Collection

Donated by Charlotte Zettel

This money box for charity comes from a Synagogue in the district of Posnan, in a small town called Rogazen, Germany. The town had a small Jewish population. The donor Charlotte’s grandfather was President of the Synagogue.

In 1938, Charlotte’s family left Germany. Her father’s brother, Max Hammersmidt, was taken to Buchenwald.  He was eventually released but he knew that he would be deported again to a concentration camp. To ensure the safety of the items, Max sent them to his brother in Australia. In 1942 the Nazis ordered the Jews to leave Stettin; in just two hours it was Judenrein (Jew free).

Translation of the Hebrew writing on the collection box by Rabbi Samuel Tov-Lev: “Tsedakah lerabbi Meir baal ness” means “Charity to (or on behalf) Rabbi Meir the miracle-worker”