Annual report presented at the Dallas Jewish Historical Society (DJHS) Annual Meeting on June 9, 2016

2. Our Mission:
To preserve and protect collections of
written, visual and audible materials that
document the history of the Dallas Jewish
community, to make these materials
available to the public and researchers,
and to keep the past as a living legacy
for our community

3. Our Vision:
To help present and future generations
connect with Jewish Dallas

4. 2015 – 2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Jim Schwartz
Vice President
May Sebel
Liz Liener
Secretary
Lori Ordiway
Treasurer
Stuart Rosenfield
Parliamentarian
Deborah Konigsberg
Board of Directors
Marc Andres
Michael B. Cohen
Scott Cytron
Sharyn Fein
Cliff Friedman
Neil Goldberg
David Golman
Pauline Graivier
Joan Gremont
Harriet Gross
Past Presidents
James Alexander
Ruth Andres
Robert Beer z”l
Roz Benjet
Rachel Bortnick
Reid Heller
Ginger Jacobs
Mark E. Jacobs
Ruth Brown Kahn z”l
Sara R. Levine
Dr. Joel Roffman
Mark Schor
Milton Tobian z”l
Michael Waldman
Andrea Weinstein
Executive Director
Debra Polsky
Hylton Jonas
Rachelle Krasoff
Brett Lazarus
Esther Meyers
Marilyn Pailet
Matt Prescott
Jo Reingold
Robin Sachs
Brad Schweig
Ellen Ungerman

5. Our Archive:
The Dallas Jewish Historical Society serves as
a repository for the entire Jewish community
of Dallas. In its holdings are personal and
family papers, recorded oral histories, artifacts,
and records of the various organizations
which comprise the Jewish community in
Greater Dallas.

6. Our Archive Yesterday:

7. Our Archive Today:

8. DJHS Oral History Collection:
It’s not every day that you can hear from past Jewish
movers and shakers who’ve made an impact on the
Dallas Jewish community. At the DJHS, we make that
thought a reality. Featuring more than 500 interviews in
a variety of formats, we bring you history from those
who have paved the way and shared some of the
greatest words and experiences, whose incredible
stories celebrate our history, our diversity and
their wealth of dedication to making
our community a better place.

9. DJHS Oral History Collection:

10. 2015 – 2016 DJHS GOALS
• Oral History Awareness - place current oral history
interviews on the DJHS website for viewing and
comment by the public
• Engaging people with the Archive - outreach to
organizations, articles in the TJP regarding our
holdings and Dallas Jewish history, increased
volunteer activity
• Bring the expertise of DJHS to the
community through a Speaker's
Bureau
• Financial stability through engaging
fundraising events, sponsorship and
membership development

11. • D - Digitization of current Oral History video and audio tapes as
well as the Ellis M. & May Titche WW II correspondence collection
• J - Jumpstart our Genealogy group, L'Dor Vador: What's Your
Story?, and Oral History Volunteer programs to reach out to new
audiences and both “Natives & Newcomers” whose stories have
been missed
• H - Host accessioned Archive Collections on the DJHS website
through Finding Aids & Special pages
• S - Secure adequate funding through grants,
events and endowments to ensure the health
and future growth of the Dallas Jewish
Historical Society and to meet ongoing
physical and equipment needs
2016 – 2017 DJHS GOALS

12. Dallas Jewish Migration Project
• Roots to Boots: South African
Jews in Dallas
Thanks to the efforts of Joan
Gremont, Esme Jacobson, Lynette
Rakusin and Marc Jacobson, a new
program idea was brought to the
DJHS Oral History committee in
2013. In May 2015, 98+ interviews
later, we held the One Story at a
Time… Roots to Boots: South African
Jews in Dallas, featuring journalist
Roger Cohen.

13. DJHS Year in Review
JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER
 New Board
Brunch
 JCC Maccabi Exhibit
“Sports @ the J”
 Volunteer
orientation
 Bea Kaplan –
Garment Bag
Project
 Oral Histories
continue
 Sister Steinberg
acquisition
 DJHS/JCC Film Fest
Event
 Presentation to
the Dallas
Genealogical
Society
 North Texas
Giving Day

14. DJHS Year in Review
OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER
 Tiferet/DJHS Bus
Tour
 Roz Benjet & Harriet Gross
present “They Made It Big in Big
D: Three Jewish Women
Mayors” at the 2015 Southern
Jewish Historical Society
Conference
 Lorch Collection donated by Carol
Wadel
 UNT Special Collections & Archives
class visits DJHS, receives training
from Archivist, Ms. Ferguson.
 Chanukah Exhibit featuring
the personal Dreidel
collection of Debra Polsky
 Nick Kotz Bookfest &
Trailblazer Reception
 DJHS receives unsolicited
Grant from Dynamic
Growth Strategies
 DJHS receives the
Heritage Presentation
Award from the Dallas
Genealogical Society

