I'm Bruno Gabriel Elimelek Mandeltraub, a 14-year-old student from Renascença school. Today, I'll share the story of "The Exodus to Life," a project that brought my family together.
My maternal grandfather's family, the Elimeleks from Cairo, Egypt, were shoemakers with a comfortable life. However, when Nassr came to power, the Jews were forced to leave with only 20 dollars. In a stroke of ingenuity, my great-grandfather, Nessim, and great-great-grandfather, Simon, cleverly hid extra dollars inside shoe soles to secure more money for their journey.
Inspired by this family tale, I created a sculpture with my grandmother. The doll represents the voiceless Jews of that time, with an emphasized eye but no mouth, symbolizing their silenced voices. It holds a shoe and a drill, and wears a beret, a nod to my great-grandfather's signature style.
The doll sits on a life-size shoe filled with dollars, placed atop two worn suitcases. Miniature biscuit shoes and rolled-up dollar bills on the suitcases showcase our family's collective effort and resourcefulness during this challenging time.
A Tree of Life on the suitcase handles represents our enduring connection to Judaism. "The Exodus to Life" not only highlights the hardships faced by Jewish families during forced migrations but also celebrates the Elimelek family's resilience and innovative spirit.
