on my list of favorites. I can never pass a test unless my dad helps me study, and with his help I do very well. This project is not only important because of my connection to Judaism, but also because it shows how close I am with and how much I love my dad.