15. DJHS Year in Review
JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH
 SMU Intern begins for One
Story at a Time… Roots to
Boots: South African Jews in
Dallas
 Ron Wolffson Bookfest &
Trailblazer Reception
 DJHS presentation for CHAIs of
Dallas
 Dallas
Kosher Chili
Cook Off
 DJHS receives
volunteers from
Richland College
Anthropology Club
 DFW Metroplex
Archivist meeting
 JFS Klein
Internship
Volunteer Fair

16. DJHS Year in Review
APRIL MAY JUNE
 Jewish American
Heritage Month
Exhibit installed at
the Frankford
Renner Dallas
Public Library
 Volunteer Appreciation
Reception “You Rock!”
 NCJW Research &
Digitization Project
 Last Capital Campaign
committee meeting
 Submission to Southern Jewish
Historical Society newsletter,
the Rambler
 One Story at a
Time… Roots to
Boots: South
African Jews in
Dallas featuring
author Roger
Cohen
 DJHS Annual Meeting,
featuring Bryan Stone,
Ph.D.
 Walter Levy turns 94!
Happy Birthday!
 P & A
Presentation
 Preserving the Cultural
Heritage of Dallas Panel
@ the Dallas Institute for
Humanities and Culture
 Temple
Shalom/DJHS
Bus Tour

17. DJHS 2015-2016 Acquisitions
Aug. 2015:
• The Sylvia Margules Trugman
Collection – Items added to existing
collection.
• The Sharon Ornish Collection –
Established
• The Frances (Sister) Steinberg
Collection - Established
• Anita Friedman Collection –
Established
Sept. 2015:
• The Wadel Family Collection –
Collection established through a
donation from Carol Wadel.
Oct. 2015:
• Barbara Rosenberg donated a
fabulous collection of materials
from her campaigns for Justice
of the Court of Appeals, Fifth
Supreme Judicial District, as
well as a family scrapbook, and
several other items
to establish The
Barbara Rosenberg
Collection.
• Anita Zusman Eddy donated
several documents for inclusion
in the Jewish Community
Relations Council Collection.

18. DJHS 2015-2016 Acquisitions
Nov. 2015:
• Mark & Susan Preston donated
Mark’s father’s Russian passport
with the seal and typography of
Czarist Russia issued to Samuel
Pistinivicz in 1909 traveling from
Libau, Latvia, Russia.
• Gary Wolff donated original
incorporation documents for
inclusion in the Jewish
Federation Collection.
• David Passman donated Dallas
Holocaust Museum semi/tri-
annual newsletters. Dates are:
Spring 1992 and Fall 1997
through Winter 2008-2009.
Dec. 2015:
• Herb Weitzman donated a
copy of his book Born to
Build: How Dallas Became a
Shopper’s Paradise.
• Robin Zweig (Jewish Family
Services) donated a DVD of
Oral History Interviews of
members of the Golman
family. For the Love of
Family, made by Jason
Traub of the Golman family,
was shown at the Jewish
Family Services luncheon
honoring the Golman family.

19. DJHS 2015-2016 Acquisitions
Jan. 2016:
• Nurit Amit donated a small
decorative box that was given to her
grandfather Itzhak Gruenbaum by a
detainee on Cyprus in 1947. Nurit
moved to Dallas in the 1970’s and is
interested in donating her oral history
as well as her family papers. Both
her children attended Forest High
School.
Feb. 2016:
• The Chais of Dallas established
a collection with their donation of
176 digital images, along with
the organization’s historical
membership information, and an
oral history interview of Al
Creemer and Sandi Black
discussing the history of the
organization.
• Liz Liener donated her Uncle
Stuart Meyer’s copy of Shearith
Israel’s 50th Anniversary Book
The Golden Book of Shearith
Israel. The text includes
committee members’ signatures
and is an excellent addition to
our holdings

20. DJHS 2015-2016 Acquisitions
Mar. 2016:
• Patricia Titche & Lee Harrell donated Ellis
M. Titche WWII Correspondence to be
added to the already existing Ellis M.
Titche Collection. The collection was
given in memory of May Levy and Ellis M.
Titche. The letters document the
conversation between Ellis and May
when Ellis was stationed in Europe during
WWII.
• Franklin David Cole donated papers
establishing the Cole Family Collection,
which includes his of his parents on their
wedding day here in Dallas in 1948, their
wedding license and Ketubah, their
naturalization papers, and paperwork
documenting his father’s official and legal
name change approved by The
Honorable Sarah Hughes, along with a
news clipping of an article discussing the
story.
• Shirley Rovinsky donated what
appears to be scrapbook pages from
the estate of Hilda Cobbel. The
collection preservation and
cataloging is currently in process.
• The Aaron Family JCC donated 2
photographs in card board photo
folders – one of 2016 JCC Past
Presidents Luncheon and one of
Maccabi 2015 Team Dallas. The
items have been added to the
exiting Aaron Family JCC Collection.
• Debra Polsky
donated her copy of
"The Other Side of
the Hudson.
A Jewish Immigrant
Adventure"
by Kenneth Roseman.

