Likely members of the same family, these young people pose for a snapshot with their bicycle,on a hard-packed dirt street somewhere on the West Side of St. Paul.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Portrait photograph of children attending a child's birthday party. The families represented by the children in this photo where children of the first generation of Jewish settlers that had arrived at the turn of the century, mainly from Lithuania by way of Superior, Wisconsin. The Jewish community in Range towns was relatively tight-knit. Each of the larger towns, including Virginia, Hibbing, Chisholm and Eveleth had a synagogue at one time or another, and much of the community life revolved around activities related to them.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
These girls enjoyed a slumber party at the home of Ida and Helga Engleson. Their parents were William and Sarah Engleson, who lived in the West Side neighborhood in a home on State St.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
A photograph of men in suits sitting at long tables in a hall. In the 1920s, as a greater number of Jews began to work in downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, social clubs sprang up to met their needs. In both cities, access to the existing clubs was limited to Gentiles. In 1908, a group of Jewish graduates from the University of Minnesota founded the Gymal Doled Club, named for the third and fourth letters of the Jewish alphabet. Gymal Doled absorbed other Jewish social clubs, and finally changed names in 1945 to the Standard Club, to reflect the American acculturation of its members.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Portrait photograph of a large group of Hadassah members in costume. Founded in 1912, Hadassah is the second-oldest independent Jewish women's organization in the United States. Hadassah draws on both the ideology of Zionism and on women's sense of social responsibility to elicit support for Israel, youth activities and educational services. National programs that were implemented in Minnesota included "linen showers" for medical units, money collection for school lunch programs in Palestine, and providing Jewish-German children foster-homes in Palestine during WWII. Members also made time to play and socialize.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
A group of boys and an adult at Sumner Field park. Sumner Field was a large commons area that served as a playing field for North Side neighborhood children. Recreational opportunities for children and young people were funded and organized by the Emanuel Cohen Center.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Some members of Boy Scout Troop #86 pose outside wearing hats, sweaters and jackets during a fall outing. Scouting, like sports, served as a way for young men to grow up under the attention and scrutiny of adults in addition to their hard-working parents. Beth El Synagogue sponsored Troop #86.Other Minneapolis troops included troop #10 at Temple Israel and Troop #208 at Adath Jeshurun.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Photograph showing a group of boys wearing baseball uniforms with baseball bats in the foreground. This group of boys probably played for a settlement house team. The uniforms they wear sport the letters "DTC": the scoreboard is in the background to the right. Settlement houses sponsored sports teams to attract boys to supervised activities as an alternative to hanging out on the street.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Mrs. Louis Rubenstein posed for this portrait during the annual fundraiser. The woman selling the most tickets was named queen of the bazaar. Beth El Congregation was composed of younger members of the North Side Jewish community who were interested in reviving certain aspects of religious expression, including Torah study (in English) and Friday evening Shabbat services.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
A group of boys gather behind their seated instructor at Sumner Field park. Sumner Field was a large commons area on the North Side that served as a playing field for North Side neighborhood children. Recreational opportunities for children and young people were funded and organized by the Emanuel Cohen Center.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
A young Hyman Berman stands in his Boy Scout uniform holdng semaphores. Scouting was available to both boys and girls. Although scouting's intent was in part to Americanize participants through civic service and outdoor recreation, the sponsors of most all of the Jewish scout troops were synagogues.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Theresa (Ackerman) Berman standing in a field at Girl Scout Camp, Tee Pee Tonka, in Faribault. Jewish Girl and Boy Scout troops were primarily synagogue sponsored.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
A group of Beth El congregants dressed in costume. Beth El was founded by young people, many in their 20s. It was a congregation that, in addition to being "modern" in outlook and practice, enjoyed having fun.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
A group of young men and women stand and sit outside of a building at Christmas Lake. Sigma Alpha Mu (also known as "Sammy") fraternity was founded at City College in New York in 1909. Originally a Jewish fraternity, it remained so until the mid-1950s, when members from all backgrounds were accepted.
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
The Lipschultz family sitting on a blanket outdoors. Frema Lipschultz is flanked by her two daughters, Rose (left) and Ruth (far right), and her two grandchildren, Harold and Maurice.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
A group of women dressed in costume. Etheldoris Stein Grais sits in the background: in the back row, left to right, is Maddie Gerron, Gertrude Gottstein Stein, and Hia Sacks. Front row, left to right, is Beatrice Nildes, Etta Hallock and Rose Shapiro. Dress-up parties were popular informal social events thrown by female friends, or occasionally by women's organizations. Parties offered an opportunity to dress out of character, socialize, and enjoy each other's company. Costumes could be lavish, symbolic or simple. Participants often dressed as men, brides or babies.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Two young boys concentrate on the chess board while a group of children look on. Children's and young people's programming was held at the J. E. C. Annex.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
The Minneapolis Chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women was founded in 1894 by Nina Morais Cohen. Cohen was a nationally recognized leader: when Susan B. Anthony came to Minneapolis, she stayed at Nina and Emanuel Cohen's home. The N. C. J. W. is a volunteer organization working for social change based upon Jewish values. In its earliest years, volunteers worked in settlement houses, acted as juvenile court advocates, helped provide vocational training for immigrant and poor women and girls, and helped develop free school-based health services. Fanny Brin is second from the right.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
A publicity photograph showing arts and crafts activates for kids enrolled at "Stay at Home Camp", a successful summer camp developed by the Jewish Center Activities Association, for the growing number of families joining the J. E. C. The J. C. A. A. was the Jewish Education Center's programming arm.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives