[Jewish] Internship Documenting Recent Jewish History in CT

[Sharon Friedner]

Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society
Internship Opportunity

Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society seeks full and part time interns 
to assist in documenting the social and cultural history of the 
Danielson, Connecticut Jewish community. Particular emphasis will be 
placed on collecting and organizing data, transcribing interviews, 
locating family members, identifying funding sources for programs and 
building preservation, assisting with updating and expanding the 
Society's website, organizing the community's archives and helping to 
develop cultural and fundraising programs. Work will be directly 
supervised by two members of the Society's board of directors.

Background:

Between 1950 and 1980 a Jewish community was formed and thrived in 
Northeast Connecticut. Jews who lived in the area began to congregate in 
Danielson. Early gatherings consisted of prayer meetings, holiday 
observances and social gatherings that were held in several members' 
homes. Then, during the years 1950 through 1954 there was an influx of 
Jewish immigrants from Europe who had survived the Holocaust. Nearly all 
of the new arrivals settled on dairy and poultry farms with the 
assistance of the Jewish Agricultural Society. With new arrivals and 
increased numbers, discussion turned to the need to accommodate the 
religious and social needs of the quickly growing Jewish community. A 
decision was made to build a temple and to reach out to the non-Jewish 
community for financial support which responded with significant 
generosity.

The result was the construction of an attractive, modern structure 
designed by a leading American architect that has recently been added to 
the State of Connecticut Register of Historic Places. At its peak, this 
unique community consisted of over 75 members and offered weekly 
religious services, a Hebrew School, a branch of United Synagogue Youth, 
High Holiday observances, Passover Seders, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, 
weddings, funerals and a wide variety of social events.

Sponsor: The Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society

The Society is a Connecticut Charitable Corporation incorporated in 2009 
with a mission to preserve the building, document the unique history of 
the community and to create a religious and cultural center where that 
history can serve as a foundation for teaching the lessons of the 
Holocaust with a focus on religious and cultural tolerance.

Details concerning the Internship

The following are examples of projects and initiatives that are at 
various stages of completion. The internship is flexible and interns may 
chose and design projects that best utilize their skills, talents and 
interests. Interns will work closely with members of the Society's board 
of directors.

1. Conduct historical and social research into the origins of the Jewish 
community in Northeastern Connecticut with emphasis on the early 
settlers, economic, religious and social characteristics of the 
community. Compare the development of neighboring congregations in 
Norwich, Willimantic and Putnam;

2. Create a comprehensive list of the Jewish families who lived in 
Killingly and surrounding towns before the end of WWII. Create a 
genealogical map of those families tracing their origins;

3. Create a comprehensive list of all Jewish immigrants who arrived 
after World War II.. Develop a biographical sketch of each family, 
documenting their experiences during the war, their places of origin 
before the war, their means of immigration to the United States;

4. Transcribe and organize oral histories based on interviews of 
survivors and their descendants.

5. Document and describe immigrants' early encounters with American 
life. How and to what degree did they assimilate? How did they learn to 
read, write and speak English. How did they parent their children? What 
were their occupations upon arrival in America. How did they find their 
way to farming or whatever other occupations they pursued upon arrival 
in the Killingly area. Create a genealogical map of the immigrant families;

6. Research and describe the encounters between the Jews in the region 
and their non Jewish neighbors. Document the Interfaith activities, 
instances of anti Semitism, their perception in the community;

7. Gather and analyze data concerning the religious and social 
affiliations of the local Jewish community;

8. Identify, describe and chronicle the development of the Temple Beth 
Israel congregation. Identify the social, cultural, religious needs of 
the community and how they were met;

9. Gather data and work to develop public relations strategies 
((including gathering demographic data) to build support for the 
Society's programming;

10. Work on designing an exhibit for the building based on historical, 
cultural and social research.

11. Help to create and direct a program designed to involve children of 
members in the study and documentation of their parents' and 
grandparents' community. (Create materials, outlines, study guides, etc.)

12. Assist in designing interfaith, cultural, and ethnic educational 
programs for the community addressing human rights and tolerance issues;

13. Refine and further develop the Society's website.

Resources:

Considerable effort has already been devoted to beginning work on many 
of the projects identified above. Members of the Preservation 
Association are highly motivated and are available for interviews and 
consultation as well as to provide guidance and oversight. Association 
members have also gathered certain documents, artifacts, photographs 
related to the congregation. In addition, Association members are in the 
process of organizing a group of young adults who are children of 
founding members of the congregation as well as children of current 
members. The plan is to have these young adults spend part of their 
summer engaged in organized research, interviews, data gathering, 
sorting and compiling. These young adults would be available to work 
with an intern to provide support for the intern's activities.

For more information:
Contact: Norman Berman nberman at bermandevalerio.com

http://templebethisraelct.info/about-us/internship-opportunit/
-- 

*Sharón Friedner*  | *Assistant Director*

*Hampshire College *| *Career Options Resource Center*

413.559.5768 | sfriedner at hampshire.edu <mailto:aklein at hampshire.edu> | 
corc.hampshire.edu <http://corc.hampshire.edu/>


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