|
Announcements
400 entries
Shul Records America
Restaurants:
Adler's Delicatessen
Jewish Encyclopedia:
Mishcan Israel Congregation
Neighborhoods:
Wilkinsburg
Calendar:
TODAY: JGS Presents Ellen Kowitt
Community:
SHHS archives
"How We Got Here"
JCBA "Road-Trip"
Mystery portraits
Research Tools:
Newspapers, Cemeteries,
Memorial Plaques, Books,
Population Figures, Synagogues, Newsletter Archive
| |
|
|
Announcement:
400 entries
| |
|
Announcement:
Shul Records America
| |
|
JewishGen recently launched Shul Records America to help genealogists find Jewish congregational records with genealogical value. Shul Records America provides an ever-growing inventory of publicly accessible archival collections from synagogues and clergy. Once researchers find a relevant collection in the inventory, they can contact the specific repository to gain access to the collection and hopefully discover useful information.
Shul Records America recently added 63 congregational collections from the Rauh Jewish Archives to its inventory, including congregations from seven Pittsburgh neighborhoods and from 26 nearby small towns across Western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio. Researchers can now search the inventory, locate relevant collections, and then contact the archive to access the records.
To learn more about this tool and its relevance to our region, attend our program at 1 p.m. today with JewishGen's Ellen Kowitt. (See below.)
| |
|
Restaurants:
Adler's Delicatessen
| |
|
Advertisement for Adler and Epelberg grocery store at Logan and Colwell streets in the Hill District and 729 Mellon St. in East Liberty, announcing the opening of a third store at 2126 Murray Ave. in Squirrel Hill—August 3, 1928.
—from Jewish Criterion
Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project
| |
|
In a 1969 oral history, Shirley Amper of the National Council of Jewish Women-Pittsburgh Section asked George Adler what had disappointed him about Pittsburgh after he arrived here as a young, struggling immigrant from the Russian Empire in the early 20th century. “What, ‘disappointed,’” he said incredulously. “You came here to stay here, so you take whatever comes!”
After years of odd jobs, like selling combs, Adler started a grocery store on Logan Street in the Hill District in the late 1910s with Bennett Epelberg. They expanded in the late 1920s to include branches at 729 Mellon Street in the East End and at 2126 Murray Ave. in Squirrel Hill. Following a split around 1929, Epelberg remained in East Liberty, and Adler remained in Squirrel Hill.
Adler’s relocated to 2108 Murray Ave. in 1960 and became a fixture of the Squirrel Hill business district. Then, in 1974, something unexpected happened.
| |
|
Photograph showing James Chu, U-Se Chu, Yong Chu, Leigh Chu, and Ron Chu behind the cash register at Adler’s Delicatessen at 2108 Murray Ave—Nov. 28, 1974.
—from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Newspapers.com
| |
|
The Adler family sold the business to U-Se Chu, who had immigrated to Pittsburgh from Korea six years earlier with his wife Yong and their children. They were part of a larger wave of Korean immigration to the greater Pittsburgh area, accommodated by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. Chu had been an architect in Korea but did not have a license to practice in America. “I felt I needed my own business and a future for my family,” he explained to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Alvin Rosensweet in 1974.
The Chu family knew little about Ashkenazi cuisine when they arrived. They learned the house recipes from Mrs. Adler herself, and soon discovered similarities with Korean cuisine. In time, you could order “cheong-eo” at Adler’s and get pickled herring. The Chu family kept the name and the Jewish character of Adler’s for 24 years before retiring in 1997 and selling the shop.
| |
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:
Mishcan Israel Congregation
| |
|
Detail from handwritten charter of Mishcan Israel Congregation—April 22, 1889.
—from Allegheny County Charter Books
| |
Mishcan Israel Congregation (Dwelling of Israel) was chartered in April 1889. Charter members include Joshua Goldberg, Jacob Gudinsky, Joseph Kabolinsky, J. Levy, Maer Rosenbloome, Samuel Schein, David Scolin, and Solomon Sukatsky. These members appear to have come from various parts of Eastern Europe, rather than concentrated in one region like other congregations of that era. Mishcan Israel dissolved quickly without much documentation. Our entry for Mishcan Israel Congregation includes a copy of its charter. | |
The Jewish Encyclopedia of Western Pennsylvania brings together numerous online resources into a clearinghouse for conducting research about Jewish history in this region. As we migrate information to this new website, we’ll be announcing new entries and resources in this section of the newsletter. | |
|
Neighborhoods:
Wilkinsburg
| |
We looked last month at the Jewish community of Homewood and Brushton. A small Jewish population emerged there at the turn of the 20th century. It struggled to coalesce until early 1921, when it combined with Jewish families in Wilkinsburg to form a congregation, a ladies’ auxiliary, and a religious school. | |
|
“Wilkinsburg Street Scene (Aug. 7, 1951)” —from Allegheny Conference on Community Development Photographs [MSS 285] (online—Historic Pittsburgh).
| |
|
Both contingents grew over the next 15 years. During the winter of 1935 and 1936, Rose Lubic Arnold undertook a survey of the Jewish population of Wilkinsburg at the suggestion of a local Jewish merchant named Alexander Reich. (Readers of a certain age may remember his clothing store.) Arnold found more than 100 families in Wilkinsburg.
