Conclusion of Rosenthall Judaica processing project

After 18 months, project staff has concluded processing the William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection. During this time, project archivists, coordinators, library staff and faculty, consultants, and student interns have:

-Made available a finding aid to assist researchers in using the collection.
-Scanned and created metadata for almost 5,500 collection items in the Lowcountry Digital Library .
-Cataloged over 300 published materials, including books, serials, pamphlets, and art portfolios.
-Curated an online exhibit based on the collection’s strength of imagery centered on the synagogue.

Please contact Manager of Research Services Mary Jo Fairchild with any questions regarding the William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection.

Rosenthall Serials : Allgemeine Illustrirte Judenzeitung

The William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection includes multiple issues of several long-running, widely-circulated German language serials, such as the Allgemeine Zeitung des Judenthums, Ost und West, and Simplicissimus. In addition to these titles, the collection contains a full run of the illustrated weekly Allgemeine Illustrirte Judenzeitung.

The Allgemeine Illustrirte Judenzeitung was published in Pest from August 3, 1860, to June 28, 1861. Josef Bärmann edited and published the paper from its inception until April 5, 1861. On this date, the paper merged with the publication Der Carmel: religiöse Wochenschrift für Synagoge, Schule und Haus published by Wolf Alois Meisel, Chief Rabbi of Pest, to form a new publication entitled Carmel, Allgemeine Illustrirte Judenzeitung.

First issue of the Allgemeine Illustrirte Judenzeitung, published August 3 1860, featuring Rabbi Löw Schwab.

First issue of the Allgemeine Illustrirte Judenzeitung, published August 3, 1860, featuring Rabbi Löw Schwab.

In June 1860, before the first issue was published, the editorial staff issued a statement describing their vision for the newly created Allgemeine Illustrirte Judenzeitung. They described a publication that would include interesting news from near and afar, literary sketches, and instructive articles from the realms of art and science. The editors aimed to fill the columns of the pages with scientific articles and historical sketches connected to Jewish life and history. To this end, they requested interesting reports from and about Jewish communities and biographies about meritorious Jews. They want to make known the achievements of Jewish artists, authors, and other specialists. The editors were also very clear about who the audience for this new publication would be. They stressed that the publication was dedicated not to subject specialists, but to all who might find it amusing and instructive. First and foremost, they would publish a paper dedicated to Jewish readers.

Last issue of the Allgemeine Illustrirte Judenzeitung, published June 28, 1861, featuring Rabbi Adolf Jellinek.

Last issue of the Allgemeine Illustrirte Judenzeitung, published June 28, 1861, featuring Rabbi Adolf Jellinek.

True to their stated mission, the editors of the Allgemeine Illustrirte Judenzeitung published a weekly containing dispatches from Jewish communities around the Austrian Empire, as well as more in-depth articles about Jewish communities further afield, in places such as Poland, Spain, Damascus, and Baghdad. The paper also published poems, novelettes, and literary reviews. In addition, the cover of each issue featured an illustration of either a prominent Jewish individual or important Jewish institution in the Austrian Empire, along with corresponding biographies of the individuals and histories of the institutions featured. Such individuals included Rabbi Löw Schwab, Rabbi Moses Schreiber (Moses Sofer), Isaak Noah Mannheimer, Israel Popper, Rabbi Götz Schwerin, Michael Lazar Biedermann, Samuel Oppenheimer, Rabbi Mordecai Banet (Markus Benedikt), Joel Deutsch, Rabbi Leopold Löw, József Eötvös, Adolf Fischhof, Béla Széchenyi, and Rabbi Adolf Jellinek.

