New World

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never heard full accounts about what
brought my ancestors to America,
what they left behind in Europe and
how they chose what to bring here.
amily lore on my mother's
As Thanksgiving approaches, images
side tells of how my great-
of Americana loom large. Our children
grandmother brought three
come home with
special
school lessons about
items with her when
Pilgrims, the
she immigrated to
Mayflower, native
America from Eastern
Americans, difficult
Europe: brass Shabbat
winters and a celebra-
or Sabbath candle-
tory feast. They
sticks, her samovar
appropriately
and a mortar and pes-
embrace the
tle. These were even-
Thanksgiving story as
tually bequeathed to
their history — a part
her three grandchil-
of a shared American
dren. My mother
culture to which we
received the candle-
are proud to belong.
sticks and they are
After all, our immi-
prominently dis-
grant parents, grand-
played on my par-
parents or great-
ents' living room
grandparents hope
mantle. (I think she
that their progeny be
really wanted the
wholly American,
samovar, but my
that their children
uncle wouldn't trade).
enjoy a better life
I never knew my
than they would have
great-grandmother,
faced had they stayed
but I do know my
in their country of
mother saw her fre-
origin.
quently, taking the
Our immigrant
subway to her house
ancestors (as well as
virtually every week-
subsequent immi-
end of her childhood.
grants) were pilgrims
I suppose there are
Many ancestors brought Shabbat too. They almost
other treasures that
invariably left a
candlesticks to the New World.
were passed down
country where their
too, but I have never
views,
lifestyles
or
religious beliefs were
seen them. I actually know very little
not tolerated. They left behind lives of
about my parents' families from two
hardship in search of better opportuni-
or three generations ago. My child-
ty. They left their families, their vil-
hood was rich with family occasions,
lages and all that was familiar to come
visits and celebrations, but nobody
to a "New World" where, they hoped,
ever talked much about the immi-
things would be better. They brought
grant generation. While my father
little with them. My great-grandmoth-
told some stories that his father had
er chose a few things that were special,
shared about "the old country," I've
things she wanted to give to her chil-
Rebecca E. Kotkin is a contributing
dren and grandchildren. As much as
editor to the on-line magazine Jewish
she wanted her descendants to be
Americans, she also wanted them to
Family &, Life! — uvzvjewishfamily.com ,
for which she wrote this article.
have a little bit of her home.

REBECCA E. KOTKIN
Special to the Jewish News

F

As Thanksgiving
nears, a writer
recalls special items
her family chose to
bring to America and
leave behind.

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