Jan Durecki, Archivist
franklinarchives@tbeonline.org
Hours Through August: Monday through Thursday: 10:00 - 6:00 pm, by appointment - Closed on Friday
Contact Information: 248-851-1100, ext. 3137 franklinarchives@tbeonline.org

Franklin Archives
I would like to acknowledge a generous monetary gift to the Archives by Dr. Robert and Mrs. Joan Jampel. They have designated that their donation to the Temple’s Annual Appeal be used to support the Archives’ operations. The Jampels encourage other donors to the Annual Appeal to similarly earmark funding for the Archives. I would like to thank them both for helping to sustain the work and programs of this historic repository.

During the evening of Wednesday, November 12, twenty members of the Temple Beth El Study Group toured the Rabbi Leo M. Franklin Archives. The Study Group has been active for over 20 years; they meet periodically to discuss a wide range of topics. During their visit, we focused on one aspect of the Archives’ multi-faceted mission: promoting the understanding of Temple Beth El’s history and heritage, and that of its surrounding Jewish communities, by collecting documents and photographs that chronicle the Jewish social history of Southeast Michigan. We focused on the Archives’ Family Collections and the preservation methods used to insure their longevity. We also discussed how these records are used by researchers and genealogists, and the important role that the Archives’ database plays in making them available worldwide. Thanks to Phyllis and Irv Kaplan for organizing the event, and to Phyllis and Joe Garlock for providing the post-tour refreshments. If you would like to arrange a tour of the Archives, for a single individual or a group, contact Jan Durecki at 248-851-1100, ext. 3137.

Susan Weinberg has donated an assortment of newspaper clippings to our reference files. Over the years, Susan assembled a great deal of material on the Holocaust, and Jews of Turkey, Russia, Ethiopia, the Middle East and the Far East. She also saved a file of humorous observations on Jewish life such as:

“ A group of senior citizens were talking at the breakfast
table in a Florida nursing home.

‘My arms are so weak I can hardly lift this cup of coffee,’ said one.

Another replied ‘My cataracts are so bad I can barely see.

’ A third said, ‘I can’t turn my head because of the arthritis in my neck and my blood pressure pills make me dizzy. I guess that’s the price we pay for getting old.’

and they all nodded in agreement.

‘Well, it could be worse,’ said a cheerful resident,
‘Thank God we can all still drive!’”

Whether you are researching a serious topic or looking for a humorous anecdote, visit the Archives and utilize the Susan Weinberg Clippings Files.

 
Jewish War Veterans of Michigan Archives
Flo Weber and Martha Hauptman have each donated scrapbooks that were assembled for the JWV of Michigan’s Ladies Auxiliary. Flo’s book chronicles the auxiliary’s activities for 1989-1990. The scrapbooks that Martha donated represented the women of Lt. Ray Zussman Auxiliary 333 and are dated 1946-1976 and 1973-1974.

JEWISH WAR VETERANS OF

MICHIGAN ARCHIVES

Donations
Stanley Morganstern has given the War Veterans’ Archives memorabilia related to his service as a B-26 Marauder aircraft pilot during WWII. Included are photographs of Stan behind the controls of his plane, and aerial images of his Bombardment Group’s air strikes. Stan has also promised to participate in an oral history interview relating to his war time experiences.
Alan Nathan, Commander of the Joseph Bale Post JWV #474, coordinated the donation of materials belonging to Dr. Douglas Shiffman. Those items detailed the service of Ben Shiffman who enlisted in the Army at the age of 16, and at the time of his death was the last known military survivor of the Spanish-American War. Among the collection are newspaper clippings, photographs, certificates, scrapbooks, and discharge papers.
War veterans, Leon Bleifeld and Alton Rohan, have also donated photographs and other memorabilia, and each has been interviewed as part of the JWV’s oral history project.

The Friends of the Rabbi Leo M. Franklin Archives is a group of committed contributors and supporters dedicated to maintaining and preserving the rich, historic collections of manuscripts, photographs, audiovisual materials, architectural drawings and rare books found within the Rabbi Leo M. Franklin Archives.

I am interested in highlighting the everyday experiences that individually, and in their totality, contributed to the Allies’ victory. Were you a young wife and mother during the war? If so, how did your family deal with rationing? Did you belong to a Boy Scout or Girl Scout troop during the war years? Did you and your fellow scouts visit VA hospitals or correspond with GIs? Were you a Civil Defense warden or a Rosie the Riveter defense worker? Did you frequent the USO or other recreation centers that catered to visiting service personnel? These are but a few examples of the many efforts that drew the Jewish community together during the War and merit sharing with the TBE community.

The Rabbi Leo M. Franklin Archives is committed to collecting Jewish Detroit’s social history. Your personal stories of war-related activities will further our collective knowledge of the Jewish patriotism and solidarity with the War effort. Contact Archivist Jan Durecki at 248-851-1100, ext. 3137.