Israel Popper (1800–1860), leading textile manufacturer and head of the Jewish Religious Community in Brünn (Brno)

Israel Popper (1800–1860), leading textile manufacturer and head of the Jewish Religious Community in Brünn (Brno)

Rabbi Götz Schwerin (1760-1852)

Rabbi Götz Schwerin (1760-1852)

Michael Lazar Biedermann (1769-1843),  Austrian jeweler and merchant

Michael Lazar Biedermann (1769-1843), Austrian jeweler and merchant

Samuel Oppenheimer (1630-1703), banker, imperial court factor, and diplomat

Samuel Oppenheimer (1630-1703), banker, imperial court factor, and diplomat

Rabbi Mordecai Banet (Markus Benedikt) (1753–1829)

Rabbi Mordecai Banet (Markus Benedikt) (1753–1829)

Joel Deutsch

Joel Deutsch (1813-1899), Director of Das Allgemeine Österreichische Israelitische Taubstummen-Institut in Wien

Rabbi Leopold Löw (1811-1875)

Rabbi Leopold Löw (1811-1875)

József Eötvös (1813-1871), Hungarian writer and statesman

József Eötvös (1813-1871), Hungarian writer and statesman

Adolf Fischhof (1816-1893), Austrian writer and politician

Adolf Fischhof (1816-1893), Austrian writer and politician

Béla Széchenyi (1837-1908), Hungarian explorer

Béla Széchenyi (1837-1908), Hungarian explorer

Featured buildings include Das Allgemeine Österreichische Israelitische Taubstummen-Institut in Wien, the Albrechtinum and synagogue funded by Philipp Schey von Koromla in Güns (Kőszeg), Die Israelitische Kinderbewahranstalt in Wien, the Main Synagogue of Odessa, Old New Synagogue in Prague, and the Israelitisches Krankenhaus in Pest.

Das Allgemeine Österreichische Israelitische Taubstummen-Institut in Wien

Das Allgemeine Österreichische Israelitische Taubstummen-Institut in Wien

Albrechtinum

Albrechtinum, Güns (Kőszeg)

Synagogue, Güns (Kőszeg)

Synagogue, Güns (Kőszeg)

Main Synagogue, Odessa

Main Synagogue, Odessa

Jewish hospital, Pest

Jewish hospital, Pest

Though the Allgemeine Zeitung des Judenthums ceased publication of full issues on June 28, 1861, publication of plates (portrait etchings) continued into 1862.

Processing Update: Artifacts

In addition to the many paper-based materials in the William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection, we have also processed a series of three-dimensional objects. This series of artifacts is comprised of medals and coins, textiles, and commemorative plates. The subjects covered in this series mirror those found throughout the collection, including Antisemitism and persecution, Jewish holidays, Jewish institutions, prominent Jewish figures, the State of Israel, and synagogues.

Benjamin Disraeli commemorative plate

The collection contains three decorative plates, one featuring Benjamin Disraeli and two featuring Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim in Charleston, South Carolina. The plate featuring Benjamin Disraeli includes his seated portrait framed by a floral border of primroses, Disraeli’s favorite flower, and his earl’s coronet over the portrait, with an excerpt from Alfred Tennyson’s poem “In Memoriam A.H.H.” at the bottom. This English creamware plate was produced circa 1886 by the Wallis Gimson & Company’s Lane Delph Pottery in Staffordshire. The plate probably commemorates Disraeli’s elevation to the House of Lords in 1876, when Queen Victoria made him the Earl of Beaconsfield.

KKBE bicentennial plateThe second plate, pictured at right, commemorates Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim’s bicentennial in 1950 and features an illustration of the synagogue, with a short printed passage on the history of the Jewish community in Charleston and the synagogue on the back. An additional decorative plate held in the collection features a photographic image of Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, with a typed note providing a short history of the synagogue taped to the back.

matzah coverThe Rosenthall Collection also includes a small number of textiles, especially those used during the celebration of Passover, such as afikomen bags and matzo covers. This matzo cover includes the Hebrew blessing over matzo, which translates as : “Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to eat matzo.” Both the blessing and the vibrant flowers on the matzo cover are embroidered; lace encircles the cover. The Hebrew date 5669 at the bottom corresponds to the year 1909.

 

MizrahAdditional textiles in the collection include a textile featuring an image of Bnei Brak, Israel, a wall tapestry including a border of the Hebrew text of Exodus 23:25-26, and this Mizrah, which would be hung on the eastern wall in Jewish homes or synagogues to indicate the direction to face in prayer.

