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Projects / Committees
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.
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 a trained archivist and by 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.
ARRANGEMENTS
Refreshments and table décor for meetings and events are supplied by
committee members.
COMMUNITY LIAISON
Committee members help publicize the Society’s programs to local
congregations and organizations. By writing notices for congregational
bulletins and by making announcements at meetings, committee members
augment other publicity and help to ensure that appropriate audiences
are notified of Society speakers and events.
GENEALOGY
In 2004-05, the committee inaugurated an exciting project. It began to
document and photograph all graves in cemeteries affiliated with
Memphis Jewish congregations. It is anticipated that photographs of
tombstones and other public obituary information will be available on
our web site to facilitate research by family members or others. The
committee also encourages and facilitates the preparation and
collection of genealogies and other historical documents.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
We are pleased to present this Web site which began in Spring 2005. A
separate Content Committee prepares material for the Web site and
encourages input from our members.
MEMBERSHIP
Committee chairs and members identify potential new members and solicit
their membership through mailings and personal contacts.
NEWSLETTER
Our newsletter, Southern
Jewish Heritage, is
produced three times each year and offers features about local Jewish
people and institutions. It is mailed free of charge to members of the
Society.
ORAL AND RECORDED HISTORY
Our Oral and Recorded History project began in 2000 by collecting
already-prepared genealogies and family histories from Jewish families
in the Mid-South. It progressed to conducting interviews of older
members of the Jewish community, a project which is ongoing. Completed
interviews now number about 90 and are housed in the JHS section of the
Temple Israel Archives. Interviews are audiotaped.
PROGRAMS
The Jewish Historical Society of Memphis and the Mid-South is indeed
fortunate to collaborate with Bornblum Judaic Studies at the University
of Memphis to bring outstanding speakers to Memphis. Please see a
detailed listing of our speakers under PROGRAMS.
SELMA LEWIS SCHOLARS
Begun to memorialize the late, beloved member and president-elect,
Selma Lewis, an accomplished historian who wrote the book A Biblical
People in the Bible Belt, this committee encourages students in the
local Jewish day schools and Sunday schools to conduct their own
genealogical projects. Their research is presented at a meeting of the
Society.
TRAVEL
Each year, the Society plans a trip to sites of Jewish interest in the
region. Destinations have included Natchez, MS, Hot Springs, AR
and a trip to Little Rock, AR, which included the Clinton
Library.
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