Jewish Historical Society is Awarded Grant

Press Release

Contact: Gail Pietrzyk
Phone 302 655-6232
info@jhsdelaware.org

The Jewish Historical Society of Delaware (JHSD) is excited to share that we have been awarded a grant through the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, a National Park Service site.

The most generous grant will allow JHSD to digitize our “Dear Mollye” Collection which contains thousands of letters from nearly 350 Delaware Jewish American service members from World War II and the Y Recorder, a monthly newsletter which also included news about the Wilmington Jewish community and was distributed locally and to those serving in various domestic and international locations.

The “Dear Mollye” story has been previously published in Wilmington newspapers in the 1940s and 1990s. However, few have had the opportunity to read any of the thousands of letters written by young men and women throughout the war. The digitization of the correspondence will provide critical insights into the lived experience of service members from the Wilmington community to families, scholars and researchers across the globe. This grant was made possible through the World War II Heritage Cities Program with the special support of the City of Wilmington and will play a key role in elevating the status of the City of Wilmington and the JHSD as important centers of World War II research.

Throughout World War II Mollye Sklut, secretary of the Wilmington YM-YWHA at 6^th and French Streets corresponded with many of the Jewish men and women who were serving in the military. In addition, the letter excerpts were also printed in the Y Recorder. The combination of Mollye’s letters and the Y Recorder connected the home front and the battlefront, creating a pre-internet version of social media for families, friends, and service members hungry for news of one another, teams and friends. The collection will also offer a wonderful way for students to learn about the important events and issues of World War II, coming from the words of young people close to their own age.

In response to Wilmington being named a WWII Heritage City in December of 2023, and through the outstanding direction and vision of our archivist, Gail Pietrzyk, JHSD has been able to attract amazing student interns in working with the “Dear Mollye” Collection. Allen Rosso, a graduate of Arizona State University’s World War II Studies Master’s Degree Program, answered our search. In May 2024, Rosso began working with JHSD through the internship program at Villanova’s Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest. He and Gail continue to catalog and research to the stories of Jewish service members during World War II and to enhance and promote our collection among the community of World War II scholars and historians.

In February 2025 an exhibit at Delaware Historical Society’s Old Town Hall brought together resources from the collections of the Delaware Historical Society and Mitchell Center for African American Heritage, Delaware’s World War II Fallen, the Jewish Historical Society of Delaware, and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History to present “World War II: Voices of Service.” JHSD’s portion of the exhibition highlighted the stories of Delaware servicemen as seen through their correspondence with Mollye Sklut.

Many people and partner institutions contributed to securing the grant. Mayor John Carney and Wilmington’s Historic Preservation Planner Debra Martin provided invaluable support. The Delaware Historical Society has provided a home for the Jewish Historical Society of Delaware’s collections since 1975 and through that partnership, JHSD has a new home thanks to the Jewish Federation of Delaware and members of the Jewish community have strongly supported JHSD’s efforts to preserve and promote the history of Jewish life in Delaware.

This year, JHSD is celebrating our 50^th anniversary of collecting, preserving and presenting the history of Delaware’s Jewish community and our collections are now located in the Delaware Center for Jewish History at the Coxe House on the campus of the Delaware Historical Society’s Willingtown Square at 515 North Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19801.

JHSD houses a research collection which is open by appointment. Visitors may learn more about the collections and resources at https://jhsdelaware.org Membership in the Jewish Historical Society of Delaware is open to all who are interested in supporting its mission. To learn about becoming a member, visit https://jhsdelaware.org/become-a-member/

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May 20, 2024July 22, 2024

Shalom Delaware

Today the Shalom Delaware issue of Jewish Living Delaware appears every summer with information about all things Jewish in the First State. It’s changed a bit from its earliest forms as a supplement to The Jewish Voice.

Here are a couple of the early versions of this annual issue.

The earliest version appeared in August, 1994, welcoming newcomers to Delaware with information about all of the organizations, congregations, and institutions within the Jewish community.

More recently The Jewish Voice and the current publication, Jewish Living Delaware, offer full-color, beautifully designed issues in place of the black and white newsprint editions of the past.

And here is what the supplement looked like in August, 1998. Click on the images to read the issue.

But new or old, the Shalom Delaware supplement offers lots of helpful information about the Delaware Jewish community.

March 14, 2024April 18, 2024

In Memory of Danna Miller Levy

The Jewish Historical Society of Delaware is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Danna Miller Levy. Her interest in the history of Delaware’s Jewish community was deeply rooted. Danna served as Secretary of JHSD from 2009 until 2021. She was always eager to help plan and promote JHSD Annual Meeting events and programs and tireless in her efforts.

Read Danna Levy’s obituary published in The News Journal

To make a donation in memory of Danna Levy (or another loved one), use one of the options below.

By check to Jewish Federation of Delaware, mail to 515 N Market St, Wilmington, DE 19801

JHSD offers the following secure online donation options:

DEGive Donation

PayPal Donation

For all of the above, please include a note indicating the tribute as well as your address to forward to the family.
(Or inform us of same by email at info@jhsdelaware.org.)

November 8, 2023November 14, 2023

Veterans Memorial

The JHSD is honored to house the collections of the Jewish War Veterans and to help keep the memorial at the Siegel Jewish Community Center updated.

On Sunday, November 12, 2023 we will rededicate the memorial and remember the men and women who have served. Join us at the Siegel JCC at 1:00 pm to remember and honor Delaware’s Jewish Veterans.

August 1, 2023April 18, 2024

In Memory of Roger M. Levy

Roger M. Levy was an active member of the Jewish community, serving as a board member of the Jewish Federation of Delaware, treasurer of Congregation Beth Shalom, and contributor to numerous other organizations. Roger served as president of JHSD in 2009–2012. Under Roger’s leadership, JHSD held notable and popular annual meeting events at the Siegel JCC and the Delaware Art Museum, including “Lincoln and the Jews,” a presentation by Harold Holzer, in 2010, “The Jewish Contribution to Art in Delaware” by Dr. Danielle Rice, in 2011, and “The Jewish Musical Heritage in Delaware” in 2012. Roger Levy passed away on July 31.

To make a donation in memory of Roger Levy (or another loved one), use one of the options below.