Jewish Life in Western North Carolina

Ramsey Library Special Collections Jewish Life in Western North Carolina
The following collections begin to describe the Jewish presence in western North Carolina. These particular collections contain photographs, newspaper clippings, oral histories, and miscellaneous materials that describe various individuals, organizations and businesses in the region. This aggregate of collections is intended to grow in scale and scope and will attempt to represent Jewish life in western North Carolina from the mid-nineteenth century to the present and will focus on Asheville and the near region.

	Beth-Ha-Tephila Congregation (Asheville, NC, 1891-1976) The collection spans the years from 1891-1977. The material in the collection includes various temple activities, minutes of meetings, photographs, membership lists, service bulletins, and the plans for construction of the temple and religious school. It also includes papers relating to the Board of Trustees of the Congregation (minutes, annual reports and correspondence); the correspondence of Rabbis Unger (1951-1961), Bloom and Funston; the activities of the Temple Sisterhood and Brotherhood (minutes, correspondence and assorted papers).
	Louis Blomberg Family Papers Collection contains personal papers, letters of correspondence, some in Yiddish, telegrams and congratulatory letters for community service and personal achievement. Correspondence related to the Louis Blomberg family businesses and related Jewish businesses in Asheville, N.C. Note "Blomberg" is used interchangeably with "Blumberg" in many early documents.
	Aaron Blomberg Family Papers The collection contains photographs of the S.I. Blomberg family home and early family pictures. S.I. Blomberg owned the Asheville department store The Leader. Note "Blomberg" is used interchangeably with "Blumberg" in many early documents.
	Choosing to Remember: From the Shoah to the Mountains The small Jewish community in Asheville, NC talked for years about documenting the stories of families who witnessed, escaped, and survived the horrors of WWII and the Holocaust. In June, 1999 the Center for Diversity Education, a non-profit working to increase the way diversity is covered in schools, began the necessary research. The goal of the project was to create a traveling exhibit for area middle and high schools that would enhance the grade level objectives in the NC Standard Course of Study. The project would use the model of Facing History and Ourselves, focusing on Eyewitness testimony, Primary Source Documents and individual Student Research along with visual images to learn about history.
	Joseph Dave Family Papers (1923-present)Joseph Dave was the founder of Dave Steel Company, Inc. Asheville, North Carolina. The Joseph Dave papers are related to the creation of Dave Steel Company, Inc. and to Joseph Dave's personal life and that of his immediate family. Documents, letters, photographs, ephemera, newspaper clippings, biographies, and architectural details related to Dave's long career as a civil engineer are included in the papers. The small body of work represented in this donation is the foundation for a proposed later donation that will represent the scope and scale of Joseph Dave and his family's many contributions to the built environment and to the social and economic well-being of Asheville, NC through the years.
	The Family Store Project
	Leo Finkelstein Oral History Finkelstein talks about his experience working in the pawn shop that he inherited from his father. He shares some interesting anecdotes about his customers. He discusses the Depression, and the effects that it had on businesses and people. Mr. Finkelstein talks about his partner, June Bassett, who kept the business running quite efficiently while he served in the military. Mr. Bassett became sole owner upon Mr. Finkelstein's retirement. A brother of Bassett is the present owner. He also discusses his involvement with the Lions Club, in which he was active since 1930. He played piano in the Asheville Lion's Club band called the Sanctimonious Seven. He was instrumental in the organization of the Buncombe County Shrine Club. He also outlines his involvement with the Jewish Aid Society, the Jewish Community Center, and both of Asheville's Synagogues. He was the president of one synagogue and vice president of the other.He discusses changes that he has seen in the area over time, and describes his current activities and interests. Much of this interview consists of discussions about the operation of his business, and the people with whom he came in daily contact. There are several anecdotes about Asheville, its environs, and inhabitants.
	Lipinsky Family Collection A collection of material related to the lives of members of the Lipinsky family of North Carolina. Lipinsky Hall is named for Louis Lipinsky, son of Solomon Lipinsky, one of the earliest Jews to settle in western North Carolina.
	Miscellaneous articles and material related to Jewish Life in Western North Carolina
	Golden Book of Memories, Fiftieth Anniversary of Congregation Beth Ha-Tephila (1941) Prepared for the fiftieth anniversary of the Congregation Beth Ha Tephila in Asheville, NC in 1941, this 36 page booklet contains and anniversary message from the Rabbi, a history of the Congregation, a program for the fiftieth anniversary Sabbath Service and the Banquet, a look to the future of the Congregation, and a list of membership in 1941.
	Lou and Ada Pollock Collection This collection contains personal papers, business items, newspaper clippings, publications, and photographs from Ada and Lou Pollock. It also includes the Jewish cemetery records in a bound scrapbook. The materials in the collection relate to their Asheville years.
	Samuel Robinson Papers (1891-1973) Personal papers and awards of Asheville optometrist and civic leader Samuel Robinson. A leader in environmental issues, he was active in the Carolina Mountain Club and the Boy Scouts of America. He worked to recognize George Masa's work with the Great Smoky Mountains and to name one of the peaks for Masa, a local photographer, and founding member of the Carolina Mountain Club. The collection includes photographs, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, awards, correspondence, essays, speeches, and a personal diary.
	Schandler Family Papers A collection of material related to the lives of members of the Schandler family of North Carolina.
	Schochet Family Papers A collection of material related to the lives of members of the Schochet family, Asheville, North Carolina.
	Sol Schulman Collection A collection of material related to the life of Sol Schulman, entrepreneur and businessman in Sylva, NC.