Jewish Community Archives (JCA)

Collections Spotlight: Max M. Fisher Papers

aergas — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 12:12:47 -0400

The Reuther Library is pleased to announce that the Max M. Fisher Papers are now open to researchers. This large collection documents Fisher's life and career as a successful Detroit industrialist and investor, influential Republican Party fundraiser and power broker, Jewish community leader, and major philanthropist. It includes correspondence, documents, speeches, interviews, photographs and other media, and documents from his biographer. read more »

Collections Spotlight: “Out of the House: Detroit Women’s Organizations in the 20th Century”

teller — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 10:20:24 -0400

Two archivists from the Reuther presented talks at the Historical Society of Michigan's 57th annual Local History Conference in March. The joint session, entitled “Out of the House: Detroit Women’s Organizations in the 20th Century” was presented by Troy Eller English, the Society of Women Engineers Archivist, and Aimee Ergas, the Reuther's collections archivist for Jewish Detroit. Kathy Schmeling of the Reuther Library was the moderator. read more »

Exhibit — Bricks, Mortar and More

pneirink — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:55:33 -0400

The Reuther Library is pleased to announce the opening of a new exhibit: Bricks, Mortar and More: The Jewish Community and the Growth of Wayne State University. This exhibit honors the long partnership between the metro Detroit Jewish Community and the University as represented by the fifteen buildings on Wayne State's main and medical campuses that are named after the members of Detroit's Jewish Community that provided funds for their construction. read more »

Exhibit: "25 Years, 25 Treasures" from the Jewish Community Archives

Public Relations Team — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 11:47:07 -0400

The Reuther Library is proud to host “25 Years, 25 Treasures,” a new exhibit celebrating the Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archive’s 25th anniversary!

25 Years, 25 Treasures will showcase 25 significant photographs, documents, and objects from its collection. These key pieces tell the remarkable story of Detroit’s Jewish community.

Since 1991, the Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives has collected over 2 million documents, 25,000 photographs, and recorded over 100 oral histories chronicling the rich and varied history of Detroit’s Jewish community. The Reuther Library has served as a partner in this effort, housing the majority of the collection and hosting researchers in our reading room. read more »

Jewish Community Archives Moving November 2022

ageraci — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 10:07:34 -0500

As of November 2022, the Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives (JCA) is moving to a brand-new collections space at Temple Beth El as partner in the newly formed Center for Michigan Jewish Heritage. The JCA collections at Reuther are closed to patrons in preparation for transfer. Potential researchers and visitors should contact JCA Director Robbie Terman at terman@jfmd.org to plan your research visits going forward. read more »

Records of Jewish Community Council Reveal Mid-Century Concerns and Actions on Social and Racial Justice

aergas — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 09:30:45 -0500

A lesser-known, and maybe surprising, source for historians and researchers looking at 20th-century race relations in Detroit are the Jewish Community Council Records, part of the Jewish Community Archives at the Reuther Library.

This large collection documents grassroots discussions and actions in Detroit’s Jewish community and the wider urban community particularly from the 1940s to the 1970s. read more »

Subject focus: Jewish Detroit Experience

wlefevre — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:52:44 -0400

The Reuther Library celebrates the Jewish holiday of Passover with a look at some of the significant collections housed in the library that deal with the Jewish experience in Metropolitan Detroit.

As the repository for the Jewish Community Archives (JCA), the Reuther Library has a wealth of information on the Jewish community in Detroit and surrounding environs. The JCA holdings include, but are not limited to, the papers of: read more »

Subject Focus: The Purple Gang

Public Relations Team — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 09:11:58 -0400

In the Winter 2012 semester, the Reuther Library worked with students in the Graduate Certificate in Archival Administration program at the Wayne State School of Library and Information Science to produce a series of student-written, guest blog posts.

Camille Chidsey is a Library and Information Science graduate student at Wayne State University. Her concentrations are in Archival Administration and Digital Content Management.

