The Marvelous Myselses
In fall of 1926, a local Yiddish newspaper called The Jewish Indicator published five political cartoons by the young Sam Mysels.

Within a few years, Mysels was living in New York City and making a go of it on Tin Pan Alley. He eventually became a prolific and popular songwriter, writing hits like "Bim Bam Baby" for Sinatra and "We Three (My Echo, My Shadow, and Me)" for the Ink Spots.

Who was Mysels? He was the best-known member of one of the most talented Jewish families in Pittsburgh.
IMAGE: Sammy Mysels cartoon, Jewish Indicator, October 15, 1926
Featured Cookbook: Eater's Digest
As the local membership of Hadassah grew throughout the 20th century, the Pittsburgh chapter of the Jewish women's organization split into neighborhood "study groups." It was a way to encourage participation.

The groups were originally given numbers. But in the early 1970s, each group was also given a name.

One of the Squirrel Hill chapters was called Elana, originally Group 9. The group was founded in July 1951.

In 1971, shortly after the name change, Group Elana published its cookbook "Eater's Digest." Our copy was donated by Audrey Glickman.
The cookbook project was chaired by Brenda Love, who worked closely with Elaine Savage and Adele Titlebaum.

A few years after the publication of the cookbook, Love and Savage teamed-up again to start a cooking school called "Cooking With Love."

Their first big presentation came at the 13th annual Gourmet Cooking Course at the Y-IKC in Oakland. They ran the Creperie. Their goal was to show the versatility of crepes. They created different versions of the dish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

In connection with the program, the Post-Gazette ran a profile of the two women and their school. The article included Brenda Love's challah recipe, with dough enough for two loaves.
The Rauh Jewish Archives is placing a special focus on Jewish cookbooks throughout 2020. If you have an extra copy of a cookbook published by a Jewish individual or a Jewish group in Western Pennsylvania, please contact Eric Lidji at 412-454-6406 or  eslidji@heinzhistorycenter.org .
The Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives was founded in 1988 to collect, preserve, and make accessible the documentary history of Jews and Jewish communities of Western Pennsylvania. You can help the RJHPA continue its work by making a donation that will directly support the work being done in Western Pa.
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Senator John Heinz History Center
1212 Smallman Street
Pittsburgh, Pa. 15222
412-454-6000

A proud affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the  Senator John Heinz History Center  is the largest history museum in Pennsylvania and presents American history with a Western Pennsylvania connection.