Print - The Canadian Jewish Heritage Network - Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives

Physical Description: Knife : cast (moulded), cut : silver, brown ; Ht: 1,7 cm x W: 2 cm x De: 18,2 cm

Physical Description: Knife : cast (moulded), cut : silver, brown ; Ht: 1,7 cm x W: 2 cm x De: 18,2 cm

Notes: Blade extending from a rounded handle, which is wider at the bottom. Vertical lines are embellished on the handle, with a repeated filigreen pattern at the bottom, along the circumference. The very end tapers gradually inwards with a rouded nubbin at the point. Narrative: The donor's, Dr. Pfeiffer, great granduncle was an ordained rabbi in the mid nineteenth century. He was ostracized when he abandoned orthodoxy for Reform Judaism. He left Germany and went to Krakow where he had a synagogue. He went to war, at the end of the nineteenth century, obviously for Russia, as the Tsar employed him in Odessa to modernize the Jewish community in terms of welfare. In recognition of his extra ordinary work for the Jewish community and Odessa at large, the Tsar gave him a set of silver flatware. Since he had no children of his own, he gave the set to his nephew as a wedding gift. It was passed down to Dr. Pfeiffer's parents. When they left Germany for Holland in 1939 the Pfeiffers took the silver with them. Mrs. Pfeiffer and her sister-in-law buried it and other silverware on a farm. She also buried the top hat Mr. Pfeiffer had worn to his wedding. After the war they retrieved the artifacts, but the non silver parts had corroded. The set is now divided among the family.