Blog
Read about highlighted collections, figureheads of Jewish Dallas, the honorees of our annual awards, and other topics of interest.
News, Events & Spotlights
DJHS Board of Directors Spotlight: Melissa Ackerman
Dallas Jewish Historical Society is privileged to honor and recognize Melissa Ackerman, who has been on our board since 2021. Melissa became acquainted with DJHS in 2018/2019 when she and her sister, Brenda Bliss, received the Ann Loeb Sikora Humanitarian Award. This...
DJHS Board of Directors Spotlight: Michael B. Cohen
Dallas Jewish Historical Society is privileged to honor and recognize Michael B. Cohen, who has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2013! Michael recalls, “In those days, experienced board members included Pauline Graivier, Elya Naxon, and Harriet Gross with...
DJHS Board of Directors Spotlight: Mitch Meyers
Dallas Jewish Historical Society is privileged to honor and recognize Mitch Meyers, currently a member-at-large on our Executive Board, who has been with us nearly six years! He was originally approached by his dear friend and Past President of blessed memory, Jim...
DJHS Board of Directors Spotlight: Stuart Rosenfield
Dallas Jewish Historical Society is privileged to honor and recognize longtime board member and past President of DJHS, Stuart Rosenfield! Stuart served as President of DJHS for six years after serving on the Executive Committee and general board for many years prior...
Alamo Street – Anshe Sphard/Primera Iglesia Bautista Historical Marker
Dallas Mexican Historical League, Dallas Jewish Historical Society, and Primera Iglesia Bautista celebrated the installation and dedication of a new historical marker on Friday, November 3, 2023 (see slideshow above). The Alamo Street State Historical Marker...
Debra Polsky, In Memoriam – Baruch Dayan Emet
Since 2012, Debra Polsky had been the face of the Dallas Jewish Historical Society (DJHS). The path which led Debra to Dallas, was an...
From the Archive
DJHS Founder’s Records Come to Light
Recently, our archivist, Jessica Schneider, and our archives assistant, Corynthia Dorgan, collaborated to write an article for The Rambler, the newsletter of the Southern Jewish Historical Society. The article, "DJHS Founder's Records Come to Light," highlights the...
Sylvan Karchmer Collection
The life of an archivist often involves stumbling down rabbit holes. Morsels of information located in primary source materials prompt further research, forming webs woven from a multitude of sources, connections made with dedication and deductive reasoning… It is...
Torah in case
According to the Jewish Virtual Library, “Our knowledge of Torah cases and mitpaḥot in pre-modern times is meager; the process whereby the case evolved from a mere receptacle for carrying the Torah into a sacred artifact can at most be conjectured.” Here we have a...
Charles Kassel- Tefillin Bag
This Tefillin bag belonged to Charles Kassel. On one side of the velvet bag has a “C” and “K”, his initials, and on the other side the Magen David, or Star of David, is embroidered with the Hebrew year 5653, which translates to 1982 or 1893 in the Gregorian calendar,...
“Blue & White Night” – Drumsticks
These “I Love Israel” drumsticks were given out during "Blue & White Night," held on May 9, 2019, for the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas' Israel Week Celebration, in Zale Auditorium at the Jewish Community Center. The invitation said, “Celebrate the beauty...
Russian Zvetouchny Metal Tea Canister
This cannister once held Russian Zvetouchny tea, or better known to some as Swee-Touch-Nee tea. The tea brand is approved during Pesach or Passover since it is Kosher and has been enjoyed by Jews worldwide for over 100 years - though predominately available in Russia...