Shana Tova card, New York 1910

This is a Rosh Hashana greeting card shows the circle of life in which a character appears in ten stages of his life. The cycle of life begins in the bottom right corner with a baby sitting in a cradle, followed by a toddler taking his first steps at the age of two, a three-year-old boy riding a tricycle, a six year old ready for school, a thirteen-year-old celebrating his Bar Mitzva, twenty years old standing under the wedding canopy with his bride. The next in line are a 30 year old man with a young family, an aristocratic looking 50 year old, a 70 year old bent over with a walking stick and finally a 90 year old with his (great?) grandson. Underneath the figure at each stage is written his current age and the word "Jahr" - years in Yiddish.

The inscription at the top of the postcard reads "Happy New Year" in Hebrew, and "Happy New Year" in English. The postcard was produced in 1910 in New York as part of a series of greetings cards designed for the different festivals. The postcard provides insights to the lives of the Jewish community in the United States at the time. It is possible to assume that this card served Jews that originally came from Eastern Europe, due to the fact that most of the texts are written in Yiddish in Hebrew letters, and not in English. The fine dress of the figures in the images seem to be affluent, presumably not "fresh-off-the-boat" immigrants. They might represent the second or third generation integrated American Jews or they have been included in the design as inspiration for the newer immigrant's inspiration. It is also interesting to compare this postcard of the Jewish immigrants in the United States to those who immigrated to Israel. The immigrants to Israel were usually young individuals and many postcards from Israel at the time show young, strong pioneers farming the land. This postcard, however, focuses on the family in the life circle, with children, parents and even grandparent. This is typical of the Jewish immigration to the States at the beginning of the twentieth century was one of entire family groups.

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Discussion Questions

Observation

• ​What is this image?
• When and where was the card created?
• What is featured on the card?
• What is written on the card?
• Which languages appear on the card?
• Who are the figures on the postcard?
  How are they dressed?
  What are they doing?

Reading Between the Lines

• What was the purpose of this card?
• Why does this card depict the life cycle?
  What is the possible connection between this and the New Year?
• Why do these different languages appear on the card?
  What does this tell us about the life of the people who created and sent this card?
• This card was printed in the United States, where the Jewish community was generally based on European immigrants.
  Research the migration of Jews from Europe to America.
  Why did they leave Europe?
  Why did they migrate to the America?
  How were they received in America and how was the live of the first generation immigrants?
• How are the immigrants dressed, and what does that tell us about their situation?
  Do they seem to be integrated in the American society or do they still seem to be influenced by their traditional European customs and
• In what way are the steps arranged? What, in your opinion, can we learn from this?
• What does this card tell us about the family values at the time?
  What examples can you give from the card?
• When did children start school, according to this card?
  Was this always the case?
  When do children start today?

Connections

• At what stage of the ten stages in the illustration would you like to be now? Explain your choice.
• The Mishna in the Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot) 5:22 cites ages for different stages in the life cycle. Compare the cycle in this card to that in Pirkei Avot
• Talk to the oldest person you know. Does the letter describe the course of his or her life? If not, draw a comparable card that matches his or her life cycle.
• Do you know an American Jewish family?
  Where did they arrive to the United States from?
  How were there experiences in their early days in the country?

Creative Ideas

• Create a collage of old and new Rosh Hashana cards.
  What are their similarities and differences?

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