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President's Message
Gilbert Halpern
As an almost lifelong Memphian, I was fortunate, along with my brother Herbert, to be a son of Thelma and Louis Halpern. They were the owners and operators of Halpern’s Kosher Delicatessen & Restaurant for 35 years. Their little establishment catered to the Jews of not only Memphis, but to the surrounding towns in Arkansas, Missouri, and far down into the Mississippi Delta. Halpern’s was one of the vital stopping places for Jews, many who traveled to Memphis for Sunday school, Sabbaths, and Holidays. These mid-south travelers would come to Halpern’s to stock up on kosher foods and, more importantly, to socialize and catch up on the latest big city gossip. With Thelma Halpern holding court, they were satisfied on all counts. Because Halpern’s was one of the key Sunday meeting places, along with Rosen’s, Wener’s, Eppes Essen, and others, my parents knew and were friends with most of the local and mid-south Jewish families. They were frequently invited to attend simchas in Blytheville, Jonesboro, Greenwood, Clarksdale, etc., and, often they would go. They had a chance to mingle with their customer/friends and learned much about the southern Jews. I worked in the store from the time I could see over the counters, and, by osmosis, learned from all of these conversations a great deal about the Jews of our area and their histories. I mention this because the Jews of Memphis and the Mid-South have a unique history. Unlike the northeast and the west, they came to a sometimes hostile south, started businesses, learned to "fit in," and succeeded, or failed, by their own efforts. Their stories are part of the historical template the Jewish Historical Society documents, records, shares and preserves. That being stated, one of our prime initiatives for 2007 will be to expand our membership and exposure to this important history. Our programs this year are timely, informative, exciting, and educational. Look them over in the "programs" section of this web site and you will discover that you do not want to miss a single one. In keeping with our mission to research & preserve the history of the Jews of our area, the cemetery committee will soon have pictures of the gravestones available for viewing on the Internet. Our other committees, which include Archives, Membership, Genealogy, Selma Lewis Scholars, Publicity, Community, Travel, Oral Histories, and more, will soon be announcing their plans for the coming year. Check out our web site for more information. I am looking forward to a most productive year.
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