PPhhiillaaddeellpphhiiaa AArreeaa JJeewwiisshh GGeenneeaallooggiiccaall RReessoouurrccee DDiirreeccttoorryy VV 88..00 66//11//0099 V.8.0 7/23/09 1 DDeeddiiccaattiioonn This guide is dedicated to HARRY BOONIN, founding President of the Jewish Genealogy Society of Greater Philadelphia. Harry has • been a trailblazer in Jewish genealogy • conducted presentations, • conducted significant personal family • developed and led tours of Philadelphia’s Jewish genealogical research, Quarter, • innovatively circumvented barriers in Eastern • selflessly responded to requests for help Europe and Russia to access records, • and graciously offered sage advice, insight and • researched Jewish history in Philadelphia, wise counsel. • written extensively, In Harry’s words: “We join a genealogical society to find our family and what we find many times are friends with kindred spirits and kind souls.” Harry, you are the kindred spirit - the kind and giving soul for many of us. We have learned from you how to contribute to our community, through your disciplined research, active participation, writing, tours and humility. We hope to continue sharing your unselfish contributions, valuable perspective and good humor. Harry at Alliance Cemetery – October 2008 – Picture courtesy of Lois Sernoff. V.8.0 7/23/09 2 3 IInn AApppprreecciiaattiioonn This resource guide was developed as a project of the Jewish Genealogy Society of Greater Philadelphia with help from the Jewish community. We appreciate the responses in answering our questions, reviewing our findings and providing pictures. It could not be completed without a great deal of help from: Fred Blum Mark Halpern Philadelphia Jewish Archives Center Harry Boonin Gene Hurwitz Bernard Platt Ruth Bogutz David Kleiman Joan Pollak David Brill Elaine “Bunny” Kolinsky Julian Preisler Don Davis Joseph Levine Joan Rosen Shelia Eskin Richard Levy Aaron Roetenberg Evan Fishman Mark Melmed Arthur Rosenthol Ed Flax Allen Meyers Rabbi Bernard Rothman Rabbi Gary Gans David Mink Shelda Sandler Gina Glassman Diane Russock Montgomery Stan Sandler Bennett Goldstein Larry Moskowitz Lois Sernoff Eric Greenberg Selma Neubauer Steven Schimmel James Gross Don Orenbuch Geoffrey Shutzbank Joan Gross Kaye Paletz Jack Weinstein Joanne Grossman Kirk Wisemayer “The reward of having a thing well done is to have done it.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) Thank you, Steve Schecter, Project Coordinator Jewish Philadelphia is dynamic andFF oevolving;orrwwaarr thereforedd this guide will always be a “work in progress.” This is Version 8.0 (compiled on 6/1/09). As additional information and corrections are suggested, updates with new version numbers and dates will be published. We have made a reasonable effort to be accurate and factual. While this is Version 8.0, the revision process in ongoing – almost like Wikipedia. All versions are incomplete with errors and omissions. We need your help to keep it up-to-date and to make corrections. Please review the places you know, and send corrections and suggestions to: [email protected] Format Update date – Researcher who made update Resource: RED Address: Phone #: Key Personnel: Web: Email: Hours: Fees: