Vol. 4

No. 29

Restaurants:

1835 Murray Ave.

The Jewish Encyclopedia:

Oil City

Article:

Lou Bolton

Calendar:

Aug. 2: Aaronel deRoy Gruber

through Aug. 13: Green Book

Aug. 20: JGS Pittsburgh: Tyler Stump

Community:

"How We Got Here"

Under the Dome of Rodef Shalom

JCBA "Road-Trip"

Mystery portraits

Research Tools:

Newspapers, Cemeteries,

Memorial Plaques, Books,

Population Figures, Newsletters

Restaurants:

1835 Murray Ave.

The Born Building at the northeast corner of Murray Avenue and Bartlett Street, showing William Penn Jewelers and Watchmakers at 1835-1837 Murray Ave., 2021.

—from Google Street View

At the northeast corner of Murray Avenue and Bartlett Street in Squirrel Hill is a two-story building stretching half the block, full of shops and offices. It is known as the Born Building. It was built at the dawn of the 1930s, as Murray Avenue was transitioning from a residential street to a commercial district.

In his memoir “Reminiscences,” a memory tour of the Squirrel Hill business district in 1937, Sanford Baskind wrote: “On the opposite side of Murray, the Born Building, with it’s many physicians and dentists on its second floor still stands. Familiar names might be Albert Goldblum, M.D., Morris Goodstone, M. D., and Dentists Dr. Isadore Kreimer and Dr. Sylvester Steven. On the first floor were shops like Dimling Candy and the Rose Sandwich Shop.”

Advertisement for opening of Rose Sandwich Shop at 1835 Murray Ave. Copy reads, “We specialize in strictly kosher salami, pastrami, and hot corned beef," Oct. 10, 1930.

—from Jewish Criterion

Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project

Rose Sandwich Shop opened in October 1930 and appears to have been one of the original tenants of the Born Building. The restaurant initially specialized in “strictly kosher salami, pastrami, and corned beef” but eventually focused on its “mammoth corned beef.” By 1935, and perhaps earlier, Rose Sandwich Shop was operated by a former cab driver named Julius Solvitz. If he was the original proprietor, he may have named the restaurant for his older sister, Rose.

Rose Sandwich Shop merged with Sandomire’s Pharmacy in early 1936 and expanded at its existing location. The shop closed sometime after 1940.

Next Week: The Y

All year, the Rauh Jewish Archives is highlighting Jewish restaurants in Western Pennsylvania. If you would like to donate a material from a Jewish restaurant, or just reminisce, contact the archive or call 412-454-6406.

Small Towns Jewish History Project:

Oil City

Detail from map showing municipalities in Western Pennsylvania with at least 10 Jewish residents, 1937.

—compiled using information from

“Jewish Communities of the United States,”

American Jewish Year Book Vol. 42 (1940-1941) (online—AJC Archives).

If you want to understand the Jewish history of Pittsburgh, you have to know the story of Jewish life in the many small towns surrounding Pittsburgh.

America once was covered in thousands of small-town Jewish communities, and Western Pennsylvania had the densest accumulation in the country. Between the wars, almost 40 percent of the Jewish population of this region lived outside Pittsburgh. There were more than 50 nearby towns with at least one synagogue and more than 130 towns with at least 10 Jewish residents.

The tens of thousands of Jews in these small towns strung a web of Jewish communal life across the entire region, including the big city of Pittsburgh. 

Jewish wholesalers in the Fifth Avenue district of uptown Pittsburgh depended on the steady patronage of small-town Jewish retailers. Jewish organizations based in Pittsburgh like B’nai B’rith, the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, Hadassah, Israel Bonds, the Jewish Home for the Aged, and the National Council of Jewish Women all created regional hierarchies to accommodate the growing participation of small-town Jewish communities. Some of the biggest Jewish families of Pittsburgh had branches extending into various small towns, spawning massive family reunions drawing together multiple counties.

Starting in the second half of the 20th century, the Jewish populations of many small towns declined, leading Jewish communities to downsize, consolidate, or disappear. The pace of these changes accelerated in the early 21st century.  

In an attempt to preserve the history of these communities, the Rauh Jewish Archives launched the Small Towns Jewish History Project in 2014 under the vision and leadership of then-Director Susan Melnick. The project was a proactive effort to collect documentation of small-town Jewish life in this region. Over the past decade, the project has collected the records of 22 small-town congregations across Western Pennsylvania, as well as the papers of many Jewish families and Jewish-owned businesses from these small towns. 

In addition to this ongoing collecting initiative, the Small Towns Jewish History Project has been actively shared small-town Jewish history with the public. 

