Bobbie Morgenstern
Star of David Necklace
Philadelphia, USA, 1975-1991
Cast metal, agate and glass beads
Gift of Constance and Joseph Smukler Soviet Jewry Legacy
Must Know
The necklace consists of 250 Stars of David in groups of 10 or 15. Necklaces of this type were brought into the Soviet Union by travellers in 1975-1991 during the late period of the Iron Curtain. Their design did not arise suspicion. Once in the state, they were taken apart and the Stars of David were given to Refuseniks (Jews who were denied permission to emigrate from the Soviet Union).
More Info
The star of David (Magen David in hebrew) is a religious symbol commonly associated with Judaism and dates back to medieval Jewish European communities. The star of David as a form has appeared already since antiquity as a decorative motif.
Some believe that the use of the hexagram in Judaism is a symbol for the three most important parts of Judaism that unite an individual with faith: God, Israel and the Torah. The wearing of a David star necklace or pendant is a way for an individual to show express their religious believes or heritage.
Refusniks were Soviet Jews who applied for an exit visa to leave the Soviet Union and were denied – deriving from the refusal haded down to Jews by Soviet Union authorities. During the time of the Iron Curtain (1945-1991) Jews prevented from leaving the USSR due to their prohibited Jewish religious activities or the suspcitiopn that they were traitors. Movement in and out of the Soviet Union during this time was therefore limited and especially restricted for Jews.
