The late 1960s and early 1970s were, in part, characterized by the counterculture that swept through the United States during those years. Catapulted by the growth of social movement activism was an increased awareness of and desire to fix the problems plaguing American society, such as racism, sexism, poverty and the exploitation of labor. This period of American history was full of new and…
The near freezing weather and packed crowds aren’t enough to deter the thousands who cram into Times Square every December 31st to watch the ball drop from the top of One Times Square. The New Years Eve event often has nearly a billion people watching, but there’s more to the building than the flashy billboards and crystal ball. Adolph Ochs was born to two…
Stand on the East side of the Jackie Onassis Reservoir in Central Park and look across the water. The skyline is dominated by buildings designed by Emery Roth, many of which have been designated New York Historical landmarks. Born to a Jewish family in Hungary in 1871, Roth immigrated alone to the United States when he was 13. He began his architectural training working…
A couple of doors down from the Forward Building (and notably two stories taller) stands Jarmulowsky’s Bank. Sender Jarmulowsky immigrated to America from Russia, and by 1873 he had set up his bank on the Lower East Side. In addition to the Jarmulowsky Bank Building, he was also instrumental in the construction of the Eldridge Street Synagogue and subsequently served as its first president….
In the heart of the Lower East Side stands a ten story building. Completed in 1912, the Beaux Arts building was the first skyscraper on the Lower East Side and the home to The Jewish Daily Forward. The Forward was founded in 1897 by Abraham Cahan, a Belarusian-born Jew who came to America to escape charges of revolutionary sympathies and actions. At one point…
In celebration of Archives Week 2016, Center and partner staff collected and recorded stories about the collections and services at the Center and its partners. If you have ever wondered why archives matter and how archives can change lives, just have a listen. In this recording, Yeshiva University Museum’s Collections Curator Bonni-Dara Michaels describes the Museum and highlights one of the Museum’s collections donated…
16thstreet: The Written World is a wall-sized paper mosaic created by Diane Samuels in which each tile is inscribed with a handwritten letter or character from one of dozens of languages collected from users of the Center. Stop into the Center’s Ackman and Ziff Genealogy Institute to admire it for yourself!
This article from Jewish Art Salon is interesting and has images of some of the pieces. The exhibit on view at the Yeshiva University Museum here at the Center for Jewish History is not to be missed. Threatened Beauty by Andi Arnovitz at the Y.U. Museum: http://wp.me/p5n3hG-XV — Threatened Beauty In this exhibition of 33 jewel-like, richly textured collage and watercolor works, Israel-based artist…
Pogrom in Polen, early 20th century. This poster by L. Pinkhof, printed in Amsterdam, warns of recent pogroms in Poland. Artist: Leo Pinkhof (1898-1943)Amsterdam, early 20th centuryCollection of Yeshiva University Museum. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Ludwig Jesselson
Ready, set, read! The 16th Street Book Club is open to all. On Tuesday, July 15th at 7pm at the Center, 15 West 16th Street in NYC), we’ll be discussing Liana Finck’s graphic novel A Bintel Brief: Love and Longing in Old New York. Drawn from letters from the widely popular Forward advice column “A Bundle of Letters,” Finck illustrates an imaginative conversation with the “Yiddish ‘Dear…
Currently on display in the Center’s Great Hall: A Shavuot papercut from the early 20th century. From the Collection of Yeshiva University Museum. In addition to the Partner exhibition spaces, permanent art installations and the David Berg Rare Book Room, the Center has recently started to showcase treasures from all of the Partners in an innovative combination of electronic and physical objects. The project…
