These candle belonged to my great great grandmother who came to the United States from Russia in 1917.  When she lived in Russia there was a very Anti-Semitic period of time where there were riots against the Jews. These were called pogroms.  It became impossible to stay in Russia so the whole family fled to Poland.  While making her way to Poland and hiding in the woods and sometimes peoples' houses her sister got sick and died.  When the pogroms stopped they tried to return to their home town Kolk.  When they went there they found all the houses on their street burnt to the ground.  As they sifted through the rubble there was hardly anything left.  The only things that survived the fire were these brass candle sticks and a mortar and pestle. 

– Bernie Levenson

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