Accessibility: Public Transportation: Driving Directions from Center City: Jewish Interest: Research Advice: History: V.8.0 7/23/09 3 4 Contents 1) Heritage Landmarks a) Active Jewish Funeral directors WHYY: Its A Mitzvah – Jewish Philly History Timeline i) Berschler and Schenberg Adler & Rosenbach Article ii) Goldsteins’ Rosenberg’s Raphael Sacks a) Beth Sholom Synagogue iii) Joseph Levine & Sons b) Bnai Abraham (The Russian Shul) iv) Stillman c) Delaware Valley College (National Farm School) b) Inactive Jewish Funeral Directors d) Eastern State Penitentiary Synagogue i) Asher & Son e) The Frank Synagogue ii) Al Berschler f) Hebrew Mutual Burial Association Cemetery iii) Benjamin Berschler g) Kesher Israel Synagogue iv) Dave Berschler h) Mikvah Israel Synagogue v) Joe Berschler i) Mikvah Israel Cemetery #1 vi) Chandler j) Monument to the Six Million Martyrs vii) Goldman k) New Jersey Agricultural Communities viii) Charles Khan l) Rodeph Shalom Synagogue ix) Abe Molnick m) Shivtei Yeshuron-Heysiner-Ezaras Israel x) Raphael n) Society Hill Synagogue (The Rumanian Shul) xi) Reisman o) Vilna Shul xii) Jacob Rosen & Son 2) PA – Phila. Area Jewish Cemeteries xiii) Morris Rosenberg & Son a) Active xiv) Stanley Wisnoff i) Adath Jeshurun xv) Wymbs ii) Ahavas Achim c) Landsmenshaften Sorted by Cemetery iii) Beth Israel 4) PA – Phila. Area Synagogues iv) B’nai Jacob (B’nai Israel) a) Active v) Chevra Bikur Cholim i) Adath Israel vi) Har Jehuda ii) Adath Jeshurun vii) Har Nebo iii) Adath Zion – CLOSED viii) Har Zion iv) Ahavas Torah ix) Haym Solomon v) Aitz Chiam x) King David (Evergreen) vi) Beit Harambam xi) Mercy & Truth (Shel Emeth) vii) Beth Ahavah xii) Mikveh Israel #2 viii) Beth Ami xiii) Mikveh Israel #3 (Beth El Emeth) ix) Beth Ami Israel xiv) Montefiore x) Beth Chiam Reform xv) Mount Carmel (Krakauer Beth Elohim) xi) Beth David Reform xvi) Mount Jacob xii) Beth El of Bucks County xvii) Mount Lebanon xiii) Beth El-Ner Tamud xviii) Mount Sharon xiv) Beth Hamedrosh xix) Mount Sinai xv) Beth Hillel/Beth El xx) Ohev Shalom (B’nai Aaron/B’nai xvi) Beth Israel of Chester County Israel/Brookhaven) xvii) Beth Israel of Media xxi) Roosevelt xviii) Beth Medrash Harav xxii) Shalom xix) Beth Or xxiii) Tiferet Bet Israel (Norristown Jewish xx) Beth Sholom Community) xxi) Beth Sholom Suburban of Somerton b) Inactive xxii) Beth Tickva – B’nai Jeshurun i) Ahaves Hased Anshe Shavel xxiii) Beth Tovim ii) Bellevue xxiv) Beth Zion – Beth Israel iii) Beth Israel (Arabella or Rabella) xxv) B’nai Abraham iv) Deal Brothers xxvi) B’nai Israel – Ohev Zedek v) Gladwyne Jewish (Har Hazetim & Chevra) xxvii) B’nai Jacob vi) Hebrew Mutual (B’nai Israel) xxviii) B’nai Jacob – Dershu Tov vii) Hillside xxix) Bristol Jewish Center viii) Kesher Israel xxx) Brith Achim ix) Lafayette – Jewish Section xxxi) Brothers of Israel x) Mikveh Israel #1 xxxii) Chabad Lubavitch of Bucks County xi) Rodeph Sholom #1 (German Hebrew) xxxiii) Community Torah Center of Bucks County xii) Rodeph Sholom #2 xxxiv) Germantown Jewish Center xiii) Rodeph Sholom #3 (Nicetown) xxxv) Gershman Y Congregation xiv) Rodeph Sholom #4 (Harrowgate) xxxvi) Har Zion xv) Unknown #1 xxxvii) Heded Shul Emet (Mercy and Truth) xvi) Unknown #2 