The most substantial portion of this series is Rabbi Rosenthall’s collection of medals and coins, which has particular strengths in the subjects of prominent Jewish figures, Jewish institutions, and synagogues. The medals of prominent Jewish figures feature artists and authors, bankers and businessmen, military leaders, philanthropists, philosophers, politicians, rabbis, and Zionists, among others. Many of these medals honor the births of these important figures, such as the medals pictured below celebrating the 75th birthday of author Mendele Mocher Sforim and 70th birthday of composer Karl Goldmark.

Mendele Mocher Sforim medal Carl Goldmark medal frontCarl Goldmark medal reverse

Other medals in this group display not only prominent Jewish individuals, but the organization or institution with which they were most associated. The first medal displayed below commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Alliance israélite universelle in 1910. Narcisse Leven, whose bust is shown on the front of the medal, served as general secretary of the organization from 1863 to 1883, its vice-president from 1883 to 1898, and its president beginning in 1898.

Narcisse Leven medal front Narcisse Leven medal reverse

The next medal commemorates the life of Adolph Jellinek (1820-1893), Chief Rabbi of the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien (Jewish community of Vienna). The Hebrew text on the back is excerpted from Zechariah 4:6 : “Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Adolph Jellinek medal front Adolph Jellinek medal reverse

The final medal in this group dates from 1913 and honors philosopher Henri Bergson, member of the Institut de France and professor at the Collège de France. The Latin inscription on the back reads : “movet vita intellectum.”

Henri Bergson medal front

Henri Bergson medal backSome medals, such as the medal below featuring actor Adolf von Sonnenthal, commemorate important milestones within the individuals’ lives. This 1881 medal was struck in celebration of Sonnenthal’s 25th anniversary with the K.K. Hofburgtheater (today called the Burgtheater) in Vienna. Sonnenthal made his acting debut at the theater in 1856. In 1870 Sonnenthal was appointed assistant manager, and in 1884 chief manager, of the Hofburgtheater; and from 1887 to 1888 he acted as its director. His 25th anniversary at this theater was celebrated by all Vienna, and the emperor conferred an order of nobility upon him. The back of the medal shows the exterior of the theater.

Adolf von Sonnenthal medal frontAdolf von Sonnenthal medal back

The medals in the Rosenthall Collection also depict a wide range of Jewish institutions, such as charitable societies, homes for the aged, hospitals, orphanages, and schools located in Israel, South America, Western Europe, and the United States. The first medal from this category pictured below commemorates the 1928 dedication of new facilities for the Newark Beth Israel Hospital. The front features the exterior of the new buildings, with a Star of David above and Rod of Asclepius below; the reverse depicts a male figure sipping from a bowl of water held by a female figure, with Hebrew text excerpted form Exodus 15:25 : “For I am the Lord that heals you.”

Newark Beth Israel Hospital medal reverse Newark Beth Israel Hospital medal front

The second medal commemorates the 1865 dedication of a new building for the Jewish Boys’ Orphanage Megadle Yetomim in Amsterdam. Megadle Yetomim, meaning those who care for orphans, was originally founded in 1738 by Amsterdam’s Ashkenazi community. The first home opened in 1836; in 1865, the new orphanage opened on the Amstel and the corner of Zwanenburgerstraat. The front of the medal depicts a relief of the building’s exterior; the reverse depicts a relief of a woman holding two children, with a shield bearing a Star of David and the Hebrew inscription “Megadle Yetomim.”

Jewish Orphanage Amsterdam medal front Jewish Orphanage Amsterdam medal reverse

The final medal pictured in this group commemorates the 70th anniversary of the founding of Hebrew Union College (1875-1945). The front depict’s the buildings façade, while the back pictures a bust of the institution’s founder, Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise.

Hebrew Union College medal frontHebrew Union College medal reverse

As is the case throughout the collection, the medals subseries is also very strong in items displaying synagogues from Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. The first medal pictured below commemorates the 100th anniversary of the founding of Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in 1825, the second synagogue in New York City, and the oldest in continuous operation. The front of the medal depicts the exterior of the congregation’s current building, which was dedicated in 1917; the reverse depicts the congregation’s first synagogue building on Elm Street in Manhattan.

