March 3, 2024

Vol. 5, No. 9



The Early 1970s:

B'nai B'rith-Hillel

Jewish Encyclopedia:

Kehilath Yeshurun Congregation

Databases:

Yahrzeit plaques

Synagogues

Calendar:

TODAY: JGS: Finding Maiden Names

March 4: Perserverance

March 10: Treasures in the Archives

closing March 18: "The Sofer"

April 14: JGS: The Future of Genealogy

Community:

Fine Fellowship

URA photographs

SHHS archives

"How We Got Here"

JCBA "Road-Trip"

Research Tools:

Newspapers, Cemeteries,

Memorial Plaques, Books,

Population Figures, Synagogues, Newsletter Archive,

Shul Records America

The Early 1970s:

B'nai B'rith-Hillel Foundation

Black and white photograph showing Rabbi Joe Levine installing a mezuzah at a CMU campus building on behalf of Hillel-JUC—undated.

—from Hillel-Jewish University Center photographs [1998.0143]

B’nai B’rith-Hillel Foundation was founded in 1923 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to promote communal identity among Jewish students.

The Pittsburgh chapter of B’nai B’rith-Hillel was founded almost 30 years later, in November 1952. The long delay likely reflects local geography: Jewish college students in Oakland largely commuted from neighboring Jewish residential communities like Squirrel Hill, the East End, and the Hill District. By contrast, the Penn State Hillel in rural State College was started in 1936.

Even after the local B’nai B’rith Women pushed to start a Hillel chapter in Pittsburgh in the early 1950s, the operation remained smaller than its counterparts on rural campuses. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the local Hillel had one room at the YM&WHA building in Oakland and was overseen by a part-time director who also had responsibilities as a rabbi and a professor.

Over the next 20 years, the times necessitated a change.

B’nai B’rith-Hillel of the early 1950s was serving a student population born in the mid-to-late 1930s. By the late 1960s, it was trying to attract students born after World War II—a different generation with different concerns.

“’New Hillel’ for College Students.” Unsigned article announcing restructuring of B’nai B’irth-Hillel following the College Youth Study, chaired by Arnold Levine—June 25, 1970.

—from Jewish Chronicle

Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project

In a 1985 oral history with the National Council of Jewish Women-Pittsburgh Section, the United Jewish Federation’s Saul Weisberg recalled:

“The ‘60s was a period of ferment on the campuses, and Jewish students were very much a part of that ferment. The traditional mode of B’nai B’rith-Hillel certainly was no longer effective in either inducing Jewish students to use B’nai B’rith-Hillel facilities—or promote, for that matter, a sense of allegiance on the part of Jewish students to Judaism generally... 

“So nationally and locally, more and more discontent and criticism about the B’nai B’rith-Hillel’s student program began to be voiced. And pressure began to be exerted for Federation to attempt in some way or another to involve itself in B’nai B’rith Hillel student programming, both in terms of giving more money… and in terms also of having some voice… in the nature of the program and the nature of the facility.”

According to Weisberg, Pittsburgh was among the first Jewish communities nationally to reassess its B’nai B’rith-Hillel program. Following a yearlong “College Youth Study Committee,” the UJF and B’nai B’rith-Hillel agreed in 1970 to a partnership. The existing advisory committee would be converted into a decision-making board. The UJF and B’nai B’rith Hillel would each hold half the seats on this board, and the president of the new board would also have a seat on the UJF’s board. B’nai B’rith Hillel would become the newest Federation beneficiary, receiving a $16,000 allocation in 1970 (about $125,000 today). The funds would help B’nai B’rith-Hillel hire a full-time director. 

Weisberg claimed Pittsburgh created a model used by Hillel communities around the country. Even so, the new structure struggled in its early years, as the two parties learned to work together and also to find the right leader.

After two directors with short tenures, the joint board finally hired Rabbi Joe Levine in 1976. Rabbi Levine was a charismatic personality with Pittsburgh roots. He stayed with the Hillel-Jewish University Center until 1992, helping it relocate to independent quarters at the Omega Building on Craig Street and become a key piece of Jewish communal infrastructure in Pittsburgh. 

