In many families, there is much more meaning for candles than just a source of light. For many generations, candlesticks were an extremely important part of my own family’s life, especially in a religious aspect.  In the late 1800’s, my great great grandfather, David, and his wife and children would light candlesticks every Friday to say the Sabbath prayer, which was an important part in their Jewish tradition. Although in around 1892 they decided to make a big move from Russia to Brooklyn, they did not leave their candle lighting tradition back at home. The night that they passed through Ellis Island and arrived in their apartment, it was time to recite their family prayer. He kept the candlesticks in his possession and continued to use them to say the prayer every Friday night. He passed these down to my grandfather, and he will pass these down to my father one day, and they will always be significant to me and my family because it is the only thing left to connect me to my ancestors. Even though I am only half Jewish, it would mean a lot if I could continue to light these candles with my family. The candlesticks will always remind me of  my ancestors willingness and determination to come to the United States and that it is an important way to bring family together- even through all of the hard times and separation that they went through in the past. This object connects me to my culture because even though I am not completely Jewish, it still helps me understand some aspects of Jewish culture and connects something as simple as lighting candles with a much deeper meaning.

– Emily Stein

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