Dr. Michael R. Hayden, a renowned geneticist and founder of five biotechnology companies, is on a mission to recover his family's lost silver Judaica, which was confiscated by the Nazis during World War II. Hayden's day is filled with a flurry of activities, from calls with colleagues and lectures to running his own companies. However, he always sets aside four to five hours each week to focus on finding the missing Judaica, which holds immense personal significance for him and future generations.

Hayden's grandfather, Max Raphael Hahn, was a wealthy businessman and chairman of a synagogue in Gottingen, Germany. On November 10, 1938, during Kristallnacht, Nazi SS men broke into his home and arrested him and his wife, Gertrud. While Gertrud was released the next day, Max was imprisoned for seven months, and his extensive collection of silver Judaica, including ceremonial lamps, candlesticks, kiddush cups, and spice boxes, was confiscated.

Over the years, Hayden has managed to recover dozens of other household items and a few religious artifacts held by a German museum. However, the collection of silver Judaica seized by the Nazis has remained elusive. Despite the support of a German organization and two years of research, Hayden has only managed to retrieve one of the 166 missing items-a kiddush cup. Nonetheless, his dedication mirrors the efforts of many Jewish families seeking to reclaim art and other possessions stolen or sold under duress during the Nazi era.

For Hayden, the significance of these objects goes beyond their material value. They represent a step towards healing the deep and painful wounds inflicted by the Holocaust. Through his search, he hopes to forge new relationships and find some semblance of peace. As an expert in Huntington's disease and A.L.S., Hayden's work in the field of neurodegenerative diseases is paralleled by his commitment to preserving his family's history.

His quest began in 1986 when Hayden stumbled upon a wimpel, a Torah binder, with a connection to his great-grandfather at the Gottingen City Museum. The museum, however, refused to return it without a replacement. Hayden enlisted the help of Artur Levi, Gottingen's mayor, who was Jewish. After three months, Levi sent Hayden a package containing a replacement wimpel. Hayden and his wife named their daughter Jessica Raphaela Hahn and wrapped her in the wimpel during her baby-naming ceremony. This tradition continues for each of their grandchildren.

Decades later, Hayden delved into his grandfather's boxes, which had been unopened for twenty years in his Vancouver home. Inside were fifteen cartons filled with documents, vintage stamps, photographs, and autographs of notable figures. The letters within these boxes revealed heartbreaking stories of Max Hahn's journey. After his release from prison, Max and Gertrud went to Hamburg in hopes of emigrating. However, in 1941, they were deported to Riga, Latvia, where they boarded a train bound for a concentration camp. Gertrud is believed to have died during the journey, while Max was killed in a mass shooting near Riga in 1942.

Before his death, Max managed to ship many household items and personal belongings to Sweden and Switzerland. After the war, Max's children brought these containers to South Africa, where they lived. Rudolf, Hayden's father, changed his name to Roger Hayden and passed away in 1984. Today, Hayden has enlisted the help of Sharon Meen, a historian, to scour auction catalogs, dealer listings, and museum collections for clues about the missing Judaica. The boxes sent to Sweden and Switzerland contain inventories and photos of the items, providing valuable leads.

Occasionally, Hayden's efforts pay off. He discovered a photograph of a kiddush cup depicting scenes from the biblical story of Jacob in the collection of the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Hamburg. After contacting the museum, they returned the cup to him. Gottingen officials also played a role in returning some 30 items to Hayden that had once belonged to the Hahn family. These items, featured in photographs left by Hayden's grandfather, served as a testament to the lives the Nazis tried to erase.

While the search for the missing silver Judaica continues, Hayden remains determined to ensure that these items are attributed appropriately to his grandfather. Although he recognizes that possessing the items is not the ultimate goal, Hayden believes that accurately preserving his family's history is essential. His work serves as a reminder of the dedication and commitment that many Jewish families have shown in reclaiming their heritage and the stories of those who perished during the Holocaust.