She started the Jewish Women’s Club of Wilkinsburg in February 1936. The club quickly formed the Wilkinsburg Religious School under the auspices of the Southwestern District of Pennsylvania Jewish Religious Schools program. By the end of that year, the community was meeting under the name Beth Israel Congregation in a rented room on Penn Avenue.
| |
|
The name is revealing.
The incorporation process discourages entities from using a name already in circulation within a particular jurisdiction. Beth Israel (meaning "House of Israel") is a common name for a Jewish congregation. In fact, the Wilkinsburg congregation was at least the fourth organization in Allegheny County to use the name.
The first Beth Israel was formed in Pittsburgh in 1852 and likely never incorporated. The second Beth Israel was incorporated in 1896 and quickly dissolved. The third Beth Israel was incorporated in Allegheny, Pa. in 1907 and became a Pittsburgh corporation with the annexation of Allegheny that year. The fourth Beth Israel was in Wilkinsburg. It was formed in 1936 and incorporated a few years later.
How did this happen?
They were able to use the name because Wilkinsburg is an independent municipality, as anyone who has followed the annexation debate in recent years knows.
| |
|
“Affair to Benefit Beth Israel Congregation.” Unsigned notice reporting on activities of Beth Israel Congregation of Wilkinsburg. Includes notice of new congregational home at Knights of Pythias Building, 745 Penn Ave—Nov. 10, 1936.
—from Jewish Criterion
Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project
| | |
|
Beth Israel remained at 759 Penn Ave. until 1941, when it officially incorporated and then relocated to a building at 1214 Wood St., several blocks to the north. It remained there through the 1960s before fading from the public record. The last notice we’ve discovered is an announcement for High Holiday services in 1969. The memorial board of the congregation currently hangs in Young Peoples Synagogue’s B’nai Zion building. | |
Weekly notice of Beth Israel Congregation of Wilkinsburg. Includes notice of new synagogue at Wood Street and Hill Avenue—Dec. 12, 1941.
—from Jewish Criterion
Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project
| |
|
TODAY:
JGS-Pittsburgh presents:
"U.S. Synagogue Records as a Genealogical Resource"
with Ellen Kowitt
| |
[LEFT] Portrait of Ellen Kowitt; [RIGHT] JGS-Pittsburgh logo | |
|
American synagogue records contain a wealth of genealogical treasures. Join us for a primer on using synagogue records for genealogical records. Where do you find synagogue records? What kind of genealogical materials do they contain? You will see examples and learn about JewishGen’s “Shul Records America,” a first-of-its-kind inventory of American synagogue records.
Finding synagogue records can be problematic and time consuming, as there are errors in catalogs and many ways materials are described. To make it easier, JewishGen starts the search for you with Shul Records America. This new finding aid helps you find American synagogue records. Launched in fall 2022 with over 500 collections held at 50 repositories or websites, about 20 percent include URLs for digitized materials. Not only a historical resource but important as modern-day synagogues merge or close, Shul Records America encourages congregations to preserve records with genealogical value.
At the end of the program, the Rauh Jewish Archives will present a quick survey of the dozens of available Western Pennsylvania synagogue records.
The program is TODAY, from 1-3 p.m. ET. This is a virtual program occurring exclusively online. The program will be recorded, and the recording will be made available only to current JGS-Pittsburgh members.
"U.S. Synagogue Records as a Genealogical Resource" is a collaboration between the Jewish Genealogy Society of Pittsburgh and the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center.
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.
| |
Ellen Kowitt is director of JewishGen’s USA Research Division and National Vice Chair of the Daughters of the American Revolution Jewish Specialty Research Team. She is past president of Jewish Genealogical Societies in Colorado and Greater Washington, DC, and served for three years on the IAJGS board of directors. Ellen publishes articles in Family Tree Magazine, she has completed the ProGen Study Group, attends genealogy institute programs, and is a member of the Colorado Chapter Association of Professional Genealogists. For upcoming lecture dates or more information, visit www.EllenKowitt.com. | |
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.
| |
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? | |
Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project | |
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. | |
| |
|
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 57 locations from 18 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. | |
|
[IMAGE: Marian Schreiber and employees at the Schreiber Trucking Company, c.1943—from Schreiber Family Papers and Photographs, MSS 846.]
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.
| |
The Rauh Jewish 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. | | | | |
