The JHSD holds important collections related to the war and Wilmington Delaware’s Jewish Community during the war time period.
BECKER, AARON LETTERS —Collection of handwritten letters home created by Jewish serviceman Aaron S. Becker, a sergeant in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Becker spoke German and served in the war as an interpreter and interrogator of German prisoners. The vast majority of the letters are addressed to Becker’s wife, Mary B. Becker, and contain near-daily updates of Becker’s experiences in the European theater from 1943 to 1945. Most of the letters were written during Becker’s time in France (from June 1944 to March 1945) and in Germany (from March to October 1945). Also contains letters sent from North Carolina and England as well as a small collection of postcards and ephemera.
BLATMAN FAMILY — Wilmington Jewish family. Owned Blatman’s Sanitary Kosher Bakery on West Second Street. Records and photographs from 1930s to the 1970s.
DAVIS, CHARLES SIDNEY. — This collection includes a scrapbook, documents and letters pertaining to Davis’ wartime service.
HOLOCAUST — This collection includes materials relating to the Delaware Holocaust Memorial in downtown Wilmington, the Righteous Gentiles Memorial and Children’s Memorial both on the grounds of the Siegel Jewish Community Center in Talleyville; Delaware Yom HaShoah commemorations and observances; the Halina Wind Preston Holocaust Education Resource Center/Collection; and general Holocaust materials. Records, videos, papers from 1933 to the present.
JEWISH WAR VETERANS — Various records and photographs from the Department of Delaware of the Jewish War Veterans. The Harry J. Fineman Post #525, the first in Delaware was founded in 1946-47.
KRAFT, RABBI JACOB — (1904 – 1988) Records, papers and memorabilia relating to the rabbi of Congregation Beth Shalom in Wilmington from 1930 to 1970. Rabbi Kraft was Rabbi Emeritus from 1970 until his death in 1988.
LUBITSH, ARON CYPEN — Photographer and sculptor Cypen Lubitsh came to Wilmington after World War II and established Lubitsh and Bungarz commercial photography, which documented area businesses for some 40 years. As a young man, he studied and worked with Alexander Archipenko. During World War II, Lubitsh was a combat photographer in Europe. His combat films from Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, and Germany were used in several films. JHSD collections include a photo album and scrapbook of some of his WWII photographs.
Y RECORDER — Serial publication of the Young Mens – Young Womens Hebrew Association. Published the “Dear Mollye” column during WWII.
Additional resources available in other collections. Please consult the archivist for more assistance. The Jewish Historical Society of Delaware is open by appointment.
Publications:
Marvin S. Balick,The Letters of “Dear Mollye” a.k.a. Mollye Sklut a.k.a. A Person Who Made a Difference. Jewish Historical Society of Delaware, 2003.
Barbara S. Keil, “Service for the Duration,” Delaware Today, January, 1976.
Leah Kraft and Toni Young, editors, Reflections on World War II : Chaplain Jacob Kraft’s Letters to Leah, Rabbi Jacob Kraft Educational Foundation, 2001.
Jewish Historical Society of Delaware, “Delaware Jews in American Wars: A Story of Patriotism,” slide show/video, 1976, revised 1993.