The object I chose is my family Bible from the early 1800's. My dad first showed it to me when I was 12, explaining that it had been passed down through generations and would one day be mine. The Bible has a worn leather cover and thin, yellowed pages that clearly show its age. Inside are handwritten records of births, marriages, and deaths, along with old photographs and notes from my ancestors. This Bible has traveled with my family as they moved and settled in different places over time, including America, Israel and Germany. It connects my family to the past and to relatives I have never met. When I look through it, I feel curious because it holds so much information about where my family came from. Some of the writing is faded, which reminds me that parts of my family’s history have been lost or forgotten. This Bible is like a family record book. It makes me wonder why my ancestors moved, what their lives were like, and what they hoped for when they carefully wrote their names inside its pages. Even though I don’t have all the answers, the questions help me understand my family’s journey in America. Now that this Bible is being passed down to me, it represents responsibility and legacy. It reminds me that my family’s story did not start with me, and it is my job to protect it and pass it on.

– EK

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more