It has been an honor to learn about the lives of Jewish women in Baltimore. While listening to their voices, I was inspired by the poignant memories, daunting challenges, and lifelong dreams that define each of these remarkable women. Their personal stories are individual journeys into their cultural roots. Yet a common thread weaves through their testimonies. They all value the deep love and appreciation of family and close relationships.

Suitcases seemed appropriate vehicles for portraying their journeys and those of their ancestors. Certainly, it is with "the things we carry"—from our backgrounds and our life experiences—that we build and shape our identities. I began to think of how these stories describe two persistent components of Jewish history: displacement and wandering. I reflected on what one packs as one travels through a lifetime—material items that are too precious to leave behind, and accumulated experiences and knowledge that we believe are essential to pass on. In these suitcases I have placed images and objects that illustrate the lives of five particular women, yet they also remind us that certain themes are universal. The tags on the luggage identify individual and common values: family, relationships, tradition and heritage. As products of our history, we travel on the shoulders of our ancestors and carry the remnants of their past. The cultural symbolism of the objects and the people who used them before us are the touchstones of our identities and become the templates for future generations.