A few weeks ago, we looked at the Pittsburgh Friends of Lubavitch Youth Organization, which also emerged in the early 1970s in response to concerns about alienated Jewish youth on campus. The organization evolved into the first local Chabad House on Campus. Today, five decades later, Hillel-JUC and Chabad House remain the leading organizations serving local Jewish college students—an echo of the strong reverberations of the early 1970s.

While there are good records documenting the restructuring of B’nai B’rith-Hillel into the Hillel-Jewish University Center in the early 1970s, less survives documenting the student experience. Did you attending Hillel programming in the early 1970s? Do you have photographs, or even strong memories?

All year, the Rauh Jewish Archives is highlighting stories of Jewish life in Western Pennsylvania in the early 1970s. If you would like to donate a material from this time period, or any historically relevant materials documenting Jewish life in this region, contact the archive or call 412-454-6406.

Jewish Encyclopedia of Western Pennsylvania:

Kehilath Jeshurun Congregation

Advertisement announcing dedcation of Kehilath Jeshurun synagogue at 815 Anaheim St. in the upper Hill District—March 7, 1930.

—from Jewish Criterion

Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project

The "upper Hill District" refers to the small enclave bounded by Herron Avenue, Centre Avenue, and Bigelow Boulevard. Over the years, it has had many names, including Schenley Heights and Sugertop. That last one refers to its reputation as being more desirable than the rest of the neighborhood.

In some ways, the upper Hill District was more closely connected with Oakland than with the rest of the Hill District. While teenagers in the middle and lower Hill District went to Fifth Avenue High School, teenagers in the upper Hill District went to Schenley High School with kids from Oakland. There were also various street and step connections down into Oakland. For Jewish kids, the walk to the YM&WHA on Bellefield Street in Oakland was about the same as the walk to the Irene Kaufmann Settlement House on Centre Avenue.

With the increase in Jewish out-migration from the Hill District in the 1920s, many families relocated to the East End, Squirrel Hill, and Oakland, but a small group went to the upper Hill District instead. A group living west of Herron Avenue started Agudath Achim Congregation in late 1922 and eventually built a synagogue at Wylie Avenue and Granite Street in 1923. 

Toward the end of the 1920s, a group living east of Herron Avenue started Kehilath Jeshurun Congregation. They operated out of 716 Anaheim St. until 1930, when they renovated a former church at 815 Anaheim St. Kehilath Jeshurun appears to have remained active through most of the 1940s.

Databases:

Western Pennsylvania Yahrzeit Plaques Project

Color photograph of a memorial board from Ohave Zedeck Congregation of Oakland, currently hanging in B’nai Emunoh Chabad of Greenfield.

The Western Pennsylvania Yahrzeit Plaques Project contains 4,513 records from 18 institutions. We recently added 87 plaques from two memorial boards at Ohave Zedeck Congregation in Oakland (currently at B'nai Emunoh Chabad in Greenfield) and 122 plaques from two memorial boards at Congregation Chevra Sholom in Jeannette (currently at Congregation Emanuel Israel in Greensburg). English transcription by Rauh Jewish Archives volunteer Christine Dietrick. Hebrew transcription by Archives staff. 

We are actively transcribing yahrzeit plaques from congregations from throughout the region. Each month, we’ll use this space in the newsletter to report on additions to the database. We are currently working through a backlog of nearly 20,000 individual records. The more help we have, the quicker we’ll go. We’re currently looking for volunteers who can read and transcribe Hebrew names and dates. Work can be completed remotely or in-person at the Archive. To volunteer, email us or call 412-454-6406.

Western Pennsylvania Synagogues Project

Screen capture from the Western Pennsylvania Synagogue Project database, showing listing from Torath Chaim.

The Western Pennsylvania Synagogue Project now includes 171 listings from 50 congregations throughout the Greater Pittsburgh area. Recent additions include Torath Chaim (East End), Tree of Life (Downtown, Oakland, Squirrel Hill, Shadyside), and the Woods Run Congregation (Woods Run).

