JHSD ANNOUNCES DELAWARE HUMANITIES CARES ACT RECOVER GRANT

Jewish Historical Society of Delaware logo with mask

Jewish Historical Society of Delaware505 NORTH MARKET STREET
WILMINGTON, DE 19801

Media Contact: Gail Pietrzyk, (302) 655-6232 or (610) 563-0096 mobile

Email: info@jhsdelaware.org

We are smiling under our masks.

Wilmington, Delaware: The Jewish Historical Society of Delaware (JHSD) is pleased to announce that they have received a Delaware Humanities CARES Act Recover Grant.  These funds have been made available through the CARES Act and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for redistribution by Delaware Humanities to organizations committed to the humanities that have faced financial hardship due to the coronavirus.

The CARES Act Recover Grant is significant for JHSD, covering essential operating costs and allowing it to continue providing remote access to the archives via the website at https://jhsdelaware.org and by phone at (302) 655-6232.  The grant will also pay for masks and other equipment to keep visitors to the reading room safe when it reopens to the public.

“The humanities community in Delaware is very supportive,” says archivist Gail Pietrzyk.  “We operate with a small budget and we are grateful for the cooperative relationship with the Delaware Historical Society, which houses our collections.”

The JHSD was forced to postpone its annual meeting program, “Telling our Stories: Oral History in Delaware’s Jewish Community,” in April because of the coronavirus outbreak and the quarantine restrictions. The yearly event often draws an audience of over 150 people.

JHSD is looking forward to once again welcoming researchers to its facilities, where they can make use of the collections which document the history of Jewish life in Delaware.

Jewish Historical Society of DelawareABOUT THE JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF DELAWARE

Founded in 1974, the Jewish Historical Society of Delaware acquires, preserves, and publishes materials pertaining to the history of Jewish settlement and life in Delaware.  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, e-mail info@jhsdelaware.org.

National Endowment for the HumanitiesABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES

Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at www.neh.gov.

Delaware HumanitiesABOUT THE DELAWARE HUMANITIES

Delaware Humanities is Delaware’s independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Founded in 1973, Delaware Humanities provides educational and cultural opportunities to Delawareans through original programming and grants for non-profit organizations. Delaware Humanities helps Delawareans gain a deeper understanding of human identity, intellectual achievement, diverse cultures, and our shared heritage.

###

Kutz Foundation Support Provides Boost

The Jewish Historical Society of Delaware is pleased to announce a grant from the Milton and Hattie Kutz Foundation for the Coxe House renovation project.  News of the grant was welcomed by officers and board of directors of the JHSD.

JHSD archivist, Gail Pietrzyk, reported, “With the COVID-19 restrictions, we are not able to pick up our mail as often as we would  like.  It was a terrific boost to everyone to find such generous support from our members and the Jewish community in our mailbox.”  Additional donations for the Coxe House and for the JHSD were also received.

The JHSD Board has been working on many of the preparations that are needed for this change. The by-laws of the 501(c)3 organization have been updated, a policy and procedure manual is under review and updated membership and financial management systems are taking shape.

“We have not only outgrown our space,” said archivist Pietrzyk, “we’ve outgrown our shoestring, bare-bones operation and the board has been amazing.  They have worked very hard to help us reach this goal and prepare for the future. The generosity of the community and the dedication of everyone who has worked for this is so encouraging.  I love the stories I find in the JHSD collections. So many of the organizations in the Jewish community started with someone who had an idea to serve the community and the determination and passion to get others involved.  And those stories are not found only in the past. I see it happening today, for our work, and I am so happy to be a part of it.”

Work on the renovation project are moving forward and bids from contractors will be opened next month.

Spring 2020 Newsletter

JHSD News

The Coxe House project continues apace. The architects have submitted detailed plans for the renovations, which include making the ground floor accessible for all visitors, controlling temperature and humidity for proper storage of archival materials, and even a installing a small freight elevator for moving materials up and down between floors (the staircases of this building are steep, narrow and angular!).

OPENING SOON
Co-President Dr. Gerry Resnick and all of the board of the JHSD are looking forward to welcoming you to our future home at the Delaware Center for Jewish
History in the Coxe House.

We will hold a grand opening when the building is move-in ready and when Wilmington is COVID-19 restriction-free. A good possibility, if all goes according to plan, is spring 2021 after Shavuot and before Memorial Day.
With the new location comes added operating costs. The Board has reexamined membership categories and simplified the dues structure. Dues
will increase slightly in 2021, with the exception of student membership, which will be free of charge.
Jewish organizations and businesses are especially encouraged to support the JHSD’s mission by becoming institutional sponsors.
Finally, in light of recent events, members of JHSD’s Board of Directors would like to express our support for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color residents of the City of Wilmington, and Delaware as a whole, as they press for equality, economic justice and social reforms. In the spirit of Tikkun Olam, we pledge the following: to undertake our work with introspection, to recognize the history of structural and systemic racism in the United States, and to acknowledge and respect the diversity of the communities Jewish Delawareans call home.

