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Guide to the Congregation Poale Zedeck Records, 1922-2006

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Metadata Details

Title
Congregation Poale Zedeck Records, 1922-2006 1951-1969
Subject
Berger, Leo, Frankel, Uri, Cantor, Klein, David, Morris, Harry, Shapiro, Joseph S, Rabbi, 1903-1995, Congregation Poale Zedeck (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Rabbi Joseph Shapiro Educational Center (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Rabbi Joseph Shapiro Educational Center (Pittsburgh, Pa.)., Jews--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh, Orthodox Judaism--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
Description
The Austro-Hungarian Orthodox Jewish congregation Poale Zedeck was chartered in 1881. The existing synagogue in Squirrel Hill was dedicated in 1929. In 1956, the Rabbi Joseph Shapiro Educational Center adjacent to the synagogue was dedicated as the site of the congregation Hebrew school. The congregation currently has a membership of about 300 families. The collection consists of materials relating to the administration, the board of directors, the membership and auxiliary organizations. The materials include account ledgers, correspondence, death certificates, event programs, membership lists, minutes, school class lists, sisterhood newsletters, a sisterhood scrapbook, seating assignments and a few photographs from the congregation 100th anniversary banquet., Congregation Poale Zedeck Records,1922-2006, MSS 0595, Library and Archives Division, Senator John Heinz History Center, Anita Kornblit gift June 13, 2011 2011.0165 papers, Glenn Foxson gift June 2, 2009 2009.0148 papers, Ruth Markowitz gift February 28, 2007 2007.0244 papers, Poale Zedeck (Workers of Justice) was chartered in 1881 by Jews from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. At that time, the congregation had forty member families who were meeting in the second floor of a building at Second Avenue and Grant Street. In 1885, the congregation established a cemetery in Sheradan. When the congregation outgrew its space, it purchased a house on Federal Street in the Hill District, the area of the city in which newly arriving Jewish immigrants were settling. The house was renovated and served as he synagogue until 1900 when the congregation purchased an existing synagogue building at Crawford and Rose Streets. That building burned down in 1916 and was rebuilt. In 1926, the congregation purchased a lot at the corner of Shady and Phillips Avenue in Squirrel Hill where the current synagogue was built and dedicated in 1929. The congregation continued to expand after its move to Squirrel Hill. In 1954, it established the Poale Zedeck Memorial Park cemetery in Richland Township. There are about 300 member families today. In response to the growing number of children attending the congregational Hebrew school, a new building was constructed adjacent to the synagogue and dedicated as the Rabbi Joseph Shapiro Education Center in 1956. Nursery school and Hebrew school classes were held in the Center. In 1961, Poale Zedeck entered into an agreement with United Mental Health Services of Allegheny County, Inc., to provide education to children with psychological problems. The project was to be a 5-year pilot project designed to provide education and therapy to children with psychological problems, to do psychological research, and to train teachers. The school merged with Technoma Workshop in 1964 to extend more services to more children. Today, the institution is called Friendship Academy and is located in the Friendship neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Beginning in 1975, special education classes were held in the Education Center to provide religious education to Jewish children who were deaf, blind, or had other physical disabilities. Five full-time rabbis have served Poale Zedeck. Rabbi Sol B. Friedman became the rabbi in 1920. He served until 1932 when he moved to a synagogue in Brooklyn. Rabbi Joseph Shapiro was the longest-serving rabbi in Congregation Poale Zedeck history. He started in 1933, retired in 1974 and served as Rabbi Emeritus until his death in 1995. The succeeding rabbis have been Eliyahu Safran, who served from 1974 to 1985; Yisroel Miller, who served from 1985 to 2009; and Daniel Yolkut, who began his tenure in 2010. During the time period represented in the collection, the Chevra Kedisha (Holy Society) was responsible for maintaining the cemeteries and for memorializing the dead. It was Founded in 1910, the organization hosted an annual Sudah at which the names of the dead were read, the cantor recited a memorial prayers, and the rabbi gave an address. A business meeting was also held at which new members were selected and new officers voted on. The Mens Club was established in 1928. Between 1959 and 1972, the Mens Club hosted fundraisers and activities, such as picnics and an annual Mothers Day banquet. The funds raised allowed the Mens Club to host activities and to assist the synagogue with its needs, such as new office furniture. The sisterhood began in 1912. During the time period represented by the collection, 1922-2006, the sisterhood raised money and used the funds to donate to charities and to assist the schul with operating expenses. The group maintained the kitchen, tracking who used it and by keeping it stocked with supplies., Gift of Anita Kornblitt., Gift of Glenn Foxson., Gift of Ruth Markowitz., Processed MSS 0595 9/2011 K. Smith, finding aid available.
Contributor
Congregation Poale Zedeck (Pittsburgh, Pa), Detre Library & Archives, Heinz History Center (depositor)
Date
1922-2006
Type
Collection, Text
Format
print, manuscript, 6.50 linear ft.
Identifier
oclc:761496170, pitt:US-QQS-mss595
Language
eng
Relation
http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/f/findaid/findaid-idx?c=hswpead;cc=hswpead;rgn=main;view=text;didno=US-QQS-mss595
Coverage
Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh
Rights
Copyright Not Evaluated. The copyright and related rights status of this Item has not been evaluated. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/
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