xxxviii)Kahilat Cheverim 3) PA – Phila. Area Jewish Funeral Directors xxxix) Kahilat HaNahar (Little Shul by the River) V.8.0 7/23/09 4 5 xl) Kahillas B’nai Shalom m) Van Pelt Library of the University of Pennsylvania xli) Keneseth Israel 6) PA – Phila. Area Governmental Sites xlii) Kesher Israel Genealogy Society of PA Doc Source Guides xliii) Kesher Israel (Chester County) a) Atwater Kent Museum xliv) Knesset HaSefer b) Bucks County Courthouse xlv) Kol Ami c) Free Library of Philadelphia xlvi) Kol Emet d) Montgomery County Archives xlvii) Kol Tzedek e) Montgomery County Courthouse xlviii) Leyv Ha-Ir (Heart of the City) f) Montgomery County – Norristown Public Library xlix) Lower Merion Synagogue g) National Archives, Mid-Atlantic Region (NARA) l) Lubavitcher Center h) Pennsylvania Dept of Health – Div of Vital Records li) Main Line Reform i) Philadelphia Board of Education lii) Mekor Habracha (formerly Etz Chaim) j) Philadelphia City Archives liii) Melrose B’nai Israel Emanu-El k) Philadelphia Clerk of Orphan’s Court liv) Mesilat Yesharim l) Philadelphia Dept of Records, Reference Division lv) Mikveh Israel m) Philadelphia Historical Commission lvi) Mishkan Shalom n) Philadelphia Office of the Prothonotary lvii) Ner Zediek – Eztath Israel – Beth Uziel o) Philadelphia Registrar of Wills lviii) Ohev Shalom p) US District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania lix) Ohev Shalom of Bucks County 7) PA Historical Societies lx) Old York Road Temple Beth Am a) Potential Material of Jewish Interest lxi) Or Ami i) Buck County HS lxii) Or Hadash ii) Chester County HS lxiii) Or Shalom iii) HS of Fort Washington lxiv) P’nai Or iv) Germantown HS lxv) Raim Ahuvim v) HS of Pennsylvania (includes Balch Institute lxvi) Rodeph Shalom For Ethnic Studies) lxvii) Shaare Shamayim vi) Lansdale HS lxviii) Shir Ami vii) Lower Merion HS lxix) Shir Shalom viii)HS of Montgomery County lxx) Shivtel Yahavon-Heysiner-Ezaras Israel ix) Old York Road HS lxxi) Society Hill Synagogue lxxii) Suburban Jewish Community Center – b) Sites with little of Jewish Interest B’nai Aaron 8) South NJ Jewish Cemeteries lxxiii) Temple Judea a) Ahavas Aharon - INACTIVE lxxiv) Temple Menorah Keneseth Chai b) Ahavath Israel lxxv) Temple Shalom c) Alliance lxxvi) Temple Sholom in Broomall d) Anshe Emes (People of Truth) lxxvii) Temple Sinai e) Beth Abraham (Rosenhayn) lxxviii) Tiferes B’nai Israel f) Beth Israel lxxix) Tiferet Bet Israel g) Beth Kehillah lxxx) Tifereth Israel of Bucks county h) Bordentown lxxxi) Tzedek v’Shalom i) Brith Sholom lxxxii) Vilna Shul j) Brothers of Israel #1 lxxxiii) Young Israel of Elkins Park k) Brothers of Israel #2 lxxxiv) Young Israel of Oxford Circle l) Chesed Shel Emeth lxxxv) Young Israel of Main Line m) Cresent lxxxvi) Y.P.C. Shari Israel n) Emeth Shalom b) Inactive o) Ewing i) PJAC Listing p) Fountain Lawn ii) Eastern State Penitentiary q) Greenwood – Trenton 5) PA – Phila. Private Sector Sites r) Har Sinai - INACTIVE s) Jewish Rest - INACTIVE a) Center for Advanced Judaic Studies t) Knights of Pythias Jewish – Flemington Lodge b) Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints u) Knights of Pythias (Fortitude BA) c) College of Physician of Philadelphia