21. DJHS 2015-2016 Acquisitions
Apr. 2016:
• Jackie Hager donated a sweater
that was given to her by Millie
Calise, who used to run the
Wolfe Brothers Clothing Stores.
The sweater was a prize in a
1948 contest to see who could
sell the most bonds for Israel,
and Millie won! The beautiful
sweater, which is dark blue and
adorned
with Stars
of David
was
donated
in memory
of Millie (Malka) Goldman Calise.
May 2016:
• Steve Golman donated
pictures and paperwork of
George Golman & Billy
Heroman along with a copy
of a recorded oral history
conducted by SMU.
June 2016:
• Meyer Denn donated slides
of Jewish Life in Poland
prior to WWII.

22. FY 2016 Volunteer & Internship
Program Overview
Staffing:
This fiscal year, 60 people donated their time and energy in
the DJHS Archive, as Oral History Volunteers, at our events
and programs, and as members of various committees.
Since July 1, 2016, we have increased total scheduled
volunteer hours from 6 hours served per
week to 76 hours served per week in the
archive.
1332 Volunteer Hours Served (as of 5/31/16
& excluding OH Volunteers & Committee
Members)

23. FY 2016 Volunteer & Internship
Program Overview
Volunteer Projects:
• Archival Processing & Arrangement
• Oral History Summaries and
Transcriptions
• Photograph Digitization, Preservation,
& Identification
• Old Format Oral History Inventory &
Arrangement
• Exhibit Documentation & Description
• Digital Images Organization &
Preservation
• Creation of Preservation Materials
• Reference Files Inventory, Digitization,
& Organization
• Reconciling Archival Donor Records &
Systems
• Archival Donor File Scanning and
Organization
• Program and Event Volunteers

24. FY 2016 Volunteer & Internship
Program Overview
Volunteer Projects continued:
• Historic Bus Tours - Volunteers helped to identify specific addresses for
businesses, homes, and organization meeting places as we continue to codify
our Bus Tours.
• National Council of Jewish Women: Centennial Book Project - This past month
we completed a two day long intensive scanning and imaging project, utilizing 1
staff person and 3 volunteers to help digitize over 100 items.

25. Looking Forward…
Installation of the Volunteer Workstation &
Digitization Center
Posting of DJHS Collections Finding Aid on
website
Digitization of the Ellis & May Titche WWII
Correspondence Collection
Anne Sikora Humanitarian Award Luncheon
Implementation of new CRM System
Upgrade of DJHS technology
systems: Computers, IT equipment,
and Data Storage Solutions
Establishing an Online Exhibit
Space
Fully integrated Collection Management
Software
Dedicated Archive Endowment Fund
All current & future Oral Histories accessible
online
Beyond 2017…
 2021: Dallas Jewish
Historical Society turns 50!
20172016

26. TRAILBLAZERS
Our Trailblazers
membership provides
necessary financial support
for the Dallas Jewish
Historical Society—our
archive, our office, our staff
and our outreach into the
community.
THANK YOU!!
Membership Giving
Clubs 2015-2016
Explorer $1000+
Carol and Steve Aaron
Ruth Andres
Mimi and Mitchell Barnett
Sherry and Kenny Goldberg
Ginger Jacobs
Ann Kahn
Elya Naxon
Stan and Barbara Rabin
Leslie and Howard Schultz
Renee Stanley, Ph.D.
Andrea and Loren Weinstein

27. TRAILBLAZERS
Our Trailblazers
membership provides
necessary financial support
for the Dallas Jewish
Historical Society—our
archive, our office, our staff
and our outreach into the
community.
THANK YOU!!
Membership Giving
Clubs 2015-2016 Debbie and Marc Andres
Roz and Merv Benjet
Jenifer and Michael Blum
Scott Cytron
Alan Folz
Cyd and Cliff Friedman
Lisa and Neil Goldberg
Pauline Graivier
Harriet Gross
Angela Horowitz
Mark Jacobs
Andrew Jacobs
Veronique and Hylton Jonas
Liz and Robert Liener
Esther and Michael Meyers
Lori and Trace Ordiway
Janine and Charles Pulman
Brian Ratner
Peachy Rudberg
Kathryn and Andy Schultz
Suzy and Jim Schwartz
May Sebel
Nita Mae Tannebaum
Natalie and Michael
Waldman
Jolene and Harv Weisblat
Sarah Yarrin
Barbara and Donald Zale
Pioneer $500+

28. Thank You to all of our
Supporters!
You ARE Dallas Jewish History