Vol. 4

No. 19

Restaurants:

1800 Centre Ave.

The Jewish Encyclopedia:

Kollel Jewish Learning Institute

Neighborhoods:

The Strip District

Calendar:

May 9: Lag B'Omer

May 10: Yiddish Newspapers

May 21: W. Todd Knowles

June 11: Alex Calzereth

Community:

Under the Dome of Rodef Shalom

JCBA "Road-Trip"

Jewish Daily Forward exhibit

Mystery portraits

Research Tools:

Newspapers, Cemeteries,

Memorial Plaques, Books,

Population Figures, Newsletters

Restaurants:

1800 Center Ave.

Driveway between 76 and 80 Roberts Street, looking to Centre Avenue showing Litman's Pharmacy and the doorway to Metropolitan Hall (Aug. 21, 1930).

—from Pittsburgh City Photographer Collection

University of Pittsburgh Archives & Special Collections

[715.3012191.CP] (online—Historic Pittsburgh)

In the late teens, the Smolevitz brothers either built or bought Metropolitan Hall. It was a long building at 1800 Center Ave., on the corner of Roberts. 

The smaller buildings occupying that site over the previous decade had included a poultry store, a grocer, and a dining room. Metropolitan Hall was three stories. It had a theater on Center Avenue, a billiards parlor, a restaurant, and four large upstairs apartments accessed through an entrance on Roberts Street. The restaurants throughout the late 1910s and into the early 1930s included Goldberg Brothers, the Metropolitan Restaurant, Kruger’s Sandwich Shop, Walter’s Sandwich Shop, and Smalley’s Sandwich Shop.

Advertisement marketing property at 1800 Center Ave. Copy reads, “For sale, Business Property at Bargain. Building containing, Fully equipped Restaurant, Equipped Pool Room. To 6 room Apartments. One 4 room Apartment and one 7 room Apartment. Will sell at greatly reduced price. M. Smolevitz.”

—Jewish Criterion, September 27, 1929

Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project

In addition to this revolving series of restaurants, Metropolitan Hall became a popular meeting place for Jewish fraternal and political organizations.

In the 1910s and 1920s, it was used by various fraternal and mutual aid organizations, including Mount Sinai Lodge No. 107 of the Independent Order Western Star, the David Wolfsohn Lodge of the Independent Order Brith Abram, the Greater Pittsburgh Lodge of the Independent Order Western Star, the First Hebrew Austrian Beneficial Society, and the Pittsburgh Mutual Aid Society. 

From the mid-1930s through the early 1940s, Metropolitan Hall became home to the local branches of several Jewish communist organizations: the Jewish Branch of the International Workers Order, the ICOR Association (also known as the Organization for Jewish Colonization in Russia), and the Freiheit Forum Committee.

Newspaper notice announcing upcoming lecture by journalist Gena Medem at the ICOR Center, 1800 Center Ave.

—Jewish Criterion, February 5, 1937

Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project

Next Week: More from the 1800 Block

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.

Jewish Encyclopedia of Western Pennsylvania

Kollel Jewish Learning Center

Black and white photograph of Daf Yomi (daily page of Talmud) class hosted by Kollel Bais Yitzchok, 1991.

—from Jewish Chronicle Records [MSS 906].

The Kollel Jewish Learning Center is an educational institute in Squirrel Hill dedicated to full-time, advanced study of traditional Jewish texts.

The idea for a Pittsburgh Kollel emerged in the mid-1970s. In an open letter in the Jewish Chronicle in April 1976, a group of local Orthodox rabbis and lay leaders called for the creation of a center “to enable men in the professions and in business to systematically and conscientiously set aside specific times for Torah learning.” The Kollel Bais Yitzchok Institute for Advanced Torah Studies was founded in late 1977 under the leadership of Rabbi Shaul Kagan and Rabbi Abraham Pessin. Rabbi Kagan soon became the rosh kollel (head of kollel/dean). He held the position until his death in 1997. He was succeeded by his son Rabbi Aharon Kagan and subsequently by Rabbi Levi Langer.

Our entry for the Kollel Jewish Learning Center includes articles, the initial prospectus and open letter, and an assortment of photographs.

Neighborhoods:

Strip District

Two young boys pose at the base of the Twenty-eighth Street Bridge steps near the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks. The brick building beside them is the Congregation Ohav Sholom synagogue (June 3, 1913).

—from Pittsburgh City Photographer Collection, University of Pittsburgh Archives & Special Collections [715.133415.CP] (online—Historic Pittsburgh)

If you look at a map of Pittsburgh, the Strip District appears to be just across the street from the Hill District. On the ground, of course, a steep hillside divides the two neighborhoods. It’s impractical to walk directly from one neighborhood to the other, and it's a bit of a hassle to drive it. Even in the days when an incline connected the two neighborhoods at 17th Street, life in the two neighborhoods mostly operated independently one from the other. 

For the small Jewish community of the Strip District in the early 20th century, the many Jewish cultural and religious amenities of the Hill District—though seemingly so close—were simply not a relevant part of their daily lives.

“Everybody now talks about the Hill District, and we of course never even knew there was a Hill District,” Lillian Goldstein explained in a 2000 oral history with the NCJW-Pittsburgh Section, “because there was no way of getting there. It was so far, and nobody seemed to have a car at that time.”

Unsigned notice reporting on High Holiday services held by Congregation Ohav Sholom of the Strip District at its synagogue at 2824 Liberty Ave. under the leadership of Nathan Silverman.

—from Jewish Criterion, Oct. 9, 1914

Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project

The Jewish community of the Strip District emerged at the turn of the 20th century among the merchants in the neighborhood, as well as merchants from other parts of the city who patronized the Strip District wholesale produce terminal early in the morning. Although few reliable population figures exist, the Jews were clearly a small minority.

“It was a Jewish neighborhood for the storekeepers, but it was a Polish neighborhood for people who came in to buy the merchandise… the entire block of 27th Street, 28th Street and 29th Street were Jewish merchants at that time,” Lillian Goldstein explained in her oral history.

As early as 1904, these Jewish merchant families founded Congregation Ohav Sholom and purchased a former church building at 2824 Liberty Avenue, hugging the curving stone steps of the 28th Street Bridge. The congregation soon expanded the building into a synagogue with a second story and a rear addition. You can see a small corner of that rear addition in the only known photograph of the building during its years as a synagogue (seen above).

The synagogue was mostly a place for prayer, although the congregation also sponsored some entertainment for children around Jewish holidays.

As the Jewish community of the neighborhood grew in the 1910s, the Southwestern District of Pennsylvania Jewish Religious Schools Program helped create the Penn Avenue Mother’s Club. The club oversaw a local religious school and youth activities in the Strip District. 

Prior to that, any family seeking Jewish education either hired private tutors or sent their children to religious schools in other neighborhoods. It was expensive and time-consuming, and often it only benefitted the sons in the family.

In a 1982 oral history, Anne Lowenthal recalled the importance of having a Jewish school in the neighborhood. “I was just enormously caught up in the work that was given to us,” she said, “because I did not go to a Hebrew school or have a Hebrew teacher, as my brother did.” In her teens and twenties, Lowenthal later put herself through college by teaching in other local Jewish schools.

Unsigned notice reporting on first Purim Concern held by Congregation Ohav Sholom of the Strip District at Klein’s Hall at Penn Avenue and 28th Street. Lists attendees and attractions.

—from Jewish Criterion, March 20, 1914

Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project

The local Jewish population of the Strip District began to decline in the late 1920s and early 1930s, as families relocated to other parts of the city, primarily the growing East End neighborhoods of East Liberty, Highland Park, and Stanton Heights. The migration was likely a combination of upward economic mobility and concerns about the safety of children. The synagogue was attacked twice in 1925, first in arson and then in a burglary.

Unsigned notice announcing membership drive for Congregation Ohav Sholom of the Strip District synagogue at 2824 Liberty Ave., "one of the oldest synagogues in the city."

—from American Jewish Outlook, June 11, 1937

Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project

The small and brief Strip District community produced many leaders in the wider Jewish community, such as Betty Hepner; siblings Henry, Lillian, and Jean Goldstein; and the Applestein family. Henry Applestein is credited with founding the local Young Men’s Hebrew Association in 1910. It’s notable that the idea for the YMHA started with someone from a smaller community—someone who understood the need for community-wide Jewish institutions.

May 9:

Lag B'Omer

Black and white photograph of students and faculty of the Hebrew Religious Academy in the Hill District, attending a Lag B'Omer celebration at the Pittsburgh Zoo, 1923.

—from Kalson Family papers and Photographs [MSS 1172]

Lag B'Omer is a springtime Jewish holiday, named for its occurrence on the 33rd day of the "Omer" period between the festivals of Passover and Shavuot. 

The day is closely associated with students and has often been celebrated in religious schools with plays, dances, and hikes. Some events were more social than scholarly. As seen above, the students of the Hebrew Religious Academy were treated to a Lag B'Omer outing at the Pittsburgh Zoo in 1923. The boys had to sit through some speeches. Rabbi Eliyahu Kochin spoke on “Torah and Knowledge.” J. Steinberg spoke on “Good Behavior.” A teacher named Mr. Goldstein spoke on the “Value of Education.” But then, in return for their patience, the boys got to eat candy, cake and ice cream. They sang Hebrew songs. And then they had a race—with prizes. It sounds like a pretty good day.

May 10:

Pressed Into History

The front page of Der Volksfreund from December 17, 1920. The lead article is an obituary for editor Joseph Selig Glick’s beloved wife Eva.

—Bloom Family Papers [2021.0247]

The Jewish Daily Forward, the University of Pittsburgh Jewish Studies Program, and the Rauh Jewish Archives are offering a private tour of the exhibit “Pressed: Images from the Jewish Daily Forward,” currently on display at Hillman Library at the University of Pittsburgh.