Bnai Jeshurun medal frontBnai Jeshurun medal reverse

The three following medals commemorate the inaugurations of synagogues in Germany and Italy. The first medal displayed commemorates the 1887 dedication of the Hauptsynagoge (Main Synagogue) in Munich. The Rosenthall Collection also contains a 1972 rendition of this medal that displays the same front as the original 1887 medal, but with a reverse displaying a stylized depiction of the Main Synagogue’s remains after its destruction during Kristallnacht (1938).

Munchen 1887 frontMunchen 1887 reverse

The next medal commemorates the 1861 inauguration of the Glockengasse Synagogue in Cologne. The medal’s front displays a relief of the synagogue’s exterior. The back displays a relief of the interior, as well as Hebrew text reading : “And Abraham Oppenheim built the synagogue for the congregation of Cologne, and they inaugurated it on 23 Elul 5621.”

Glockengasse Synagogue medal frontGlockengasse Synagogue medal reverse

The last medal in this set commemorates the 1878 inauguration of the Tempio Israelitico (synagogue) in Vercelli. The front of the medal depicts the synagogue’s façade, with the back containing the dedication.

Vercelli Synagogue medal frontVercelli Synagogue medal reverse

The Case of the Mistaken Tuesday

Processing Archivist Amy Lazarus and I recently had the opportunity to look into several reels of tape found with the William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection. These reels were especially intriguing as we had no immediate way to listen to them and only the slightest hint at their content–a note slipped into one of the boxes indicating that they dated from Rabbi Rosenthall’s time at the Woodsdale Temple, home of Congregation L’Shem Shomayim in Wheeling, West Virginia. Rosenthall served as rabbi of this congregation from his appointment in August 1958 until he left in February 1962 to take the position of executive director of the World Union for Progressive Judaism.

Audio reel

One of the reels from the William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection

For assistance, we reached out to Rick Zender, curator of the John Rivers Communication Museum located on the College of Charleston campus. The museum holds a wide range of devices used throughout communication history, including radios, telephones, phonographs, and televisions. They also hold a reel-to-reel recorder, which Rick helped us use to listen to the reels of tape from the Rosenthall Collection.

Reel-to-reel tape recorder

Reel-to-reel recorder at the John Rivers Communication Museum

One of the reels contains a recording of a service held on the morning of Rosh Hashanah at the Woodsdale Temple. In the following clip, you can hear Rabbi Rosenthall reading from the prayer book during the service. Documents from Rosenthall’s personal papers tell us that the congregation adopted the Union Prayer Book in 1897; it was replaced by Gates of Prayer in 1975.

 

A second reel contains a recording of a skit performed at the 1959 convention of the West Virginia Federation of Temple Sisterhoods, which was held in Wheeling. A write-up in the June 1959 Woodsdale Temple Bulletin describes the convention:

“In the estimation of the ladies of the Congregation the outstanding event of the spring was undoubtedly the 31st Biennial Convention of the West Virginia Federation of Temple Sisterhoods of April 14 and 15. For the first time in many years our own organization was the hostess sisterhood. Wheeling buzzed with consecrated activity, and the afterglow is one of resounding success… Not only was Wheeling brought into bright focus in Sisterhood affairs by the convention itself but also–indeed, especially–by the happy assumption of the State presidency by our tireless Janis Stein. She succeeded Helene Rotgin of Charleston. A talented crew presented a delightfully amusing skit, ‘The Case of the Mistaken Tuesday’ after the buffet supper.”

June 1959 Woodsdale Temple Bulletin

June 1959 Woodsdale Temple Bulletin

“The Case of the Mistaken Tuesday” was written and directed by Irene Rosenthall, wife of Rabbi William A. Rosenthall. In the skit, a woman happens upon the Sisterhood convention while intending to attend a lecture by the rabbi entitled “Sex and Judaism,” which is actually scheduled to take place the following Tuesday. The members of the Sisterhood take the opportunity to explain to her the group’s purpose and activities in both word and song. Lyrics of hits from several contemporary musicals, including The King and I, My Fair Lady, Damn Yankees, Oklahoma!, and South Pacific are tweaked and utilized to elucidate these activities. In the following clip, Sisterhood members discuss several initiatives, including religious school teacher training and stationary sales, then describe the work of the Sisterhood “Caravan” to the tune of “Some Enchanted Evening” from South Pacific.

