From Our Blog: Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of We Will Never Die April 25, 2013
In April 1943, official Washington was alerted to the Nazi massacre of Europe's Jews when the pageant We Will Never Die was presented at Constitution Hall. Controversial activist Peter Bergson collaborated with Hollywood's leading screenwriter Ben Hecht to create the pageant. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was among the dignitaries who attended the Washington performance.
On April 25, 2013, the Society hosted a commemoration of the 70th anniversary of this historic event, which included participants from around our community. Read more (includes links to listen!).
From Our Blog: Introducing the JHSGW Book Club! August 1 , 2012
"Polio? Sex? Greek gods? At JHSGW? Last night, the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington launched its first ever book club with Philip Roth’s Nemesis. Twenty of us, from a wide range of ages, religions, and genders, gathered in the historic 1876 synagogue on what turned on to be the perfect reading day…nice and rainy. Our fearless leader for the evening was Robin B. Jacobson, Director of Library Services at Adas Israel Congregation." Read more
From Our Blog: Kaddish for America's First Jewish Aviator June 12, 2012
"...A crowd recited the Kaddish in memory of an unlikely aviation pioneer—a Jewish immigrant from Russia named Arthur L. Welsh. The occasion was the centennial of his tragic death at the College Park Airfield. Among those gathered were great grand-nieces and nephews of the little-known pioneering aviator. On June 11, 1912, Welsh was killed while testing a Wright-designed plane for military use." Read more
Leopold Karpeles featured on Czech Radio
June 2, 2012
Assistant Archivist Wendy Turman was interviewed for Czech Radio about Jewish Civil War hero, Leopold Karpeles. Read | Listen(2 min, 53 secs) | Watch(video includes some English).
Jewish American Heritage Month Program
May 3, 2012
The National Archives co-presented this book talk about Dr. Jonathan Sarna's recent book, When General Grant Expelled the Jews. Sarna and Steve Roberts discuss General Ulysses Grant's Order No.11, which was issued during the Civil War and expelled all Jews from the area under Grant's control.
Holocaust Remembrance Day Program
April 19, 2012
Local poet and writer, Davi Walders, accompanied by cellist, Douglas Wolters, presented a unique collaboration of story portraits of European women who resisted the Nazis during World War II, intertwined with music by composers whose lives were tragically interrupted during the Holocaust. The program was hosted by La Maison Française. Listen (1hr, 11mins)
From Our Blog: Jewish Women in American Sports March 6, 2012
"We, the Goethe-Institut, and the Washington Jewish Film Festival hosted a panel discussion and film screening revealing the little-known history of Jewish women in sport. The discussion, graciously hosted by our friends at the Goethe-Institut, included Dr. Linda Borish of Western Michigan University, a historian and the film's executive producer, and historian Dr. Pamela Nadell of American University." Read more | Listen to introduction(34 mins, 17 secs.)
Giant Food Archival Project
November 6, 2011
The 51st Annual Meeting of the Jewish Historical Society highlighted the Giant Food Archival Project.
Produced by the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington and the Naomi & Nehemiah Cohen Foundation, this video features memories of Giant Food and its founders, Samuel Lehrman and Nehemiah Cohen, from community leaders, former employees of Giant Food, family, and friends.
Produced by the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington, this slideshow documents the Giant Food business, stores, and families. Photographs courtesy of the Naomi & Nehemiah Cohen Foundation.
Archivist/Curator Wendy Turman on local NPR
October 24, 2011
The Kojo Nnamdi Show interviewed Wendy about local Jewish life during the Civil War. Read|Listen (approx. 30 mins)
Anthony Cohen's talk broadcast on WETA
September 14, 2010
Historian Anthony Cohen visited the 1876 synagogue and recounted the gripping tale of his ancestor Patrick Sneed's 1849 flight from slavery along the Underground Railroad. Cohen detailed his research uncovering his Jewish-Indian-Irish-African slave ancestry as he reconstructed Sneed's route from Georgia to Canada.
From Our Blog: Launching Our Online Catalog July 21, 2011
