Creating our Family Logo: Family Coat of Arms Workshop

Rationale Our personal story has always been interlaced with our family story. To understand the present, we need to take a look at the past from different angles – our family tree, photographs, family stories, food, unique traditions, etc. Studying family coats of arms – which we can think of as a "family logo" - enables us to obtain a visual message regarding the history of our nuclear and extended family. A story hides behind every detail, and all the details comprise our family-personal mosaic which, among other things, also teaches us about the story of the Jewish people and Jewish communities around the world. This workshop is an opportunity to investigate and document our family history, create a message in the present, and pass the inspiration on to the next generation. Objectives

The participants will become acquainted with guidelines pertaining to general and Jewish heraldry.

The participants will investigate their family names, family traits, and their family story and history.

The participants will become familiar with and analyze emblems and images found in Jewish texts.

The participants will try their hand at an experiential and creative technique used to present their personal family story, in particular, and the story of the Jewish people, in general.

Background What is heraldry? Heraldry is a historical discipline that traces family coats of arms and their visual design and display, including both family coats of arms as well as aristocratic coats of arms in general. Aristocratic coats of arms were already in use in the ancient world, and even in earlier periods in Egypt and ancient Rome. However, they reached a peak during the Middle Ages. A family coat of arms was often created by the family itself or it was bestowed on the family by the ruling regime. It tells us about the family's social standing and lineage and the occupations and crafts that the members of the family are engaged in. It tells a unique story about their worldviews and is a guiding motto for the next generations. Family coats of arms were prevalent in the Christian world but, starting in the Middle Ages, quite a few belonging to Jewish families were also recorded. Some examples are the Rappaports, Montefiores, Rothschilds, and other families. There are guidelines that govern the design of family coats of arms. Most of them include an exterior frame (the "heraldic shield"), inside of which there are symbols and decorations that depict the family code. A motto and sometimes the family's name will appear either in the upper or lower section of the coat of arms, written on a special ribbon intended for that purpose. The coat of arms often consists of a variety of colors, which also represent different ideas.

Family coats of arms exist worldwide. However, when it comes to Jewish families, the meanings of the symbols and motifs were at times influenced by Jewish traditions. The coats of arms could also contain verses from the Bible or other Jewish texts. For that reason, their designs may differ from the accepted ones among other families. During the workshop Part 1: Learning about and analyzing emblems and family coats of arms We're inviting you to study and examine universal emblems and insignias as well as the coats of arms of the Rothschilds and other families. We'll analyze them together – we'll examine what the coat of arms is made of, we'll become acquainted with the motifs it emphasizes and what those motifs mean. We'll reflect on whether the colors, shapes, different symbols and where they have been positioned on the coat of arms have any special significance. We'll start with a universal emblem that most of us are familiar with – the Olympic logo. The Olympic Games logo consists of five interlocking rings whose colors are blue,

red, black, green and yellow – set against a white background. The five rings stand for passion, work ethic, victory, faith and sportsmanship. The logo was designed in 1912 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern day Olympic Games. According to de Coubertin, the colors were chosen because, at the time, at least one

of them appeared on the flags of all the nations in the world. Nowadays, the International Olympic Committee believes that the logo reinforces its position that the Olympic Games are global and every country is invited to participate in them. As declared by the Olympic Committee, the logo represents the five continents and the meeting of the athletes of the world at the Olympic Games. Contrary to popular belief, none of the colors of the rings corresponds to a particular continent. The emblem of the State of Israel is a shield with a seven-branched menorah

(candelabrum) in the middle. There are olive branches on both sides and the word "Israel" appears on the bottom. The emblem was designed by the Shamir brothers in 1949. Their inspiration may have come from the Book of Zechariah: "…and behold [there was] a candelabrum all of gold, with its oil bowl on top of it, and its seven lamps thereon, with seven channels to each of the lamps on top of it. And [there were] two

olive trees near it, one on the right of the bowl and one on its left." (Chapter 4: 2-3). The menorah on the emblem is identical to menorah relief that appears on the Arch of Titus. That relief depicts a procession of slaves and soldiers coming back to Rome after the Roman victory in Judea and the destruction of the Temple in