 

The finale of the skit is a celebration of the convention set to the tune of the title song from Oklahoma!.

 

Processing Update: Postcards and Periodicals

We are happy to announce that processing of the loose postcards in the William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection is complete! The postcards have been sorted into categories and rehoused in archival-quality boxes.

These postcards cover a variety of topics, including small amounts of synagogues, cemeteries and tombs, rabbis, and Rosh Hashanah cards, but the major focus of the loose postcards is scenes of Palestine and Israel. These postcards provide photographs of cities, including: Petah Tikva, Rishon LeZion, Jerusalem, Safed, Tiberias, Tel Aviv, Bethlehem, Hebron, and Jericho. The postcards also provide photographs of natural landmarks, such as the Dead Sea, Judaean Desert, Jezreel Valley, Mount Tabor, and Mount Gilboa. Of particular note are postcards with photographs of the yishuv and the Jewish Legion.

Box 1 of the Loose Postcard subseries.

Box 1 of the Loose Postcard subseries

We are also happy to share that we have finished an inventory of full-issue periodicals found in the William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection. A list of these newspapers, magazines, and comic books can be found here: William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection Periodicals Series.

This series contains both national newspapers and newspapers published by Jewish communities in various parts of the world. The national newspapers found in the collection range from one to four editions and include reports on various aspects of Jewish life, such as social events, synagogue consecrations, and religious ceremonies. Content in national newspapers also includes reports of missionary efforts to ameliorate Jews, reports of Jewish criminals, and reports of anti-Semitism. Jewish community newspapers document social events, religious events, fundraising, and community news particular to a specific communities.

Processing Postcards

After completing an inventory of the William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection, Processing Archivist Amy Lazarus began work on the first major series of the collection–Rabbi Rosenthall’s incredibly diverse collection of Judaica postcards.

As a meticulous collector, Rabbi Rosenthall organized the majority of his postcards into portfolios by subject group. He organized synagogue and Jewish cemetery postcards by geographical location, as well as creating portfolios of Yiddish Rosh Hashanah postcards, biblical scenes, Jewish life cycle events, rabbis, Yiddish authors, and art by Jewish artists, just to name a few!

The rehousing of these portfolio into archival-quality storage, as well as scanning and metadata creation for these portfolios, is an ongoing project on which our interns are working. Previously rehoused and digitized postcards are available here: William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection – Postcards.

However, the collection also contains a large number of loose, uncategorized postcards with no apparent organizational scheme. We found these postcards in boxes large and small, envelopes, box lids, and even lockboxes!

Original boxes in which we found postcards from the Rosenthall Collection.

Original boxes in which we found postcards from the Rosenthall Judaica Collection.

Lockbox containing Rosenthall Judaica Collection postcards.

Lockbox containing Rosenthall Judaica Collection postcards.

The postcards need to be organized so that researchers can easily find specific items in which they are interested–for example, a Rosh Hashanah card showing a scene of the practices of Tashlikh or Kapparot, a postcard with a photograph of a synagogue in Nashville, Tennessee, or a postcard with a portrayal of a rabbi, such as Maimonaides. Amy is currently working to organize these boxes of postcards by topic–similar to how Rabbi Rosenthall organized his postcard portfolios–so that researchers will be able to go directly to the folder they need, instead of digging through boxes of material!

Processing Archivist Amy Lazarus organizing Rosh Hashanah postcards.

Processing Archivist Amy Lazarus organizing Rosh Hashanah postcards.

Rosh Hashanah postcards.

Rosh Hashanah postcards.

Please enjoy the following postcards, selected by Amy, which demonstrate the breadth of topics covered by this part of the collection!

Jewish cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee.

Jewish cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee.

Romantic Yiddish Rosh Hashanah card.

Romantic Yiddish Rosh Hashanah card.

Jerusalem

Jerusalem.

Jewish girls.

Jewish girls.

We anticipate completing the organization of postcards by year’s end, at which point the organizational structure of this series will be described in the finding aid for the William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection. The postcards will also be rehoused in archival quality boxes to ensure their long-term preservation. Keep your eyes on this space for progress reports on the processing of the collection!