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One of the highlights of the Jewish club calendar throughout the 1960s was the "Spring Sing," sometimes known as the "Teen Songfest."
The annual affair seems to have begun in 1959, when the Sigma Omega Pi sorority partnered with the Irene Kaufmann Center in Squirrel Hill to sponsor the first "Greek Sing."
The event grew in popularity year by year. It eventually became the culmination of Jewish Youth Week.
The Spring Sing often had a theme, like "songs from other countries," "This is America," or "Brotherhood."
The contest was open to all Jewish fraternities, sororities, and clubs in the area. The performances were well-practiced, and the teens aimed for polish. Groups were judged on singing, presentation, and staging.
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Aside from newspaper articles in the Y Weekly, very little documentation exists in the archive for the Spring Sing. Above is a photograph of four members of the Sigma Kappa fraternity at what appears to be a Sing in the late 1950s.
Do you have photographs, articles, song sheets, costumes, or other documentation from the Spring Sings at the Y-IKC of the 1960s?
All this year, the Rauh Jewish Archives is highlighting stories of Jewish club life in Western Pennsylvania. If you would like to donate records of a local Jewish club, or just chat about clubs, contact the archive or call 412-454-6406.
[IMAGES: (Above) A four-man singing group from the Sigma Kappa fraternity performing at a Y-IKC singing event in the late 1950s—from Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh Photographs, MSP 389; (Below) A notice for an upcoming Spring Sing—from Y Weekly, May 1, 1964.]
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The Rauh Jewish Archives will be closed Monday, May 17 and Tuesday, May 18 in celebration of Shavuot, the holiday commemorating the giving of the Torah.
[IMAGE: Y Weekly, June 8, 1951]
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May 23: Foundations of Eastern European Genealogy |
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Join genealogy experts for the Heinz History Center’s first virtual Eastern European Genealogy Workshop, presented in partnership with the Jewish Genealogy Society of Pittsburgh, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, and the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society.
Benefitting beginners and seasoned genealogists alike, this in-depth virtual workshop on Sunday, May 23 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. will explore the core genealogical knowledge essential to tracing Eastern European ancestors. Attendees will gain insights into researching ancestors who lived in modern-day Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and more.
Featuring live Q&A sessions and interactive virtual networking opportunities, this workshop will foster connections between attendees and expert speakers on tracing your Eastern European ancestors.
Live virtual presentations include:
- Who Do You Think You Are? The Real World
- Where is That? Determining Place Names in Central and Eastern Europe
- Crossing the Pond: Successful Strategies for Researching Eastern European Ancestors
- Understanding and Interpreting Birth, Marriage, and Death Records in Eastern Europe
- Jewish Genealogy Research in the former Russian Empire
Special access to recordings of the lectures will be made available to attendees following the live workshop.
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General registration is $25.
Registration is $20 for members of the History Center, Jewish Genealogy Society of Pittsburgh, and Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society.
Live captioning will be provided at this virtual program.
[IMAGE: John and Anna Serednicka Manko with son seated for studio portrait, 1930s-1940s. Manko-Serednicka Family Papers and Photographs, MSS 869, Detre Library & Archives at the History Center]
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May 30: JGS Pittsburgh Presents: Jarrett Ross |
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Genetic genealogy has become a major component of genealogical research, confirming hundreds of years of documentation and breaking down brick walls.
Yet confirming new family and expanding one’s tree using Jewish Genetic Genealogy is a difficult task filled with many pitfalls. Many aren’t even sure where to begin when they first look at their DNA matches, but success is still possible. In The ABCs of DNA, Jarrett Ross will explore multiple case studies discovered as he researched his own family history using genetic genealogy.
Using different types of DNA tests and multiple techniques to identify significant DNA matches, Ross expanded multiple branches of his tree and found lost cousins, for both his Ashkenazi and Sephardi ancestry. Come learn all the techniques used as Ross breaks down the process of each case study and what methods found success in his research.
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Jarrett Ross began researching his own family history in 2009 while finishing his undergraduate degree at the University of Pittsburgh. Since then, he has built his own personal tree with more than 7,000 people, successfully connected with thousands of relatives all over the world, and has helped build hundreds of trees for people of varying ancestral backgrounds.
Jarrett has multiple specialties including Genetic Genealogy, Sephardic Jewish research with an emphasis on the Portuguese Jewish Community of Amsterdam, the Jewish Agricultural Societies of Southern New Jersey, Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry in Ukraine, and American Jewish history. He writes a blog called Sephardic Genealogy and has a vlog called GeneaVlogger where he talks about his research, gives genealogy tips, interviews other genealogists, and shows different aspects of working in genealogy.
Jarrett is the lead forensic genealogist at DNA Labs International where he helps solve cold cases. He also volunteers as a Search Angel where he helps people find their biological family, and he volunteers as a curator on Geni.com, home of the World Family Tree. Jarrett currently serves as the vice president of the Triangle JGS in North Carolina and as an IAJGS Board Member.
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May 30: A Special Gift: The Act of Valor Award (Rescheduled) |
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We invite you to join the Rauh Jewish Archives for a virtual ceremony on Sunday, May 30 at 3 p.m. as we graciously accept the donation of a special object: the Act of Valor Award given to Officer Tim Matson for his bravery in the line of duty during the synagogue attack on October 27, 2018.
That morning, hundreds of law enforcement officers rushed to the synagogue in Squirrel Hill to protect members of the three congregations—Dor Hadash, New Light, and Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha—that were worshipping in the building at the time and the broader public. Officer Tim Matson was among the initial responding city police officers at the scene, and he was wounded alongside his fellow city officers Michael Smidga, Daniel Mead, and Anthony Burke.
One of the congregants who survived the attack was Dan Leger. Leger is a longtime nurse and hospital chaplain, and he had been preparing for services with Congregation Dor Hadash at the time of the attack. He was taken for treatment to the same local hospital where Matson was being treated. Upon learning that one of the officers who had saved his life was in a room nearby, Leger set himself a physical therapy goal: to gather enough strength to visit Officer Matson. The fortitude, courage, and friendship of these two men was a rare moment of hope during those dark weeks following the attack.
In November 2019, Matson and his fellow officers were each given the Act of Valor Award for their bravery that day. In a spirit of friendship and mutual gratitude, Matson gave his award to Leger. In turn, Leger is donating the award to the Archives, to publicly commemorate the bravery of the officers.
This virtual ceremony will include brief remarks, the donation of the Act of Valor Award, and reflections of the meaning of historic artifacts. You can use the link below to view the ceremony on our website on Sunday, May 30.
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If you like this newsletter, why not forward it to a friend? We want to share the story of Western Pennsylvania Jewish history with as many people as possible.
If you've received this newsletter from a friend or neighbor, and you want to read more, just click on the link below to start receiving future editions.
[IMAGE: Marian Schreiber and employees at the Schreiber Trucking Company, c.1943—Schreiber Family Papers and Photographs, MSS 846.]
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The Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives was founded on November 1, 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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Plan a Visit
Senator John Heinz History Center
1212 Smallman Street
Pittsburgh, Pa. 15222
412-454-6000
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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.
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