"'These boys are not like other children of their age, they’re tainted off color.' 'Yes,' replied the other shopkeeper. 'They’re rotten, purple like the color of bad meat, they’re a Purple Gang.'" read more »

The Jewish Community Archives at the Reuther Library: Additions and Revisions

aergas — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 10:33:53 -0500

The Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives document the rich and varied history of the Detroit Jewish community. In 1991, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit placed the bulk of its archival holdings in the Reuther Library. The collection dates back to the beginning of the United Jewish Charities in 1899. Through the years, the Jewish Community Archives (JCA) at the Reuther Library has expanded to include more than two million documents chronicling the growth and development of the Federation and its member agencies and Jewish communal agencies.

Recently, some new collections have been added and some revisions have been made to finding aids. read more »

(11648) Purple Gang, Collingwood Massacre Trial, 1931

mbanes — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:22:29 -0400

Collingwood Massacre Trial, Purple Gang member (L to R): Keywell, Milberg, Bernstein and their attorney's.

October 2, 1931. Detroit, MI.

(11649) Purple Gang, Collingwood Massacre Trial, 1930s

mbanes — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:39:48 -0400

Purple Gang member leaving the courthouse during the Collingwood Massacre trial.

1930s. Detroit, MI.

(11650) Purple Gang, Collingwood Massacre Trial, 1931

mbanes — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:46:50 -0400

Collingwood Massacre Trial, L to R: Purple Gangsters Irving Millberg, Raymond Burnstein, Harry Keywell, and Attorney Edward Kennedy.

September 28, 1931. Detroit, MI.

(12497) Purple Gang, Arrests, Axler, 1927

mbanes — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:48:41 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang member Sam "Simon" Axler.

April 13, 1927. Detroit, MI.

(12504) Purple Gang, Members, Axler

mbanes — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:57:12 -0400

Purple Gang member Sam "Simon" Axler.

Undated. Detroit, MI.

(12768) Purple Gang, Arrests, Sam Bernstein

mbanes — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:59:34 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang member Sam Bernstein alias "Sam Stein" or "Fatty."

Undated. Detroit, MI.

(13031) Purple Gang, Arrests, Sylvan Bernstein, 1935

mbanes — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 12:02:14 -0400

Mug shot and information sheet for the arrest of Purple Gang member Sylvan Bernstein.

March 6, 1935. Detroit, Michigan.

(4030) Purple Gang, Arrests, Feldman, 1939

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 09:43:46 -0400

Mug shots of Junior Purple Gang member Irving Feldman.

July 10, 1939. Detroit, MI.

(4036) Purple Gang, Arrests, Drapkin 1950

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 09:54:26 -0400

Mug shots of Junior Purple Gang member Sam Drapkin.

February 21, 1950. Detroit, MI.

(4043) Purple Gang, Arrests, Jacobs 1954

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 10:19:10 -0400

Mug shots of Junior Purple Gang member Louis Jacobs aka "Harry Stiner."

November 18, 1954. Detroit, MI.

(4044) Purple Gang, Arrests, Levine

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 10:39:55 -0400

Mug shots of Junior Purple Gang member Harry Levine.

Undated. Detroit, MI.

(4308) Purple Gang, Purple Gang Trial, Axler with Lawyer, 1931

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 10:53:46 -0400

Purple Gang member Abe Axler, left, with his lawyer at the Purple Gang Trial.

Circa 1931. Detroit, MI.

(4314) Purple Gang, Arrests, Millman, 1958

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 10:55:53 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang member Sam Millman.

May 18, 1958. Detroit, MI.

(4321) Purple Gang, Arrests, Burnstein, 1940

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 11:01:06 -0400

Recognized as the brains of the Purple Gang, Abe Burnstein washes his hands after being fingerprinted at the Detroit Police Department.

August 14, 1940. Detroit, MI.

(4322) Purple Gang, Arrests, Burnstein, 1940

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 11:04:16 -0400

Purple Gang leader Abe Burnstein at the Detroit Police Department.

August 14, 1940. Detroit, MI.

(4555) Purple Gang, Arrests, Burnstein, 1940

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 11:06:22 -0400

Purple Gang leader Abe Burnstein with his lawyer, Louis J. Weitzman at the county jail.

August 14, 1940. Detroit, MI.

