It was 1990, and my parents had just gotten married in Germany. Like every newlywed couple, they were building their new home together, and consciously filling it with objects. Most religious Jewish homes have a menorah, with which one kindles candles during the holiday of Channukah. My father, with a desire to create his own menorah and a clear design in mind, decided to collaborate with a friend of his, a steel sculptor. Together, they built the unique menorah that has always sat on a windowsill in our home.

When my parents decided to emigrate to the United States to join a large and lively Jewish community with more religious opportunities, it was obvious that the solid steel menorah would accompany them. The menorah that lit the home my parents built in Germany has found itself in each home that my parents have lived in, timelessly surviving each move. This menorah is a symbol of their religious household and of their journey that began in Germany and continues now in the United States. 
 

– Nachama

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant