[1] The community also largely withdrew from politics after the episode, and for well over a decade, no Atlanta Jews ran for public office. Rabbi Emanuel Feldman led the congregants of Orthodox Congregation Beth Jacob during the 1950s. Most of the congregations and the Jewish Community Center, successor to the Jewish Educational Alliance, launched building drives. var google_remarketing_only = true; [10], Even over 100 years later, the subject remains a touchy one for some, and how important what happened to Leo Frank is in the broader history of the Jewish community in Atlanta is still an open question. A critical meeting chaired by Coca-Cola Company attorney Harold Hirsch in 1936 resulted in another reorganization of Atlantas Jewish social service agencies. Participating in AJAs Athletic Program represents an important part of school life. Saturday, April 29 - Come Celebrate Garden Faire 2023 at Wills Park in Alpharetta with the North Fulton Master Gardeners. A local chapter of the Jewish fraternity Bnai Brith opened its doors in 1870. A Haredi call for compromise between religious and secular Nevertheless, the Jewish population continued to grow in the decades following, going from 4,000 in 1910 to 12,000 in 1937, and accounting for a third of the city's foreign-born population in 1920. Hike mountains. that academic success is inextricably tied to building social-emotional competencies. Jewish Community of Atlanta. As such, Federation welcomes all interfaith, LGBT+, and multiracial individuals and families, along with people of all abilities. 1889). The story is told through photographs, documents, personal memorabilia, family pictures, and in the voices of those who survived and made new lives in Atlanta. padding: 5px 5px; According to one figure, in 1880, 71% of Jewish adult males in Atlanta worked in commercial trade, and 60% were either business owners or managers. Determination is based on student individual needs. Travel from the far north in the Galilee to the deep south at the Red Sea as we visit ancient Jerusalem, modern Tel Aviv, the lush Golan Heights, the vast Negev Desert, the unsinkable Dead Sea, and the stark mountaintop fortress of Masada. On a USY Summer Experience, you willgain independenceand a better sense of self,form lifelong bondsof friendship with teens from across North America,be immersed in other culturesand see the world from a different perspective,develop a deeper understandingof global issues and conflict,repair the worldin local communities through volunteer work and service, anddiscover the joy of Jewish livingthrough fun, meaningful experiences that create a lasting impact. Federation has evolved from being primarily a fundraising organization to the convener of a dynamic Jewish ecosystem. Eat delicious pita fresh off the fire. WebOffice: 1412 Lachona Ct, Atlanta, GA 30329. When Leb's delicatessen, a Jewish-owned business in Atlanta, was singled out by sit-in demonstrators during the early 1960s, it became a symbol of recalcitrance. t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; The permanent exhibit The Holocaust Years at the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum in Atlanta describes the systematic murder of 6 million European Jews by the Nazis and their collaborators. He was ordained by some of the most prominent rabbis of the time, and his father was an influential and long-serving Orthodox rabbi in Chicago. Children and parents from a couple of Atlanta private schools recently showed up at city hall during a school day to urge city council members not to go ahead [2], The number of community institutions and organizations has also increased to keep up with the needs of the community. Our mission is expansive to lead and engage all Jews and their loved ones. [17], At the same time, for many in the African American community, the public and official reactions to the bombing were deeply frustrating, as such terror was inflicted on them more frequently and without support or effective investigations. (1861-65) the Jewish population in Atlanta had doubled, their small numbers still precluded the establishment of formal religious institutions. Mishpacha- We are a family, sharing in each other's smachot, supporting each other in times of need, and contributing our individual time and resources. After the commutation of his death sentence to life in prison by Governor John M. Slaton, who believed him innocent, Frank was abducted from prison and lynched by citizens of Marietta, Phagans hometown. /* ]]> */ New Georgia Encyclopedia, 15 March 2004, https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/jewish-community-of-atlanta/. display: none !important; Seminar is an intensive experience of study and travel, combining hiking and trekking throughout Israel with text study, challenging discussions and hands-on learning. [2] That changed in 1860s, after the founding of the Hebrew Benevolent Society, started as a burial society, which led to the creation of the Hebrew Benevolent Congregation in 1867. Doris H. Goldstein, From Generation to Generation: A Centennial History of Congregation Ahavath Achim, 1887-1987 (Atlanta: Capricorn, 1987). Beth Jacob Atlanta WebAtlanta Jewish Foundation; Atlanta Birthright Community Trips; Holocaust Survivor Support Fund; Innovation; JBaby; Jewish Abilities Atlanta; Jewish Camp Initiative; Jewish Jewish Childrens Services replaced the Hebrew Orphans Home, which had been created by the Bnai Brith fifth district lodge in 1889. Success stories like that of Hyman Mendel, who became the citys biggest dry-goods wholesaler, abounded. Michlelet An extraordinary program for teenage girls looking to spend their summer in a productive way by learning Torah and touring Israel. All requests for permission to publish or reproduce the resource must be submitted to the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum. Although most Atlanta Jews remained silent concerning black rightsthe majority out of fear, but some out of acceptance of southern racial moresa few condemned discrimination during the 1920s and 1930s, especially through the Atlanta Urban League. Graphs are temporarily unavailable due to technical issues. In 1917 a local chapter of Hadassah, the womens Zionist organization geared toward medical and educational assistance, began. The arrival of the new immigrants, coupled with the declining needs of the earlier immigrants, contributed to the transformation of Jewish social services and club life. In 1887, Congregation Ahavath Achim was founded to fit this new portion of the community, and in 1901 their synagogue was built in the middle of the south side area where most Yiddish-speaking Jews lived. Float in theDead Sea. The doors of Congregation Ohr HaTorahare always opento warmly welcome anyone and everyone who would like to explore the richness and meaningful spirituality associated with modern Orthodoxy. Anna Streetman shares about her relationship with her mother, Toby Gutterman Streetman. The case contributed to the founding of both the Anti-Defamation League of Bnai Brith and the Knights of Mary Phagan, a forerunner of the modern, . Many of Atlantas Jews participate in numerous programs to visit Israel. OHT offers a full range of services, classes, and programs, with something for everyone, including Daily and weekly prayer services,Torah study and educational [2], When Atlanta hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics, the Jewish community took action to encourage formal recognition and remembrance of the 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team murdered by a Palestinian terrorist group during the 1972 Summer Olympics, known as the Munich massacre. Travel from the Golan Heights to the shores of Eilat and everywhere in-between. Max Gettinger oversaw the reorganization of the Federation of Jewish Charities in 1967. Jewish Connect to the past and discover your future. Jewish All requests for permission to publish or reproduce the resource must be submitted to the, Early 20th-Century Groups & Organizations, William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum, Ida Pearle and Joseph Cuba Community Archives for Southern Jewish History, Digital Library of Georgia: Southern Israelite Archive, Emory Libraries: American Jewish Committee, Atlanta Chapter, 1976-1983. Atlanta shuts down strategic park in Cop City protest movement Yet Jews and African Americans have been linked ambiguously in the South since the mid-nineteenth century, and the eras of the greatest racism coincide with the rising specter of anti-Semitism. Mendel became the city's biggest dry-goods wholesaler by the turn of the twentieth century. In 1915 Kriegshaber was elected president of the chamber of commerce, possibly in partial atonement for the Frank incident. JOLT Israel Our leadership program will show you Israel in a whole new way while you create and run a 10-day camp for Israeli kids in need. Active in the conservative faction of the Democratic Party, Jews routinely held seats on the aldermanic board, the school board, and in the state legislature. Many believe that Rabbi Rothschild's outspoken support for the Civil Rights Movement and integration lead to the targeting of The Temple. GIVE Girls Israel Volunteer Experience (GIVE) is for exceptional high school girls who want to experience Judaism firsthand through the art of giving back in Israel. In August 1913, after a short deliberation, the jury convicted Frank and he was sentenced to death. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) Sign Up By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . gtag('event', 'conversion', { The federation, which began in 1905, was one of many organizations that were formed to cater to the social-service, as well as social, needs of the immigrant Jewish community in Atlanta. [4][5] The congregation, which came to be known as The Temple, has been an important focal point of Atlanta Jewish life since its synagogue was dedicated in 1877. Prior to his case, many Atlanta Jews of a wealthier, German background felt fully established and accepted in the city. [13] Under his leadership, the congregation significantly grew in size and moved to a new location in the north of the city. The Hebrew Benevolent Society, which was started in 1860 and provided insurance, aid, and burial benefits, served as the first formal Jewish religious organization and the forerunner of things to come. In its early decades, the Jewish community was largely made up of German Jewish immigrants who quickly assimilated and were active in broader Atlanta society. Club Kef is our amazing after school program for students who are walking age through 8th Grade! By 1992 the Jewish population was estimated at more than 70,000. Immigration & the establishment of congregations, History of the Jews in the Byzantine Empire, Hebrew Benevolent Congregation Temple bombing, William Breman Jewish Heritage & Holocaust Museum, "Oakland Tours in Focus: The Jewish Grounds of Oakland", "Struggling With Leo Frank's Lynching a Century Later", "The ADL and KKK, born of the same murder, 100 years ago", "Counterblast: How the Atlanta Temple Bombing Strengthened the Civil Rights Cause", "Catalyst for change: Visionary leader Sam Massell ushered in new eras in Atlanta politics and commerce", "Conflicting Views of 1967 War Mark Anniversary", "Family of slain Israeli athletes reflect with Jews of Atlanta", "Israelis Divided From Rest of Jewish Atlanta", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_the_Jews_in_Atlanta&oldid=1147131015, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 29 March 2023, at 01:21. Massell's uncle was Ben Massell, one of Atlanta's premier builders and developers during the mid-twentieth century. The mid-1940s to 1950s witnessed the beginning of Atlanta's coming of age as a center of southern Jewry. [2] The community was also very present in politics two Jews from the Atlanta area were elected to the state legislature in the late 1860s and early 1870s, and in 1875 Aaron Haas was the city's mayor pro tem. Yet the lynching shattered the sense of security felt by Atlantas Jews, who were routinely excluded from the citys elite social clubs. NE Atlanta, GA 30319, Contact About Policy Facebook, 2019 Atlanta Jewish Life, LLC All Rights Reserved. This idea, however, was problematic as Rabbi Marx held very liberal Reform views, and was primarily representative only of the smaller but established and influential German Jewish community. Ben Massell, for one, became one of Atlantas premier builders and developers during the mid-twentieth century. with northern businesses and quickly recovered. Have you or someone you know been impacted by JScreen's services? In 1913 Frank, a Jew raised in New York, was accused of murdering Mary Phagan, an employee of the Atlanta pencil factory he managed. Member Terms, 2023 All rights reserved. Melissa Fay Greene, The Temple Bombing (Reading, Mass. Frank was convicted in a sensational trial largely on the testimony of a black janitor, Jim Conley, something virtually unprecedented in the Jim Crow South. display: block; Your web browser does not support the