The tour on Wednesday, May 10 from 6-7:30 p.m. will include a chance to hear from Forward CEO & Publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Forward archivist Chana Pollack, Jewish Studies Program Director Dr. Rachel Kranson, and Rauh Jewish Archives Director Eric Lidji.

In addition to displaying new prints of historic pages from the Forward, the exhibit includes a display of local Yiddish newspapers from Pittsburgh.

Registration is required. The tour is currently at capacity, but anyone interested in attending is encouraged to register and join the wait list.

May 21:

JGS-Pittsburgh presents:

"Using FamilySearch for Jewish Research"

with W. Todd Knowles

Billions of family records. Where do you start?

FamilySearch is an international, nonprofit dedicated to helping all people discover their family story. It is one of the largest genealogical websites online and grows larger every day. Learn how to make the most of the FamilySearch collection, with a special focus on locating Jewish ancestors among the records.

The program is Sunday, May 21 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET. This is a virtual program, occurring exclusively online. The program will be recorded, and the recording will be made available to current JGS-Pittsburgh members.

“Using FamilySearch for Jewish Research with W. Todd Knowles” is a collaboration between the Jewish Genealogy Society of Pittsburgh and the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center. Please register online. 

The program is free for JGS-Pittsburgh members and $5 for the general public. To become a member of the JGS-Pittsburgh and 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.

W. Todd Knowles, AG, is a Deputy Chief Genealogical Officer at FamilySearch, where he has been for almost 25 years. Soon after being introduce to family history at the age of 12, he discovered his Jewish roots. The journey to find these Polish Jews led to the Knowles Collection, six databases containing the records of almost 1.5 million people. His blog about the collection can be found at knowlescollection.blogspot.com.

June 11:

JGS-Pittsburgh presents:

"Mapping Your Family History"

with Alex Calzereth

Create maps with your own data on Google MyMaps.

This presentation will teach you how to create a custom map, import location data associated with family history events or source records and then customize the appearance of that data on the map. Custom maps can be used in many ways, including visually conveying family migration patterns, showing the location of regional cemeteries, or which towns hold certain vital records. Resulting maps can also be imported into Google Earth.

The program is Sunday, June 11 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET. This is a virtual program, occurring exclusively online. The program will be recorded, and the recording will be made available to current JGS-Pittsburgh members.

“Mapping Your Family History with Alex Calzereth” is a collaboration between the Jewish Genealogy Society of Pittsburgh and the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center. Please register online. 

The program is free for JGS-Pittsburgh members and $5 for the general public. To become a member of the JGS-Pittsburgh and 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.

Alex Calzareth is a genealogist focusing on Southwest Germany, the Czech Republic and Southern Italy who began researching his family roots twenty-five years ago. He is a board member for Reclaim The Records and the Jewish Genealogy Society of Long Island, serving as JGSLI’s webmaster. Alex is also the JewishGen Research Director for Germany. He lives in New York City and works as a CPA.

Community

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 the Jewish Studies Program

PRESSED: Images from the Jewish Daily Forward

Detail from front page of Jewish Daily Forward, including photograph showing President and First Lady Kennedy, 1960.

Founded in 1897 on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the Jewish Daily Forward became the most widely read Jewish news source anywhere. By the 1920s, this Yiddish-language daily had more readers than the New York Times. With rigorous reporting, incisive editorials and powerful commentary, the Forward chronicled the events that affected immigrants eager to earn their place in American life. This was the paper read by congregants from its neighborhood’s many synagogues, by families squeezing into tenement apartments, by sweatshop workers and pushcart vendors. Its articles were debated on park benches and at local haunts like the Garden Cafeteria and the Royal Café, its discarded pages then used to wrap fish for Friday night Sabbath eve dinners. The Forward’s ideals have been held dear for generations of readers, not just on the Lower East Side but across the country and around the world.

The new exhibit Pressed at Hillman Library on the University of Pittsburgh campus looks into the vast Forward archive to present a selection of metal plates used to print photographs in the paper from the 1920s to the 1960s. These plates are accompanied by prints made just for this exhibition. These prints have rendered the images with greater clarity than they had as dotted, halftone prints in the newspaper. The Forward pages on which some of these images appeared are also displayed. These pages are enlarged and reproduced from microfilm and photographs because printed copies of the newspaper have not been preserved at the Forward or in any other archive, although they occasionally pop up at auction or in private collections. Together these images of strikes and activists, Yiddish theater stars and baseball players, daily life and historic moments, present the depth and breadth of this singular publication, its audience and Jewish life in America and around the world.

Pressed is organized by the Forward in collaboration with the Museum at Eldridge Street, and hosted by the University of Pittsburgh Library System and the Jewish Studies program. It will remain on display through April 2023.

As part of the exhibit, the Rauh Jewish Archives has created a display surveying the history of local Yiddish newspapers in Pittsburgh. The display includes enlarged reproductions of pages and advertisements from The Volksfreund, the Jewish Indicator, and the regional office of the Forward.

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 almost 400 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.