TODAY:

JGS Pittsburgh Presents:

"Bubbie, Who Are You? Finding Maiden Names"

Female relatives are difficult to trace but can be found.

Janice Sellers will introduce resources for tracing the women in your family, including family items, oral histories, federal and state census records, immigration records, vital records, religious records, journals, newspapers, legal and court records, library archives, and manuscript collections. Many of these resources are available online.

The program is on Sunday, March 3 from 1-3 p.m. ET. This is an online program, occurring exclusively on Zoom. The program will be recorded, and the recording will be made available to current JGS-Pittsburgh members. 

"Bubbie, Who Are You?" is a collaboration between the Jewish Genealogy Society of Pittsburgh and the Rauh Jewish Archives. Please register online. This program is free for JGS-Pittsburgh members and $5 for the general public. To become a member of the JGS-Pittsburgh and to receive a free membership code for this program, please visit its website.

This program is possible through the support of the William M. Lowenstein Genealogical Research Endowment Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation.

Janice M. Sellers is related to actor Peter Sellers and to John of Gaunt, son of a king and father of a king. At least that’s what her grandparents told her. Unfortunately, they were both wrong, but that’s why she has researched her family for 48 years and now helps others find the right pieces to fit their genealogy puzzles. She specializes in Jewish, Black, forensic, and newspaper research and has taught at local to international levels. Her site is ancestraldiscoveries.com.

March 4

Prime Stage Theater presents:

Perseverance

March 10

Treasures in the Archives

Join the Detre Library & Archives on Sunday, March 10 at 1 p.m. to explore highlights from one of the largest collections of historic materials in the region.

The popular annual program delves into captivating stories preserved in the History Center collection and gives you a unique glimpse into Western Pennsylvania’s past through one-of-a-kind documents and photographs. From popular narratives and people to lesser-known stories and histories, Treasures in the Archives deep dives into topics carefully chosen by our dedicated archivists.

This year’s topics include:

• An exploration into the plans and predictions for Pittsburgh’s “future” through the eyes of historic Pittsburghers. Combining corporate records, design proposals, and the imaginative writings of everyday citizens, you’ll see “what could have been” (like a sports stadium suspended over the Monongahela River);
• A historic presentation on amateur films (many that have never been seen publicly until now) that document different Pittsburgh area locations and events from the 1920s to the 1960s;
• A story of empowerment that unveils how Pittsburgh’s ‘Crip Camp’ helped disabled teens shatter societal limitations and grow into disability rights activists;
• An investigation into the records of nearly 130 local Jewish family clubs, where ordinary family gatherings became formal associations with minutes, members, and dues.

For one-day only, a special selection of archival materials related to these four topics will be on view for attendees. Deepen your understanding of Pittsburgh’s history and learn more about these one-of-a-kind stories during this signature event on the Detre Library & Archives calendar.

Admission is free. Advance registration is required.

The program will take place in the Detre Library & Archives located on the sixth floor of the Heinz History Center.

April 14

JGS Pittsburgh Presents:

"The Future of Genealogy"

What impact will technology have on genealogy?

Jarrett Ross will discuss the emerging tools and technology that may have a big impact on the future of genealogy and genetic genealogy, including AI, Facial Recognition Software, low SNP artifact testing, and much more.

The program is on Sunday, April 14 from 1-3 p.m. ET. This is an online program, occurring exclusively on Zoom. The program will be recorded, and the recording will be made available to current JGS-Pittsburgh members. 

"The Future of Genealogy" is a collaboration between the Jewish Genealogy Society of Pittsburgh and the Rauh Jewish Archives. Please register online. This program is free for JGS-Pittsburgh members and $5 for the general public. To become a member of the JGS-Pittsburgh and to receive a free membership code for this program, please visit its website.

This program is possible through the support of the William M. Lowenstein Genealogical Research Endowment Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation.

