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
Confirmants dressed in white and arranged in two rows sit and stand with Rabbi Aronson seated in the middle. Rabbi Aronson came to Beth El in 1924, and served the congregation for 35 years. Beth El, at the time the photo was taken, was on the North Side of Minneapolis. The congregation is now in St. Louis Park .
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
A toddler stands on the sidewalk wearing a snowsuit and mittens. The Sumner Field Homes were constructed by the W. P. A. in 1938. They were the first federally subsidized housing in Minnesota. Sumner Field replaced housing stock constructed in the 1880 and 1890s that were home to a first generation of Minneapolis immigrants.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Children gathered outside of the Capitol City Hebrew School, with the school entrance in the background. Capitol City Hebrew Free School was one of two schools in St. Paul where Jewish children could learn Hebrew. It was originally affiliated with the Sons of Jacob congregation, but by the time this building was built in 1912, enrollment was no longer restricted to Sons of Jacob families.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
The children in the photograph are dressed up to represent the Royal Court at the St. Paul Winter Carnival. The photograph was taken in the basement of the George Kaplan Hebrew Seminary building at 1464 Summit Avenue in St. Paul.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Children dressed in costume, standing outside of Temple Emmanuel. Purim is a religious holiday that celebrates the defeat of Haman, the Persian minister who plotted the annihilation of the Persian Jews. It is a holiday marked by re-enactments of the story and subversive merry-making.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Purim is a holiday celebrating the rescue of the Jews from extermination at the hands of Hayman, the chief minister to the King of Persia. It is day of put-ons, jokes, and theatricality, and children perform plays about how Esther and Mordechi outwit Hayman.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
As part of Sunday School instruction, very young children are taught about and practice the words to the Shabbat blessings over a cup of wine and bread. This group of children were in Bernice Cowl Gordon's class. Left to right: Howard Goldberg, Gerald and Merle Rosenzweig and John Have.
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
A photograph of parade winner, Nancy Goldberg with Mrs. Harry Zeesman. Doll and buggy parades were a popular activity for little girls to enter during the J. E. C. Center Days in late summer. Children would participate in games and contests, and adults would display projects and crafts from adult education classes.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Cantor was a popular entertainer who traveled periodically during World War II to promote sales of U. S. War Bonds. He is shown here with the Lebedoff triplets; David, Jonathan and Judy. Arrangements for Cantor's visit were made by Minneapolis Hadassah.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
By 1924, when this photograph was taken, the Talmud Torah had moved to a new building space. The old building remained a community center, but the Hebrew school moved to the Emanuel Cohen Center. The school was also gaining national recognition at that time as a place of innovative teaching methods and rigorous curriculum. The Elementary Level lasted for 5 years and was the first level of Hebrew instruction.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
A photograph of the graduating pre-Kindergarten class standing in caps and gowns in front of the Emanuel Cohen Center. There was a comprehensive curriculum for Jewish children at the Emmanuel Cohen Center.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
The children in the picture are displaying their hobbies. Many of the children in the Jewish neighborhood on Minneapolis's North Side attended John Hay Elementary School. The school was located at Penn Avenue North and 10th Avenue North; it closed in 2003 as North Side school enrollments declined.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
A photograph of four unidentified girls standing in front of Central Community House, holding hands. Central Community House in St. Paul was established in 1921. It offered recreational and social activities for children, as well as baby clinics and day care for mothers working factory jobs during World War II.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
The George Kaplan Hebrew Seminary was founded in 1944 in St. Paul as a branch of the Hebrew Institute. It was intended to meet the needs of Conservative families on the West Side of St. Paul. The school building was located on Summit Avenue in St. Paul.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
The Hebrew class instructor stands with the students of the Hebrew class of West Side B'nai Israel Synagogue. The photograph was taken at a class outing in Lincoln Park in Duluth. B'nai Israel consolidated with congregation Adas Israel in 1930.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Graduates and instructors stand arranged on the steps of the Emanuel Cohen Center. The Emanuel Cohen Center provided recreation space and social services to the North Minneapolis community. The Center was named for Emanuel Cohen, an attorney and the Center's principle benefactor.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives