Growing up in France during the holocaust, my Jewish grandfather was forced to hide on a farm under the protection of a Catholic family away from his parents. When this Catholic family was no longer able to take care of him, he was sent to America and put up for adoption. He formed a close relationship with his adoptive mother, who gave him a pair of earrings, meant for my grandmother, before his wedding. He then gave them to my grandmother on their wedding day. Although these earrings were meant to just be a gift for my grandma they have turned into so much more. Having only worn them on this day, my grandmother later gave them to my mom on her sixteenth birthday. Like my grandmother, she only wore them on her wedding day when she married my dad. My mom kept them and gave them to me this year, on my sixteenth birthday. I am saving these earrings to wear on my wedding day as well. Since we both got them as a gift when we turned sixteen, there is an added importance of these earrings to my family. The earrings help remind us of all the troubles my Grandpa went through. They also symbolize memories I am grateful to share with my Mom and Grandma. These earrings have become valuable in my family over the years, as they have been passed down through many generations. Although I never got to meet him, my grandfather left something special in the form of these earrings.

– Riley D'Giff

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant