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Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society
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Internship Opportunity
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<br>
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.
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<br>
Background:
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<br>
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.
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<br>
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.
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<br>
Sponsor: The Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society
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<br>
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.
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<br>
Details concerning the Internship
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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.
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<br>
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;
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<br>
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;
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<br>
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;
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4. Transcribe and organize oral histories based on interviews of
survivors and their descendants.
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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;
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<br>
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;
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7. Gather and analyze data concerning the religious and social
affiliations of the local Jewish community;
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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;
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9. Gather data and work to develop public relations strategies
((including gathering demographic data) to build support for the
Society’s programming;
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10. Work on designing an exhibit for the building based on
historical, cultural and social research.
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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.)
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12. Assist in designing interfaith, cultural, and ethnic educational
programs for the community addressing human rights and tolerance
issues;
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13. Refine and further develop the Society’s website.
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Resources:
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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.
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For more information:
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Contact: Norman Berman <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:nberman@bermandevalerio.com">nberman@bermandevalerio.com</a>
<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://templebethisraelct.info/about-us/internship-opportunit/">http://templebethisraelct.info/about-us/internship-opportunit/</a>
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