Abe Orbuch was born in a small town in Poland near the Russian border. He fled Poland at 21 to avoid conscription into the Russian military, settling in St. Paul. He bought a Model-T Ford and traveled to small towns outside of St. Paul where he sold fruit. He formed friendships with many in the Polish community in Foley and commuted to a poultry business he owned there for over forty years. He bought chickens, eggs and veal from Foley farmers and sold them sugar, flour and twine.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Abraham "Dutch" Kastenbaum was a trained social worker and established the first senior center in Minneapolis. He headed the United Way's Division of Aging, and hosted a poplar cable television show, Senior Citizens Forum, for twenty five years.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Confirmation students in graduation dress, posed with their teacher at Adath Jeshurun. Adath Jeshurun was located on the South Side in a building designed by the architect Jack Leibenberg. In the late 1990s the congregation relocated to Minnetonka. Rabbi Gordon is in the back row wearing the tallit.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Confirmation students in graduation dress, posed with their teacher at Adath Jeshurun. Confirmation is a coming of age practice for post Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. It was originally developed by the Reform movement to follow bar- and bat-mitzvahs in the belief that thirteen year olds were not yet ready to be considered adult and should continue on in their religious education.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
A photograph showing the front exterior of Adath Jeshurun Synagogue. Adath Jeshurun was founded 1884. It joined together two groups of Jews--immigrants from Russia and Romania--that had settled on Minneapolis's South Side. The building in the picture was, like Temple Israel, designed by Jack Liebenberg in the Neoclassical Revival style. The number three--corresponding to the number of doors--has several symbolic references, including to the three patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Members of the Adath Jeshurun Young People's League posing for a cast photo of their production, "Headin' South." Youth organizations in synagogues offered opportunities for socializing and other types of group activities. Adath Jeshurun's youth group organized theatricals and model Seders.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Established in 1924, AZA (Aelph Zedik Aelph) is the fraternity component of BBYO (B'nai Brith Youth Organization) for high school aged Jewish boys. The acronym stands for Ahavah (fraternal love), Tzedakah (benevolence), and Ahdoot (harmony). Photograph taken at the Lowry Hotel in St. Paul.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Aerial view of customers shopping amidst bookcases filled with books at the Mount Sinai Hospital Women's Auxiliary Book Fair, a fundraising event. Mount Sinai Hospital was built in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during the 1950s to address the discrimination Jewish doctors experienced admitting Jewish patients to local hospitals. The Auxiliary members promoted the work of Mount Sinai Hospital and assisted needy members of the community through volunteer service, fundraising and public relations.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Aerial view of customers shopping amidst bookcases and a table filled with books at the Mount Sinai Hospital Women's Auxiliary Book Fair, a fundraising event. Mount Sinai Hospital was built in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during the 1950s to address the discrimination Jewish doctors experienced admitting Jewish patients to local hospitals. The Auxiliary members promoted the work of Mount Sinai Hospital and assisted needy members of the community through volunteer service, fundraising and public relations.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Street view of storefronts along 6th Avenue North. 6th Avenue contained a mixture of single and multiple story structures housing businesses and residences on the upper floors.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
The Alpha Omega Club was a Minneapolis young people's social club. Worth noting is Sam Finkelstein, seated at center. Finkelestein was a driving force behind the success of the South Side Neighborhood House. The community center was modeled after St. Paul's Neighborhood House, providing a place where the community's children and young people could play sports and engage in social and practical activities.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Many of the players on this amateur Minneapolis football team were from the North Side neighborhood. Players identified are #60 Jerry Reichel, # 25 Phil Levin, #55 Zelmer Schrell, #59 Shel Epstein, #68 Dick Jacobs, and #52 Lev Goslin. Sid Levine is kneeling on the left, wearing glasses.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Children sitting at desks in a classroom. A line of children stands at the back of the class with chalk poised in hands, ready to write on the chalkboard. Mr. Elijah Avin was engaged as principal in 1911: he can be seen at the back of the room. The Minneapolis Talmud Torah was located on 818 Bassett Place in North Minneapolis at the time this photograph was taken.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
An exterior view of an apartment building typical of the West Side Flats neighborhood in St. Paul. The "Flats" was a working class area that was home to numerous immigrants, including a large Jewish population.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Men in uniform, women, and religious men sit at long tables for the Passover Seder at the Army Technical School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. R to L at head table: Eli H. Rudin, JWB-USC Director; Louis Koplow, JWB A&N Chairman, SD.; Rabbi Nathan Kohler; Rabbi Karl Richter; Chaplain Saul Kraft; Col. N. L. Cote, Commanding Officer; Lt. Col. C. R. Walters, Exec. Officer; Chaplain R. H. P. Ross, Post Chaplain; Chaplain C. W. McGeehon; Chaplain H. T. Bernthal; Chaplian Lowell Thompson.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
The Aurora Club for Young Women was sponsored by the Emanuel Cohen Center on Minneapolis's North Side. The club provided recreational and social opportunities for young Jewish women in the neighborhood.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
The Golden Age Club meet at the Emanuel Cohen Center. The judges here included, left to right, Rabbi Schulman, William Liebo, Sam Finkelestein, Lena Berdman. The baby beauty is Roberta Wilensky, aged 2.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Pearl Bankman Sakol (4th from top right) and her family gather around two tables for the Passover Seder. The view of the photograph is from slightly above.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
The Polars Club basketball team, sponsored by the Emanuel Cohen Center in North Minneapolis. The E. C. C. had no gym: games were played at settlement houses in other parts of the city with gymnasiums. E. C. C. games were played at the Wells Settlement House, which primarily served the North Side Finnish community.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives