by Kevin Schlottmann, Archival Services Manager, Center for Jewish History The Leo Baeck Institute’s Milli Frank correspondence (AR 6686) contains dozens of letters and postcards sent to Milli Frank in Brooklyn, New York, between 1937 and 1944, by her parents, aunts and uncles in Germany. Later, some of these relatives wrote to her from the concentration camps of France. None of them appears to…
We continue Sarah Ganton’s story of Molly Picon, for decades a household name in Yiddish theater and vaudeville, then a Broadway star and performer with the USO, then a radio personality. We’re very fortunate to have a rich record of her life through the archives of the American Jewish Historical Society, one of the five partners of the Center of Jewish History. Join us in celebrating…
Adah Isaacs Menken. Photo: American Jewish Historical Society. She flew on fake horses above the stage, wore nude bodysuits so audiences would think she was naked, married four men (and divorced three)—and was surrounded by rumors of affairs with dozens of famous writers. Actress Adah Menken (1835-1868) was one of the first international celebrities, due more to her daring exploits and shrewd publicity than her…
Out of the Archives: Serendipity by Kevin Schlottmann, Archival Services Manager, Center for Jewish History Today is International Cat Day. This morning, one of our archival fellows was processing a collection from the Leo Baeck Institute, when she came across a diary/sketchbook. Inside she discovered a small glassine envelope containing little white chips. Upon closer inspection, the chips turned out to be nail (well, claw) clippings from…
Poster from the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews Records: “Mr. Gorbachev, before you talk arms, let’s talk bodies.” For the march and rally for Soviet Jews Pre-Summit, December 6, 1987. American Jewish Historical Society. Thanks to generous support from the National Historical Publications & Records Commission (NHPRC), the Center for Jewish History began digitizing more than 75,000 objects from the American Jewish Historical Society’s Soviet…
Great news! The Center for Jewish History now provides full access to the world’s largest online collaborative family tree, Geni.com, free of charge. Courtesy of the Geni Public Access program, users logging in to Geni.com on-site at the Center for Jewish History can take advantage of the website’s Pro features, including full access to their database of family trees and family history projects, enhanced research…
Fascinating find. We’ve got a juicy series going about Picon’s incredible career; read more about her here! Evening Dress worn by Molly Picon Silk 1930s Collection of Yeshiva University Museum Gift of Sarah Safford yumuseum: In the mid-1970s, Sarah Safford, a dancer from New York was driving in Mahopac in Upstate New York when she came upon an abandoned truck in the middle of…
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
Photo of the day: Silver circumcision knife, Italy (ca. 1620). Hebrew inscription: “My covenant was with him for life…” Genesis 17.11; Deuteronomy 30.12; Genesis 17.12. Collection of Yeshiva University Museum The Max Stern Collection