The Rauh Jewish Archives has created 60 entries about small-town Jewish communities on The Jewish Encyclopedia of Western Pennsylvania. Entries include historical data, bibliographies, digitized materials, and oral histories.

The Rauh Jewish Archives has also developed more than 20 public programs on topics pertaining to small-town Jewish life. Many of these programs were delivered before largely non-Jewish audiences gathered at schools, libraries and historical societies outside Pittsburgh, making the Small Towns Jewish History Project an important tool for building cross-cultural relationships.

At the end of its first decade, the Small Towns Jewish History Project remains active. In the past six months alone, the Rauh Jewish Archives has received 12 archival collections documenting Jewish life in Ambridge, Bradford, Brownsville, Butler, Clarion, DuBois, Kittanning, Nanty Glo, New Kensington, Uniontown, and Washington. The archive has received new grants to underwrite portions of our work to process and digitize these collections. And the archive is developing innovative educational tools using the materials from these collections.

To reflect this activity, we’re adding a feature to this newsletter with updates about the Small Towns Jewish History Project. We’ll let you know about new collections, new programs, new research tools, and new projects in the area.

[LEFT] Cover from High Holiday bulletin of Tree of Life Congregation in Oil City, 1964.

[RIGHT] Cover from “Jewish Community Book of Oil City, Franklin, Titusville, Clarion, New Bethlehem," 1981.

—from Esthyr Slesnick Collection on the Oil City Jewish Community [MSS 1233] 

Today, we’re focusing on the Jewish community of Oil City.

In the six years since we first published our Oil City entry in August 2017, we have received five new archival collections with materials from the town.

• The Tree of Life Congregation (Oil City) Records [MSS 1234] contains ephemera collected from the synagogue following its closure in 2020. Included in the 0.25-foot collection are minutes of the Tree of Life (Oil City) Sisterhood from 1943 to 1957, as well as a database of bookplates from 230 congregational prayer books and chumashim.

• Esthyr Slesnick was raised in Montreal and relocated to Oil City, Pa. in 1951 after marrying Samuel "Shefty" Slesnick. She became active in the Jewish community of Oil City through Tree of Life Congregation, the Tree of Life Sisterhood, and the local chapter of Hadassah. The Esthyr Slesnick Collection on the Oil City Jewish Community [MSS 1233] contains yearbooks, bulletins, and directories from these organizations, published between 1951 to 1991. These records provide an unparalleled account of the people involved in communal affairs in the community.

• Isadore Krause was a lifelong resident of New Bethlehem, Pa. and was active in Jewish communal affairs in Oil City. His small collection [2021.0181] includes a Jewish National Fund certificate given to him by the Jewish War Veterans Carnack-Cohen Post No. 366.

• The Ress Cousins Club was created on Thanksgiving 1933 to bring together members of the Bernstein, Cooper, Gorsuch, Levin, Ress, Rosenzweig, Shapiro, Silverman, Simon, and Snitzer families living in Western Pennsylvania. The Ress Cousins Club Scrapbook [2022.0019] documents these families, including a branch in Oil City. 

• The brothers Charles and Samuel Salkin were raised in Greenville, Pa. and have conducted extensive research into the Jewish population of Greenville and affiliated small towns throughout Western Pennsylvania, including Oil City. The Charles Salkin Ephemera Collection [2022.0038] includes “Poor Mrs. Engelsky: Of Memory and Tragedy,” a historical essay Charles Salkin wrote in 2018 about a family from Oil City.

To reflect these additions, we’ve revised our Oil City page to include:

• an updated historical essay with improved citations,

• an updated bibliography of known archival sources,

• five issues of the Tree of Life Congregation bulletin from 1964-1965,

• minutes of the Tree of Life Sisterhood from 1943-1949,

• the 1981 edition of the Jewish Community Book of Clarion and Venanago Counties, listing the members of all local Jewish organizations,

• a database of dedication bookplates from 230 prayerbooks and Chumashim (printed copies of the Pentatuch) found at the Tree of Life synagogue after its closure in 2020, transcribed by volunteer Claudia Siegel,

• an updated chart of known population figures, including overall decadal census records for Oil City as a whole, as well as periodic estimates of its Jewish population with links to original source materials.

• a list of surnames found of the memorial boards of Tree of Life synagogue.

• a list of the largest Jewish organizations present in Oil City.

• a link to the Wayback Machine with earlier versions of the Oil City page.

Even with these additions, gaps remain.

If you have records or memories of Jewish life in Oil City or surrounding towns, contact the archive at rjarchives@heinzhistorycenter.org or 412-454-6406.

"At the Edge of Stardom's Glow"

Cover of program for “Every Sunday Nite at 8” at the Irene Kaufmann Settlement House, arranged by Lou Bolton, June 1937. [2008.0134]

The Show Boat was a floating nightclub, moored near the Sixth Street Bridge. In early May 1930, federal agents paid a visit. Undercover, of course. Inside, they found a speakeasy and casino. There were hundreds of patrons, most wearing evening dress.

The agents returned a few weeks later, this time with search warrants. “Don’t be alarmed. It’s just a Federal raid,” they said, according to the Pittsburgh Press. “Leave your liquor where it is and get out. If you try to take the booze along, we’re going to search you.”

As part of the fallout, a court “padlocked” the Show Boat for a year. There was a way out, though. The owners could sell the ship if the new owner posted a $1,000 bond. 

Lou Bolton saw an opportunity.

August 2:

A Celebration of Aaronel deRoy Gruber

The Irving and Aaronel deRoy Gruber Foundation recently donated the kinetic outdoor sculpture Alumascape III to the Westmoreland Museum of Ar in Greensburg, Pa.

In celebration of the donation, the foundation’s Executive Director Brittany Reilly will speak about the life and work of artist Aaronel deRoy Gruber at the museum on Wednesday, Aug. 2 at 3 p.m. You can learn more about the sculpture at the museums' website, and you can research Aaronel's life in the Aaronel deRoy Gruber Papers [MSS 335] at the Rauh Jewish Archives.

Alumascape III, photographed by Walt Seng, 1980.

—from The Irving & Aaronel deRoy Gruber Foundation Archives.

through August 13:

The Negro Motorist Green Book

“The Negro Motorist Green Book” was a travel guide listing restaurants, gas stations, department stores, and other businesses that welcomed Black travelers. In an era of Jim Crow laws and “sundown towns,” the Green Book offered critical, life-saving information and sanctuary for Black individuals and families traveling the country. Harlem postman Victor Green started the publication in 1936, based in part on a similar volume published in Yiddish for Jewish travelers. The Green Book continued annually through 1967.

The new exhibit “The Negro Motorist Green Book,” on display in the McGuinn Gallery of the Heinz History Center through Aug. 13, tells the story of this landmark publication and its impact on the nation’s rising Black middle class in the middle 20th century. The exhibit also reveals the world of the Green Book in Pittsburgh with artifacts from hotels, jazz clubs, restaurants, and more than 30 local businesses listed in the Green Book, including the Terrace Hall Hotel, Harlem Casino Dance Hall, and Palace Hotel. The exhibit features images from the Melvin Seidenberg Photographs at the Rauh Jewish Archives and the Charles “Teenie” Harris Archive at the Carnegie Museum of Art.

SAVE THE DATE: August 20

JGS-Pittsburgh presents:

"Researching Institutionalized Family Members at the Pennsylvania State Archives"

with Tyler Stump

Since the early 19th century, Pennsylvania has operated nearly 50 different state institutions for people with intellectual and mental disabilities. Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians lived in these institutions. Today, the Pennsylvania State Archives holds the historical records created by these institutions, which are invaluable resources for researchers and genealogists.

Join archivist Tyler Stump to explore this important part of Pennsylvania’s history and to learn about the information in the archives’ collections.

The program is Sunday, Aug. 20, time TBD. This will be an in-person program at the Library & Archives reading room on the sixth floor of the Heinz History Center with a virtual option for those who wish to watch remotely. The program will be recorded, and the recording will be made available to current JGS-Pittsburgh members. Registration information will be available soon.

Tyler Stump has been an archivist at the Pennsylvania State Archives since 2016. He helps collect records and preserve records from state-run institutions such as asylums, prisons, and hospitals as well as many other government offices around the state. Tyler has degrees in history and library science from the University of Maryland. Though he grew up in Baltimore, Tyler has deep family roots in Pennsylvania, mostly around York County, that go back to the 18th century. He currently lives in Camp Hill, PA, with his wife Andra who is also an archivist.

Community

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 NEXT Pittsburgh

"What's Under the Dome at Rodef Shalom?"

NEXT Pittsburgh's Boaz Frankel visits with archivist Martha Berg to discover the secrets of Rodef Shalom Congregation's historic Fifth Avenue synagogue.

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. 

From Rodef Shalom Congregation

A mystery in primary colors

The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle reports on an effort by Rodef Shalom Congregation to identify two people from a pair of mid-19th century portraits in the congregation's holdings. Do you recognize these two people?

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 2,000 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.

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.