Jarrett Ross, also known as the Genea Vlogger, began seriously researching his own family history in 2009 while finishing his undergraduate degree at the University of Pittsburgh. Since then he has successfully connected with thousands of relatives all over the World, helped build hundreds of trees for people of varying ancestral backgrounds, and has worked on hundreds of genealogical projects of varying types.

Jarrett has found a specialty in Genetic Genealogy and Sephardic Jewish research with an emphasis on the Portuguese Jewish Community of Amsterdam. Jarrett’s other main focuses of research are in Jewish Agricultural Societies of Southern New Jersey, Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry in the Pale of Settlement, Jews in America, and Jews in Ukraine.

Along with his areas of focus, Jarrett also has extensive experience with research in a variety of ancestral backgrounds from all over the World, including an array of experience in genetic genealogy. Jarrett spent just under 5 years working as the Lead Forensic Genealogist at DNA Labs International, helping create investigative leads to identify unknown human remains and perpetrators of violent crimes. In October 2023, Jarrett left the Forensic industry to pursue a content creation and genealogy education full-time.

through March 18:

Rodef Shalom Congregation Presents:

"The Sofer: A Tribute To My Zayde"

The Sofer is a multi-generational narrative about Pittsburgh artist Rosabel Rosalind's relationship with Zayde, her grandfather, a retired Orthodox rabbi with whom she lived for the first twelve years of her life. (He spent part of his career in Western Pennsylvania, leading Beth Samuel Jewish Center in Ambridge.) Fragmented by time and memory, the story recounts details from the years Zayde and Rosalind lived as roommates, interspersed with historical reimaginings and stark cultural observations that span past and present. 

The book follows Zayde and Rosalind, as she came of age in a Conservative Jewish household and as she continues to come to terms with her Jewishness. The Sofer is about the haunting of memory, history, and tradition in the face of a resurgence of anti-Semitism, through an intimate and inherited perspective. 

The original manuscript of The Sofer is 185 pages and is entirely hand-painted with beet juice, citing Zayde's affinity for Manischewitz brand borscht and the complexities of diasporic Jewishness. Sofer, translates to a Jewish scribe of ancient texts, and it is also Rosalind's maternal name; her Zayde’s last name. Thus she transcribed the familial, ancestral, and historical, using an untraditional hand-made ink, per scribal ritual, with a combination of painting and comic techniques and specific Sofer lettering of Rosalind's design.

Community

The Fine Fellowship

Jewish Studies Program at the University of Pittsburgh and the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center announce the inaugural Fine Fellowship for the study of the October 27 attack. This $4000 fellowship will provide funding for a scholar to travel to Pittsburgh and work with local materials related to the attack and its aftermath and to engage with the local community.

A committee of representatives from the Jewish studies faculty of University of Pittsburgh, the Rauh Jewish Archives, and the 10.27 Healing Partnership will consider the applications. They will offer the award to an outstanding scholar whose research promises to make excellent use of local materials, stands to gain from thoughtful conversations with the people of Pittsburgh, and will prove instructive to local community-members seeking to better understand the contexts and repercussions of the October 27 attack.

Applications due March 15, 2024. For more information, click link below.

Urban Redevelopment Authority Archives

The City of Pittsburgh Archives has launched a new digital archive containing thousands of photographs and documents spanning more than two centuries. Of particular interest to local Jewish history is a collection of more than 2,000 photographs of properties in the lower Hill District taken by the Urban Redevelopment Authority in the late 1950s prior to demolitions in the area. 

Squirrel Hill Historical Society Archives

Squirrel Hill Historical Society has added a collection of 60 historic images of Squirrel Hill to the Historic Pittsburgh website. The collection contains selected images from three organizations: the Squirrel Hill Historical Society, Squirrel Hill Urban  Coalition, and Mary S. Brown Memorial-Ames United Methodist Church. The photographs document many aspects of life in Squirrel Hill, including many beloved businesses from the 1990s that no longer exist.

From the Jewish Genealogy Society of Pittsburgh

"How We Got Here"

Each family is unique. 

Each family has its own traditions, its own spirit, and its own dynamics. 

