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Guide to the Records of Temple Emanuel Collection, 1939-2001
 
*I-442

Processed by Molly Alexander

American Jewish Historical Society

Center for Jewish History

15 West 16th Street

New York, N.Y. 10011

Phone: (212) 294-6160

Fax: (212) 294-6161

Email: reference@ajhs.org

URL: http://www.ajhs.org

© 2013, American Jewish Historical Society, Boston, MA and New York, NY. All Rights Reserved.
Finding aid was encoded by Marvin Rusinek on November 15, 2006. Description is in English.

Descriptive Summary

Creator: Temple Emanuel (Andover, Mass.)
Title: Temple Emanuel (Andover, Mass.) records
Dates: 1939-2001
Abstract: This collection is a wide range of materials accumulated by Rabbi Harry A. Roth while he was rabbi of Temple Emanuel from 1962-1990. The collection includes budgets, confirmation class lists, correspondence, prayer books, maps, newspaper clippings, programs for various celebrations and some photos and slides. The bulk of the collection is eulogies written by Rabbi Harry A. Roth and delivered at Temple Emanuel. Some of the eulogies in the collection are from his previous assignment in Ohio and a few were written by different people. Some materials pre-date his tenure as rabbi, such as a program for the grand opening of the new temple in Lawrence in 1957. Other materials post-date his tenure, most notably the 75th anniversary materials. The history of a small Massachusetts temple and the role its congregation played in local society is the most obvious subject of research for this collection. However, local genealogists and religious students will be interested in the eulogies as sources of personal history and as examples of an important part of a religious ceremony.
Languages: The collection is in English and Hebrew.
Quantity: 1.0 linear feet (2 manuscript boxes)
Identification: I-442
Repository: American Jewish Historical Society
Location: Located at AJHS, Boston, MA.
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Historical Note

Temple Emanuel was founded in 1920 in Lawrence, Massachusetts and had approximately thirty members. The original Temple Emanuel consisted of two buildings, a mansion house and a remodeled barn, which were purchased by members. The mansion was used for classes, meetings, social gatherings, and had a suite for the janitor. The remodeled barn was the actual temple, complete with railroad benches and a balcony at the back. The style of services was a break from orthodoxy because there was a choir with an organ, mixed seating, and a beardless English-speaking rabbi. Recreational activities in the local Jewish community centered on the temple, despite the fact that some members lived far enough away to come in cars. In 1938 the buildings were remodeled and some minor additions added due to a rise in membership. In 1940 the Temple Emanuel Hebrew School merged with the Orthodox Hebrew School, and in 1945 the Temple's Sunday School merged with the Young Men's Hebrew Association to become the Lawrence Jewish School. In 1941 the temple opened a cemetery in Andover. By 1955 Temple Emanuel had 166 members, in 1957 a new building for Temple Emanuel was built in Lawrence, and temple membership passed 400 people in around 1971. A new temple was built in Andover in 1979, and the 75th anniversary of Temple Emanuel was celebrated in 1995 with much fanfare.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection is a wide range of materials accumulated by Rabbi Harry A. Roth while he was rabbi of Temple Emanuel from 1962-1990. The collection includes budgets, confirmation class lists, correspondence, prayer books, maps, newspaper clippings, programs for various celebrations and some photos and slides. The bulk of the collection is eulogies written by Rabbi Harry A. Roth and delivered at Temple Emanuel. Some of the eulogies in the collection are from his previous assignment in Ohio and a few were written by different people. Some materials pre-date his tenure as rabbi, such as a program for the grand opening of the new temple in Lawrence in 1957. Other materials post-date his tenure, most notably the 75th anniversary materials.

The history of a small Massachusetts temple and the role its congregation played in local society is the most obvious subject of research for this collection. However, local genealogists and religious students will be interested in the eulogies as sources of personal history and as examples of an important part of a religious ceremony.

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Arrangement

The collection has been arranged into six series as follows:

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The collection is open to all researchers by permission of the Director of Library and Archives of the American Jewish Historical Society, except items that are restricted due to their fragility.

Use Restrictions

Information concerning the literary rights may be obtained from the Executive Director of the American Jewish Historical Society. Users must apply in writing for permission to quote, reproduce or otherwise publish manuscript materials found in this collection. For more information contact:
American Jewish Historical Society, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY, 10011
email: info@ajhs.org

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Provenance

Donated by Rabbi Harry A. Roth, Rabbi of Temple Emanuel from 1962- 1990.

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Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Temple Emanuel (Andover, Mass.) records; I-442; box number; folder number; American Jewish Historical Society, Boston, MA and New York, NY.