Jerusalem in 70 CE. The inclusion of the Roman relief was intended to represent the return of the menorah to its original location – Jerusalem – and the restoration of Jewish sovereignty in Israel. The olive branches on both sides of the menorah are a symbol of peace. Here, for example, is a partial explanation of the elements that comprise the

Rothschild family coat of arms. The coat of arms consists of a shield supported on both sides by a pair of golden animals. Above the shield is a crown of apples and below it a motto consisting of three words in Latin that mean unity, integrity and industry. Those words stand for the family's values and its motto. The four quarters of the shield contain engravings of an eagle, a lion and two bent arms holding five arrows. The lion and the eagle allude to the family's

strength and power. The arm represents Mayer Amschel Rothschild, who founded the family's financial empire. The arrows signify his five sons who settled throughout Western Europe. There is a small shield in the middle of the large one which contains an engraved round-shaped hat. In the Middle Ages, Ashkenazi Jews were forced to hang a sign in front of their homes and wear a special hat so they could be easily identified. The hat on the shield is a Jews' hat – a symbol that used to be a stigma and now indicates the Rothschild family's Judaism. The sign that used to hang in front of the family's home was red. The word for red in German is Rot – and the word for sign in German is Schild. Thus, years later, that red sign became the family name – Rothschild.

We can continue analyzing familiar - and less familiar emblems – and reflect on their historical background, when they were created, what they refer to, what message they want to convey, their prominent colors, the elements and motifs that comprise them, and the mottos they chose to immortalize. At this time, try and analyze a familiar commercial trademark or one of the family coats of arms appearing in Appendix 1 below. Write down your ideas and share them with the rest of the class. Part 2: Investigating the motifs and symbols As you saw when analyzing the emblems in the previous section, one can examine the different elements that make up the emblem – plants and animals (including magical creatures like unicorn, two-headed eagles, etc.), natural forces, Jewish features, zodiac signs, various words that receive visual meaning (tree of life, red sign, etc.), family traits (number of children), occupations, the motto adopted by the family, etc.

The seven species, and in particular the pomegranate, the tree of life, Star of David, lions, musical instruments (violin), menorahs, hamsas and many other symbols are motifs that appear in different cultures. However, over the years, they also became distinct Jewish symbols. Among other things, they represent fertility, abundance and protection. There are also special symbols associated with Jewish heraldry such as the Priestly Blessing, the symbol of the Levites (ritual washing of the hands), the Torah or the Ten Commandments. Other examples come from the circle of life or the Jewish calendar - Sabbath candles, menorahs, challahs, wedding canopies, tefillin (phylacteries), shofars, Torah crowns, matza, the four species, sukkahs, dreidels, the Temple pillars (Boaz and Jachin), Torah pointers, head coverings (kippas, Jews' hats), vests / breastplates, Hebrew letters, and many other symbols and features. Apart from incorporating them in family coats of arms, those symbols were also used to ornament texts (sometimes in Hebrew), such as inscriptions and Passover haggadahs, and to decorate buildings (synagogues, public institutions and private homes), gravestones, community hallmarks, jewelry and Judaica. The zodiac is another frequently recurring motif, found in family coats of arms as well as synagogues and Judaica decorations. Jewish thinkers have always been ambivalent about the zodiac and astrological motifs. Even in the Bible itself, there are two kinds of mentions of the subject. One kind articulates a negative attitude – which views the stars and the zodiac signs as a pagan matter. Contrary to that view, the stars and the zodiac signs are cited as evidence of the wonders of Creation and the works and power of God. Both approaches to the stars and the zodiac signs found in Biblical writings continued to exist in later generations. A number of key themes are expressed through the zodiac in synagogue decorations: (1) the seasons of the year in the context of calculating the dates of Jewish holidays; (2) representations of God's creations which are proof of His power; (3) praise to the universe and the Creator; (4) an allegory for the Twelve Tribes of Israel, representing the Jewish people; (5) mediation between the God and His creations, and the existence of supervision over man and his ethical behavior. In the case of the Chodorow synagogue in present-day western Ukraine, a crowned, two-headed eagle appears in the middle of the zodiac painted on the ceiling. The eagle represents heights, the heavens and the sun, and the eagle and the zodiac signs stand for the Kingdom of Heaven. The other circles on the ceiling contain the following motifs: fish and rabbits, and next to them trees and birds. To decorate the synagogue's domed ceiling, the artist Israel Lisnicki painted the zodiac signs within circles and around each one of them inscribed verses from the Bible and the Prayer for Rain (Appendix 2). The symbols of the Twelve Tribes as well as quotes and verses from the Torah and other Biblical writings which commonly talk about family values, for example, verses from Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Ethics of the Fathers, are also recurring motifs in Jewish heraldry. Each of the 12 Tribes had distinct characteristics: some were warring tribes, like Benjamin, Gad and Dan; some were royal tribes, like Judah and Ephraim; Issachar was a tribe of scholars; Reuven was a tribe of shepherds; Asher was a tribe of farmers; Zevulun was a tribe of traders and seafarers; and Levi was a