Despite all these differences, every Jewish family in Western Pennsylvania has at least one thing in common: They all have a story about how they got here.

Perhaps your family sailed in steerage across the Atlanti in the 19th century.

Or perhaps your family drove the Pennsylvania Turnpike in a station wagon in the 1960s to work for the universities and hospitals during Renaissance.

Or perhaps your arrival into one of the many Jewish communities of Western Pennsylvania involves marriage, or conversion, or a surprising DNA discovery.

Each of these stories is special, and each contributes to the larger story of our community. To collect and honor these origin stories, the Jewish Genealogy Society of Pittsburgh is launching a new initiative called “How We Got Here.” To participate, just write a short account explaining how you or your ancestors came to settle in Western Pennsylvania. All stories are welcome.

Stories will be eligible for inclusion in the JGS-Pittsburgh’s monthly newsletter Z’chor and also for preservation in the Rauh Jewish Archives. For more information about this initiative, or to contribute, contact Eric Lidji.

From the Jewish Cemetery & Burial Association

"Road Trip: The Jewish Cemeteries of Western Pennsylvania"

The Jewish Cemetery and Burial Association of Greater Pittsburgh has released a new documentary showcasing Jewish cemeteries in Western Pennsylvania.

“Road Trip: The Jewish Cemeteries of Western Pennsylvania” is a one-hour tour of the many cemetery properties overseen by the JCBA, as well as an overview of the organization’s ongoing work to care for these sacred burial grounds. The video is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate these special Jewish cultural sites in our region. The video includes many historic photographs and documents from the collections of the Rauh Jewish Archives. 

Research Tools

The Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project contains digitized, searchable copies of four local English-language Jewish newspapers between 1895 and 2010. It is a valuable tool for researching almost any topic about Jewish history in Western Pennsylvania. For a primer on using the website, watch our video.

Western Pennsylvania Jewish Cemetery Project

The Rauh Jewish Archives launched the Western Pennsylvania Jewish Cemetery Project in 1998 to preserve burial records from Jewish cemeteries across the region. Over a period of fifteen years, the information was compiled into a searchable, online database containing approximately 50,000 burial records from 78 Jewish cemeteries throughout the region.

Western Pennsylvania Yahrzeit Plaques Project

The Rauh Jewish Archives launched the Western Pennsylvania Yahrzeit Plaques Project in 2020. The goal was to create a comprehensive collection of burial records from memorial boards at synagogues across the region. Volunteers are currently transcribing these boards and records are being added monthly to our online database. The database currently contains more than 2,700 listings.

Rauh Jewish Archives Bibliography

University of Pittsburgh librarian and Rauh Jewish Archives volunteer Laurie Cohen created this comprehensive bibliography of the Rauh Jewish Archives library holdings from 1988 through 2018. It lists nearly 350 volumes arranged by type and then by subject. This a great tool to use early in your research process, as you’re surveying available resources on a given subject.

Jewish Population Estimates

Looking to figure out how many Jews lived in a certain part of Western Pennsylvania at a certain moment in time? This bibliography includes more than 30 estimates of the Jewish population of Pittsburgh and small-towns throughout the region, conducted between 1852 and 2017.

Synagogues

A database of buildings throughout Western Pennsylvania known to have hosted Jewish worship services. Includes links to photographs and citations with original source material. Database currently includes 90 locations from 2 institutions

Rauh Jewish Archives Newsletter

The Rauh Jewish Archives has been publishing a weekly newsletter since 2020. The newsletter contains a variety of articles about local Jewish history, including much original research not found anywhere else. You can find and read every issue—more than 150!— in our new index.

Shul Records America

Online finding aid from JewishGen listing congregational archival collections held at publicly accessible repositories across the United States. Includes 63 listings from the Rauh Jewish Archives, as well as other repositories with Western Pennsylvania congregational records.

The Rauh Jewish Archives was founded on November 1, 1988 to collect and preserve the documentary history of Jewish life in Western Pennsylvania and to make it available to the world through research assistance, programing, exhibits, publications, and partnerships.

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