Guide to the Busis Family Papers, 1939-2010
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Busis Family Papers
- Creator
- Busis Family.
- Collection Number
- MSS 1059
- Extent
- .75 linear feet linear feet (2 boxes)
- Date
- 1939-2010
- Abstract
- The Busis Family Papers consist primarily of the papers of Sidney and Sylvia Busis, both lifelong volunteers with Pittsburgh and international Jewish community causes and organizations. Sidney Busis, a career otolaryngologist, is also recognized for his work with polio patients at Pittsburgh's Municipal Hospital during the 1950s. The couple served multiple organizations, including the United Jewish Federation, Rodef Shalom Congregation, the Holocaust Center of Greater Pittsburgh, the Israeli Heritage Nationality Room Committee, and the Jewish Family and Children's Service. The Busis Family Papers contain records of the United Jewish Federation and Israeli Heritage Room Committee, including correspondence, minutes, by-laws and publicity. A small amount of material relating to other volunteer associations of the Busis' and the careers of Sidney Busis and his father, pharmacist David Busis, are also included.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
History
David Busis immigrated with his mother and sister to the United States via Hamburg from Mariupol, Russia, in 1910. The family settled in Pittsburgh to be near relatives and Busis took a job as a delivery boy with a local drug store. Within a few years, he entered pharmacy school and opened his own pharmacy after graduating in 1916. Busis went on to open several additional stores, including one at Stanton and Negley Avenues, which was the only Busis pharmacy to remain open after 1929. Busis operated the pharmacy for the remainder of his career.
Sidney Busis was born in 1921 to Esther and David Busis in the Hill District and later moved with his family to a residence near his father's pharmacy at Stanton and Negley Avenues. He attended public schools in Pittsburgh before attending the University of Pittsburgh for his undergraduate and medical degrees, the latter of which he completed in 1945. In his early career, Busis performed tracheotomies on child polio patients at Pittsburgh's Municipal Hospital, the site of Jonas Salk's breakthrough polio research. He later went into private practice and teaching. Busis was president of the Jewish Family and Children's Service before going on to serve the United Jewish Federation (UJF) in various capacities. He later served as president of UJF and Rodef Shalom, chair and founder of the Holocaust Center of Greater Pittsburgh, and was a member of the University of Pittsburgh Israeli Heritage Room Committee.
Sylvia Amdur (Amdursky) and Sidney Busis met as undergraduates at the University of Pittsburgh, where Amdur majored in English. Following her graduation, Amdur continued at the University of Pittsburgh, where she pursued a master's degree in social work. The couple married in 1947 and had four sons: Neil, Richard, James and William. During Sidney Busis' graduate studies and residency, Sylvia Busis supported her husband as a case worker at Montefiore Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania. She deferred her career after the birth of the couple's eldest son in 1951. Sylvia Busis later served as president of Hillel-Jewish University Center, Rodef Shalom Sisterhood and the University of Pittsburgh Israel Heritage Room Committee. Busis also served as vice president of the UJF Women's Division and board member of Rodef Shalom Temple and the Holocaust Center.
Scope and Content Notes
The Busis Family Papers relate primarily to Sidney and Sylvia Busis' involvement in the Jewish community of Pittsburgh. The bulk of the materials contain the records of the Busis' involvement with the United Jewish Federation and the University of Pittsburgh Israeli Heritage Room Committee, as well as some material documenting their service on the board of the Holocaust Center. The records include correspondence, reports, minutes, agendas, speech transcripts, publicity, information regarding the UJF "Industrialists Mission," and certificates. A small amount of material also documents the careers of David Busis and Sidney Busis, including two photographs, a program, clippings and correspondence.
Conditions Governing Access
None
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Sidney and Sylvia Busis on July 3, 1991, October 5, 2002, April 10, 2010 , August 8, 2012, and May 16, 2013.
Preferred Citation
Busis Family Papers, 1939-2010, MSS 1059, Rauh Jewish Archives, Thomas and Katherine Detre Library and Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center This collection has been previously cited as: PFF 17 and MFF/MFQ 2071.General
This collection has been previously cited as: PFF 17 and MFF/MFQ 2071.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Carly Lough in May 2015.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Thomas and Katherine Detre Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.
Subjects
- Municipal Hospital (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- United Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.
- Holocaust Center of Greater Pittsburgh.
- Rodef Shalom Congregation (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Jewish Family and Children's Service (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- University of Pittsburgh Nationality Rooms Program.
- University of Pittsburgh Hillel Jewish University Center.
- University of Pittsburgh Israel Heritage Room.
- Busis Family.
- Busis, Sidney.
- Busis, Sylvia Amdur.
- Busis, David.
- Pittsburgh (Pa.)
- Jews--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh.
- Jewish organizations--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh.
- Jewish families.