priestly tribe. Based on the accepted count, the number of tribes is identical to the number of months in the year and the number of zodiac signs. Each tribe had a different colored flag which bore an emblem as well as a particular gemstone that was engraved on the breastplate of the High Priest. The color of the flag matched the color of the gemstone that was unique to that specific tribe. The emblem was usually associated with the Blessing of Jacob or the Blessing of Moses to the tribes: "Dan will be a serpent on the road, a viper on the path, which bites the horse's heels so its rider falls backwards. I hope for Your deliverance, O Lord! Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders but he will strike back at their heels. From Asher will come rich food, and he will produce food fit for kings. Naphtali is a gazelle let loose that produces lovely fawns. Joseph is a pleasing son, so pleasing to the eye that girls would tread the wall to gaze at him." (Genesis 49:17-22). In this section, we became acquainted with examples of motifs and symbols that are frequently found in Jewish heraldry. Please remember that these are only examples and when you create your own family coat of arms, there is wide range of additional options and symbols to choose from. Part 3: Creating your family coat of arms based on family research Before we begin designing our own family coat of arms, we'll devote some time to preliminary research. It's advisable to consult with your parents and other family members. Think about your family and describe it. Try to answer the following questions (more questions can be found in Appendix 3):

Did your family have a coat of arms in previous generations? (Even if you answered yes – the time has come to make some changes to it!)

Do you have a written family tree? If you do – make use of it.

What does your last name mean?

What is your family's origin?

What is your family geography – which places did your family come from? And how did they reach their present location?

Has your family been engaged in any particular occupations and professions?

Does your family have any special achievements?

Do members of the family have nicknames?

Does your family observe special traditions?

The worldview and values that have characterized your family – try and summarize them in a 3-word motto or using a suitable quote.

Other things such a prominent color (for example, a family of redheads), defining family stories, etc.

After answering the questions and describing your family – you can start designing your own coat of arms. Remember – every family is unique and special, and it's your family. So there are no rules about how the coat of arms has to look and your creativity is the limit! Good luck! Appendix 4 contains some examples you can start with – attached are different shapes of shields, ribbons and a variety of images and symbols you can choose from in order to create your own family coat of arms. First of all, you have to choose the desired shape of the heraldic shield that best suits your family (there are more examples in Appendix 4). After choosing the heraldic shield, select a ribbon on which your family motto will be written. Now that the frame and the ribbon have been chosen, we can go ahead and select the images. To help you start the process, we've prepared an assortment of images that can be used to symbolize your family's traits as described in the above questionnaire. Gather the images you're interested in and begin placing them on the heraldic shield. You can also make use of country flags and emblems or emblems of the cities your family came from. Remember – there is no one correct answer for what the symbol stands for and what the image means. You'll always be able to add images in addition to the existing examples – consult with your parents and other family members, check the Internet, draw your own images, etc. After arranging and agreeing about the content of your coat of arms, you can now color the images and paste them on the shield as you see fit. And in the final stage - write your family motto on the ribbon and place it on the top or the bottom of the coat of arms. (You can always receive inspiration from the coats of arms that we examined and analyzed at the beginning of the workshop). ** Please note: the research you did and the coat of arms that you created can be part of your family roots project and/or form the foundation of your entry in the My Family Story competition. We invite you to continue designing your coat of arms and telling your family story together with your extended family. Congratulations – you created your own family coat of arms! The time has come to brag a bit and show your coat of arms to others. You're welcome to take a picture of it with your smartphone and send it to the rest of the family (WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, etc.). Send it to us as well so we can have a look!

Appendix 1: Examples of Family Coats of Arms

The Cohen-Vitale Coat of Arms A tree symbolizing the tree of life stands in the middle of this coat of arms. "Vita" means life in Italian, which explains why the tree of life was incorporated in it. /The hands appearing on both sides of the tree allude to a family of priests (Priestly Blessing). The shield is decorated with a quote from Proverbs – "He who finds a wife."

The Montefiore Coat of Arms Most of the elements found in this coat of arms are characteristic of British aristocratic families, such as the lion and the gazelle, the armor and helmets of the knights on top, the crown, the branches, the ribbons, etc. What makes the Montefiore coat of arms unique is, first of all, the text in Hebrew – Jerusalem – found on the two blue flags, as well as motifs associated with the landscapes of the Land of Israel and Judaism – hills in the desert, palm trees, Stars of David, and even a hamsa.

The family's motto - Think and Thank - is written in black letters on the white ribbon on the bottom. Among other elements, British coats of arms usually include a lion and a unicorn. In his family coat of arms, Moses Montefiore replaced the unicorn with a gazelle – perhaps because the Book of Daniel equates the gazelle ("tzvi') with beauty: the expression "Eretz HaTzvi" means the land of beauty. And the lion is naturally reminiscent of the Lion of Judah. The cedar symbolizes strength and justice – the Temple was built out of cedar wood. The hills next to the cedars stand for the Italian origin of the family's name: monte = hill, and fiore = flower. The open helmet on the upper section of the shield represents a high rank of nobility.

The Gliko Coat of Arms Merging coats of arms after marriage was common in both the general and Jewish population. In Italian, "Gliko" is a rooster. That is the reason why on the Gliko family's coat of arms there is a rooster. Due to families merging, there is also a lion symbolizing belonging to the Jewish people, belonging to the tribe of Judah and the kingdom of David, and the longing for the messiah. An example of the Gliko family coat of arms and the Gliko and Rabba coat of arms after the two families merged.

Appendix 2: The Zodiac Painted on the Ceiling of the Chodorow Synagogue – Courtesy of the Bernard H. and Miriam Oster Visual Documentation Center at Beit Hatfutsot Located in present-day western Ukraine, the Chodorow synagogue was built in the middle of the 17th century. The paintings that decorate its domed ceiling were added by the artist Israel Lisnicki in 1722. The synagogue was burned down during World War II.

Tishri – Libra Cheshvan – Scorpio Kislev - Sagittarius

Tevet – Capricorn Shevat – Aquarius Adar – Pisces

Nisan – Aries Iyar – Taurus Sivan – Gemini

Tammuz - Cancer Av – Leo Elul - Virgo

Appendix 3: Want to Design a Family Coat of Arms? Below are some questions that can guide you in your family research in preparation for creating a coat of arms – What was the major profession in your family over the years? What are your family's countries of origin? Which parts of the world did they come from? What was the family motto? What characterizes your family (values, excellence, creativity, etc.)? Which denomination in Judaism do they belong to? Tell us about special traditions and customs in your family, etc.

Appendix 4: Examples of Shapes, Shields, Symbols and Ribbons that Can Be Used to Create a Family Coat of Arms

A cartouche element from the ceiling of the synagogue in Chodorow, courtesy of the Bernard H. and Miriam Oster Visual Documentation Center at Beit Hatfutsot.