(4570) Purple Gang, Arrests, Joe "Little Joey" Burnstein 1940s

mbanes — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 11:21:37 -0400

Purple Gang member Joe Burnstein aka "Little Joey" with his lawyer, left.

1940s. Detroit, MI.

(4585) Purple Gang, Arrests, Raymond Burnstein, 1926

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 10:45:03 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang leader Raymond Burnstein.

October 10, 1926. Detroit, MI.

(4601) Purple Gang, Arrests, Axler

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 10:53:52 -0400

Mug shot of Purple Gang member Abe Axler.

Undated. Detroit, MI.

(4613) Purple Gang, Arrests, Budd

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 10:56:01 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang member Jack Budd.

Undated. Detroit, MI.

(4619) Purple Gang, Trials, Joe "Little Joey" Burnstein

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 10:59:23 -0400

Purple Gang leader Joe Burnstein, alias "Little Joey" and his attorney Edward Kennedy Jr., left.

Undated. Detroit, MI.

(4626) Purple Gang, Arrests, Fingerprints, Joe Burnstein, 1940

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 11:15:06 -0400

Purple Gang leader Joe Burnstein being fingerprinted at the Detroit Police Department.

August 12, 1940. Detroit, MI.

(4629) Purple Gang, Arrests, Abramowitz, 1928

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 11:22:30 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang member Sam Abramowitz.

March 1, 1928. Detroit, MI.

(4651) Purple Gang, Arrests, Altman, 1935

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 11:26:04 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang member Hymie Altman,with information taken from back of photograph:

"Hymie Altman aliases: "Harry Altman", "The Indian", "Two Gun Harry", and "Jew Altman""

March 8, 1935. Detroit, MI.

(4657) Purple Gang, Trials, Auerbach

mbanes — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:09:12 -0400

Purple Gang member Charles Auerbach alias "The Professor."

Undated. Detroit, MI.

Fresh Air Society, Camp Tamarack, Belle Isle, 1902

teller — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 10:24:57 -0400

Detroit children participating in a summer camp, probably on Belle Isle, organized by the Fresh Air Society, circa 1902. Records from the Fresh Air Society and Camp Tamarack are included in the JCA Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit Records.

Max M. Fisher and Gerald R. Ford

Public Relations Team — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 09:55:39 -0400

Max M. Fisher, with President Gerald R. Ford, in the Oval Office, circa 1975.

Michael O. Smith

cwesterman — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 14:29:51 -0400

Michael O. Smith, former Director of the Walter P. Reuther Library of Labor and Urban Affairs.

(4576) Purple Gang, Arrests, Joe "Little Joey" Burnstein

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 10:42:54 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang member Joe Burnstein.

August 12, 1940. Detroit, MI.

(4587) Purple Gang, Arrests, Isadore "Izzy" Burnstein

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 10:47:50 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang leader Isadore "Izzy" Burnstein.

December 17, 1943. Detroit, MI.

(4600) Purple Gang, Arrests, Isadore "Izzy" Burnstein

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 10:51:57 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang leader Isadore "Izzy" Burnstein, with accompanying info on back of photograph:

"Issy Burnstein 4/26/1927 Build-Slim; Complex-Fair; Hair-Black; Eyes-Hazel; Age-21; Weight-130lbs.; Height-5’4 1/2"

April 26, 1927. Detroit, MI.

(4656) Purple Gang, Arrests, Altman, 1950

mbanes — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 11:28:26 -0400

Mug shots of Purple Gang member Hymie Altman, with information taken from back of photograph:

Hymie Altman aliases: "Harry Altman", "The Indian", "Two Gun Harry", and "Jew Altman"

April 25, 1950. Detroit, MI.

(33760) DeRoy Memorial, Groundbreaking, Jewish Community Center, Detroit, 1939

eclemens — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 11:06:22 -0500

A view of the groundbreaking for the Aaron DeRoy Memorial Building of the Jewish Community Center, located at Woodward & Holbrook in Detroit, Michigan. Gilbert Michael, Henry Meyers, Mrs. Joseph N. Welt, Percival Dodge, and Isidore Sobeloff are shown.

ADL Bulletin

kchinery — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 11:01:38 -0400

Processed