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Access Points:

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Container List

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

 

Series I: Organizational Records, undated, 1950-1995.
Box 1 (Folders 1 to 8).
Arrangement:

Alphabetical and chronological.
Scope and Content:

This series has a wide range of materials that show the broad scope of activities that Temple Emanuel was involved in both within the Jewish community and the larger Lawrence/Andover community. The series includes such materials as budgets, confirmation class lists, phone lists, 50th and 75th anniversary memorabilia, programs for benedictions, dedications and celebrations, and Rabbi Harry A. Roth's rolodex. The rolodex and confirmation class lists contain information about members of the congregation.
Box Folder Title Date
1 1 50th Anniversary 1970
1 2 75th Anniversary 1995
1 3 Benedictions and Dedications 1963-1984
1 4 Budgets 1962-1987
1 5 Celebrations 1956-1980
1 6 Confirmation class lists 1950-1993
1 7 Membership lists 1985-1989
1 8 Rolodex undated
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Series II: Eulogies, undated, 1955-1994.
Box 1 (Folder 9) to Box 2 (Folder 5).
Arrangement:

Alphabetical and reverse chronological order.
Scope and Content:

This series composes the bulk of the collection. There are eulogies that have no name or no date, eulogies written by Rabbi Roth and delivered at Temple Emanuel, eulogies written by Rabbi Roth while in Ohio or elsewhere, and eulogies written by people other than Rabbi Roth. The eulogies are in different formats, some are typed and some are handwritten. They are written on a variety of paper, note cards, scrap paper and most have some Hebrew writing. The Temple Emanuel eulogies are arranged in reverse chronological order. Rabbi Roth had a folder just for Sheila Zetlin's eulogy written in 1990, all of the material in that folder is now in the folder labeled 1990.
Box Folder Title Date
1 9 Eulogies missing name or date undated
1 10 Temple Emanuel eulogies 1990-1991
1 11 Temple Emanuel eulogies 1988-1989
1 12 Temple Emanuel eulogies 1987
1 13 Temple Emanuel eulogies 1985-1986
1 14 Temple Emanuel eulogies 1983-1984
1 15 Temple Emanuel eulogies 1980-1982
1 16 Temple Emanuel eulogies 1977-1979
1 17 Temple Emanuel eulogies 1975-1976
1 18 Temple Emanuel eulogies 1973-1974
Box Folder Title Date
2 1 Temple Emanuel eulogies 1970-1972
2 2 Temple Emanuel eulogies 1967-1969
2 3 Temple Emanuel eulogies 1962-1966
2 4 Eulogies from Ohio or other places undated, 1955-1960
2 5 Eulogies by other individuals undated, 1966-1994
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Series III: Correspondence, undated, 1957-2001.
Box 2 (Folder 6).
Scope and Content:

This series is composed of correspondence between Rabbi Harry A. Roth and Rabbi Rudavsky (Rabbi Roth's predecessor at Temple Emanuel), condolence letters; thank you notes from bereaved families to Rabbi Roth for his assistance, and correspondence regarding the donation of the collection, and other correspondence. The letters between Rabbi Roth and Rabbi Rudavsky give insight into the workings of the different temple organizations and members of the congregation from Rabbi Rudavsky's point of view.
Box Folder Title Date
2 6 Correspondence undated, 1957-2001
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Series IV: Prayer Books, 1939-1943.
Box 2 (Folder 7).
Scope and Content:

This series is composed of four prayer books; The Book of Psalms (circa 1939), Prayer Book: New Year and Day of Atonement (circa 1943), Readings from the Holy Scriptures for Jewish soldiers and sailors (circa 1942), and Prayer Book (circa 1943). The National Jewish Welfare Board published the three latter books for Jews in the United States armed forces.
Box Folder Title Date
2 7 Prayer Books 1939-1943
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Series V: Subject Files, undated, 1967-1990.
Box 2 (Folders 8 to 13).
Arrangement:

Alphabetical and chronological.
Scope and Content:

This series is composed of an honorary degree awarded to Rabbi Roth by Merrimack College, local Massachusetts maps and maps of Israel and the Middle East, newspaper clippings that are mostly obituaries of congregation members, and resources for writing eulogies, e.g. appropriate quotes to include in a eulogy. It also includes two resources, Apples and Honey: a handbook to understand, enjoy, and participate in the High Holy Day services by Rabbi Alex Goldman (circa 1980), and Guide to Jewish Boston and New England by Steven Feldman and the staff of Genesis 2 (circa 1986).

Box Folder Title Date
2 8 Local maps of Massachusetts undated, 1976-1982
2 9 Maps of Israel and the Middle East undated, 1967-1972
2 10 Merrimack College honorary degree - Newspaper clippings 1967-1990
2 11 Resource file #1 1980
2 12 Resource file #2 1986
2 13 Resources for eulogies undated, 1975
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Series VI: Audio-Visual, undated, 1964-1990.
Box 2 (Folders 14 to 16).
Arrangement:

Alphabetical.
Scope and Content:

This series is composed of photos from a NAACP dinner in 1968, photos taken by the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune from 1964-1990, and slides from a trip to Israel that Rabbi Roth led in 1974. The slides appear to be in two sets, one to be used in a presentation, and the other of more tourist interest.
Box Folder Title Date
2 14 Lawrence Eagle-Tribune photos 1964-1990
2 15 NAACP dinner photos 1968
2 16 Slides of trip to Israel 1974
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