Read the JHSD Spring 2020 newsletter

 

Happy Fourth of July

The Gordon family at the JCC campground in the 1960s.

In celebration of Independence Day, the Jewish Historical Society of Delaware is pleased to share these recordings of patriotic songs with you. The singer is Sarah Szczepanski Citron (1900–1993), who immigrated to the US from Poland in 1921. She married Abe Citron and raised two children in Atlanta, and when Abe died in 1966, moved to Wilmington, Delaware, to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Helen C. and Mendel Gordon.  These songs were recorded by Naomi Goldstein in the 1980s.

Visit our digital collections for more recordings of Sarah Citron.

Thanks to Paula Gordon and Helen Gordon for sharing these delightful recordings and photos with the Jewish Historical Society of Delaware.

In Memory Of Two Community Leaders

By Lynn Edelman, Editor
Last Sunday, the Delaware Jewish community lost two extraordinary individuals. Eugene Ellick, a generous supporter of the Jewish Federation of Delaware and a long-term, active member of Congregation Beth Emeth, was
memorialized during morning funeral services at his synagogue. Later that afternoon, Isadore Silverman was eulogized as Adas Kodesch Shel Emeth, a synagogue he served with distinction as Gabbai and as a past vice president.
Mr. Ellick died on June 7th at Christiana Hospital at the age of 62 after a long battle with non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer. He was the owner, chief executive officer and chief creative director of Reese, Tomases & Ellick, Inc., one of Delaware’s largest marketing communications agencies.

Gina Kozicki, administrative assistant to JFD Endowment Director Rachel A. Gross, was employed by Mr. Ellick and viewed him as a mentor. “He taught me a great deal about the communications, marketing and design industry. He loved to share his knowledge with others,” she recalled.

He taught continuing education courses in marketing and advertising for many years at his alma mater, the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and at the University of Delaware and lectured to professional organizations across the country about his craft.

His interest in art began as a child in Philadelphia. At the age of 13 he had several editorial cartoons published in the Evening Bulletin. Throughout his career he received numerous creative design awards and had his work in the Library of Congress.

He is survived by his wife, Lynn P. Ellick; his daughter, Joy Dara Ellick and his son, Adam B. Ellick. He was the son of Florence Ellick of Wilmington and the late Morris J. Ellick.

The family requests that contributions in his memory be made to the Kutz Home, 704 River Road, Wilmington, DE 19809, Congregation Beth Emeth, 300 West Lea Blvd., Wilmington, DE 19802 or to the Lymphoma Research Foundation of America, 8800 Venice Blvd., Suite 207, Los Angeles, CA 90034.

On May 29, 1999, AKSE hosted a special celebration of Isadore
“Izzy” Silverman’s 90th birthday. Little more than a year later, congregants,
friends and family gathered at the same synagogue to mourn his passing.
Mr. Silverman was a member of Adas Kodesch Shel Emeth for more than 70 years. For 40 of those years, he was a member of the choral group. A life member of the synagogue’s board of directors, he was perhaps most proud
of his role as Gabbai. When I interviewed him last year, he took great pleasure in describing his daily routing of rising at 4:30 a.m., showering, eating a light breakfast then driving himself to the synagogue in time for morning minyan.
His passion for guiding young lives was evidenced by his 18 years of service as scoutmaster. He served as district commissioner and as chairman of the Religious Committee on Scouting for the City of Wilmington. His commitment
was recognized with the Silver Beaver Award – the highest
honor given to a scouting volunteer.

The retired owner of a Wilmington fruit and produce market,
Mr. Silverman enjoyed keeping his mind challenged through
classes at the Institute for Lifelong Learning and his body active through daily walks.

He was a devoted husband to his late wife, Sylvia, who, like him, was a native of Poland. Eldest daughter Barbara Keil recalls the deep love that the couple shared.
“My parents set a marvelous example for my sisters and I,” she said.
In addition to Barbara Keil of Surrey Park, Mr. Silverman is survived by three other daughters, Vivian S. Halberstadt of Green Acres, Sheila Freeman of Miami, FL and E.S. Jaffee of
Bloomington, IN; seven grandchildren; seven great grandchildren and a sister, Helen Schneider of W. Sayville, N.Y.
The family requests that contributions in his memory be made to either AKSE, Washington Blvd. and Torah Way, Wilmington, Boy Scouts of America, Delmarva
Council or to a charity of the donor’s choice.
May their memory be a blessing and an inspiration to us all.

Originally published in The Jewish Voice, June 16, 2000, p. 7.