Guide to the Beth Israel Congregation (Latrobe, Pa.) Records, 1920-2009
Arrangement
Repository
Heinz History Center
Title
Beth Israel Congregation (Latrobe, Pa.) Records
Creator
Beth Israel Congregation (Latrobe, Pa.)
Collection Number
MSS 1067
Extent
6.25 linear feet(3 boxes, 1 oversize folder, 2 shelf volumes)
Date
1920-2015
Date
1954-2015
Abstract
Beth Israel Congregation was founded by
Jewish families in Latrobe, Pa. in 1906. The congregation constructed its first synagogue on
Miller Street the following year. A new synagogue was built on Welton Street in 1954.
Records of the congregation include meeting minutes, financial records, correspondence,
yahrzeit records, construction and architectural records, bulletins, and membership records.
The bulk of the collection postdates the construction of the Welton Street
synagogue.
Language
The material in this collection is
in English and Hebrew.
Author
Preliminary arrangement and inventory written by Nerissa Aksamit in August 2015.
Final arrangement and contents list created by Megan Massanelli in January 2016. Additions
incorporated into contents list by Kara Flynn in March 2017.
The earliest Jewish settlement in Latrobe and neighboring Unity Township dates to the
mid-19th century, although the Jewish population was too small to support communal
institutions until the late 1890s. The local Jewish community founded Beth Israel
Congregation around 1906 and built a synagogue on Miller Street in the First Ward.
The synagogue was also home to a religious school, a Sisterhood, and a local chapter of the
National Council of Jewish Women. As part of a communitywide renewal initiative, Beth Israel
Congregation built a new synagogue at 418 Welson Street in 1954, shifted its affiliation to
the Conservative movement, and began holding its first confirmation classes for children.
The building was remodeled in the early 1990s. The congregation closed in 2015 and sold its
synagogue to the Latrobe Area Historical Society.
Beth Israel Congregation was generally lay-led throughout most of its existence but
utilized visiting rabbis, student rabbis, and knowledgeable congregants for the High
Holidays and for special occasions, such as confirmations. Among these was Rabbi Jack Maza,
who became better known as the stand-up comedian Jackie Mason. An incomplete list of these
High Holiday leaders includes:
Jack Maza [1955-1956]
Aaron Singer [1957]
Michael Recht [1959]
Shalom Stern [1964]
Hillel Chile [1972]
Leon T. Rosenblum [1973]
Sam Fraint [1974]
Ivan Balk [1975, 1981-1983, 1987-1988, 1997-2001, 2003]
Michael Seigal [1976-1977]
Daniel Epstein [1978]
Jay Lapidus [1979]
Michael Rasco [1980]
Yaier Lehrer [1992-1996]
Jonathan Schachter [2004-2008]
Scope and Content Notes
The Beth Israel Congregation (Latrobe, Pa.) Records documents the congregation and its
religious school, Sisterhood, and Men's Club through minutes, ledgers, reports, membership
rosters, dedication materials, committee reports, bulletins, anniversary materials, building
construction materials, articles, administrative correspondence, and a small amount of
photographs. The bulk of the materials postdate the construction of the congregation's
second synagogue on Welson Street in 1954.
Of note is a small selection of materials documenting Rabbi Jack Maza seasonal tenure with
the congregation before becoming comedian Jackie Mason. Materials can be found in Box 1
Folder 11 (Dues, receipts and disbursements), Box 1 Folder 30 (High holidays
correspondence), Box 3 Folder 7 (Newspaper clippings), and in August 1956 and September 1955
issues of Bulletin in Box 3 Volume 3.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions.
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.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Milton Radman, December 1, 2008. Archive accession 2009.0139. Gift of Milton
Radman, December 11, 2014. Archive accession 2014.0203. Gift of Milton Radman, May 2016.
Archive accessions 2016.0113 and 2016.0228.
Preferred Citation
Beth Israel Congregation (Latrobe, Pa.) Records, 1920-2015, MSS 1067, Rauh Jewish Archives,
Thomas and Katherine Detre Library and Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center
Processing Information
Preliminary arrangement and inventory written by Nerissa Aksamit in August 2015. Final
arrangement and contents list created by Megan Massanelli in January 2016. Additions
incorporated into contents list by Kara Flynn in March 2017.
Arrangement
Contents of the collection are listed in intellectual order followed by physical order.
The records are organized into eight series: Series I. Administrative Subseries 1: Building
Subseries 2: Financial Subseries 3: General Administration Series II. Membership Series III.
Memorials Series IV. Programs and services Series V. Publications Series VI. Religious
school Series VII. Sisterhood and Men's Club Series VIII. Westmoreland Jewish Community
Council (WJCC).
Photographs are housed throughout the collection, as noted in the contents list.
Related Materials
Milton "Mickey" Radman oral history [2015.0182]
David and Rosalyn Balk oral history [2015.0254]
Ruth Lowenstein-Novice oral history [2015.0257]
Novice Family papers and photographs [2016.0036]
Radman Family Video Oral Histories 1989 [MFF 4978]
"The Jewish community of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania: a collection of oral histories,
1991-1992" [F157 .W5 J49 1993 f]
