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The
Jewish Historical Society of Memphis and the Mid-South offers a
wide variety of opportunities for involvement. Our various committees
span a range of interests and welcome whatever level of participation
members choose to contribute.
Programs
The
Jewish Historical Society of Memphis and the Mid-South is indeed
fortunate to collaborate with other Jewish organizations to bring
outstanding speakers to Memphis. Please see a detailed listing of our
speakers under Programs.
Newsletters
Our
newsletter, Southern
Jewish Heritage, is produced two or three times each year
and offers features about local Jewish people and institutions. It is
mailed free of charge to members of the Society. Back issues are housed
in the JHS section of the Temple Israel Archives. Please click
Southern
Jewish Heritage Newsletter for access to
the index of articles published since 1987.
Click on the issue date to access the desired issue.
Genealogy
In
2004-05, the committee inaugurated an exciting project. It began to
document and photograph graves in cemeteries affiliated with all
Memphis Jewish congregations. Photographs of these tombstones and other
public obituary information are available on JewishGen website. Go to JewishGen
Online Worldwide Burial
Registry--JOWBR.
Membership
Committee
chairs and commitee members identify potential new members of the
Society and invite their membership through mailings and personal
contacts.
Oral
and Recorded History
Our
oral and recorded history project began in 2000 with the collection of
already-prepared genealogies and family histories from Jewish families
in the Mid-South. The project expanded to include interviews of older
members of the Jewish community, an effort which is ongoing. The
genealogies, histories, and interviews are housed in the JHSMM section
of
the Temple Israel Archives. Interviews are video/audio taped. The index
of
completed interviews is now available on this website. Click on Oral Histories or Exodus Project Interviews
to access the oral interviews.
Tours
The
Society plans trips to sites of Jewish cultural interest. We have
visited such destinations as Natchez, MS; Hot Springs, AR; Little Rock,
AR, a trip which included the Clinton Library; and Philadelphia, PA,
where we saw the National Museum of American Jewish History. Locally,
we have toured Elmwood Cemetery and other historic sites.
Archives
The
Society collects and preserves a large variety of documents related to
Jewish life in Memphis and the Mid-South. Materials are stored in the
Jewish Historical Society section of the Temple Israel Archives where
they are cared for both by our Archivist and by our volunteer staff.
The archives facility is climate controlled and materials are housed
according to the highest standards of preservation. Committee members
volunteer time to maintain the growing collection of items from private
donors. The Society encourages and facilitates the preparation and
collection of genealogies and historical documents. Items donated
include:
| DONORS &
ITEMS DONATED: |
| 1. |
| Margolin:
Memphis Hebrew Academy and Finestone Yeshiva
of the South Yearbooks |
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6. |
| National
Council of Jewish
Women: Archival documents from 1930 |
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| 2. |
| Kilstein:
Yarmulke collection from local weddings and ceremonies |
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7. |
Salon
Circle: Archival documents from 1891 |
| 3. |
Mirvis:
Universal Jewish Encyclopedia |
8. |
Family
Collections: Croner, Esser, Koller, Summerfield |
| 4. |
Lewis:
Selma Lewis manuscripts |
9. |
Various
cemetery lists of Memphis &
Mid-South communities |
5.
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| Markowitz:
3000 plus vintage photos of local Jewish events . |
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