Ruth Bolotin photograph collection

Ruth Bolotin photograph collection, 1929-1942

Overview of the Collection

Collector: Bolotin, Ruth, 1917-2011
Title: Ruth Bolotin photograph collection
Dates: 1929-1942 (inclusive)
19291942
Quantity: 36 photographs, 4 drawings (1 box and 4 folders) ; sizes vary
Collection Number: PH1152
Summary: Photographs of Reuven Greenfield, and the Jewish community and school in Tientsin, China
Repository: University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions: Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator is required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.
Languages: English, Hebrew, Russian, Chinese

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Ruth Greenfield Bolotin was born in 1917 in the Siberian village of Barguzin. When Ruth was eleven, her family came to Seattle. Ruth graduated from Garfield high school in 1935 and then went to the University of Washington. She married fellow Garfield graduate and University student George Bolotin. Ruth was a talented amateur photographer who developed her own pictures and was a prolific writer. She and her husband played an active role in the founding of Group Health. They were also involved in many Jewish social and environmental causes.

Ari and Judith Greenfield, Ruth's parents, emigrated from Russia in 1925, first to Harbin, and then to Tientsin, where Ari founded Tientsin Jewish School and served as its headmaster. In 1928, they moved with their four children to Seattle where Ari taught Hebrew. The family also owned a grocery store at 23rd and Cherry. Ari's brother Reuven Greenfield also taught at Tientsin Jewish School.

Ari's brother Reuven Greenfield also taught at Tientsin Jewish School.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection includes photographs taken in northeastern China, primarily in the city of Tientsin (also spelled Tianjin), including pictures of students, teachers, members of the school board, and the Jewish community in the city.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Custodial History

Collected by the Washington State Jewish Historical Society.

Acquisition Information

Donor: Carol Watts, 2012.

Processing Note

Processed by Mark Mulder, Kevin Bicknell; processing completed in 2013.

The collection was transferred from the Ruth Bolotin papers, accession number 4046-002, in 2012.

Separated Materials

Material Described Separately:

Ruth Bolotin Papers

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Tientsin Jewish SchoolReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/1	1	Group portrait of children and teachers from Tientsin Jewish School. Ari Leid Greenfield is in the center of the back row.Hebrew inscription across top: Lag Ba'Omer holiday celebration.	1926
1/1	2	Group portrait of children outside with their teacher, Reuven Greenfield Reuven Greenfield began teaching at the Tientsin Jewish School in 1928. In 1933, as documented in a series of letters between the teacher and the school board, Mr. Greenfield was dismissed from his position, then rehired. Probably Art Photo Studio, Tientsin, China (photographer)	undated
1/1	3	Group portrait of children with a woman outside Tientsin Jewish School Written on photograph: I assume this is a class at the Tientsin Jewish School with a teacher. (Choir outside!) Art Photo Studio, Tientsin, China (photographer)	undated
1/1	4	Group portrait of children outside Tientsin Jewish School with a woman Reuven Greenfield on the far right. Probably Art Photo Studio, Tientsin, China (photographer)	undated
1/1	5	Group portrait of children outside of Tientsin Jewish School Reuven Greenfield seated 2nd from left. Art Photo Studio, Tientsin, China (photographer)	undated
box:oversize
XC2	6	Group portrait of children at Tientsin Jewish School with two women and Reuven Greenfield fourth from left in front row Hebrew inscription across top: Tu B'Shevat holiday celebration.	January 26, 1929
Box/Folder
1/2	7	Group portrait of children outside Tientsin Jewish School with Reuven Greenfield seated in the center Hebrew caption on mat.	June 1931
1/2	8	Group portrait of kindergarten class and a woman in front of a building, probably the Tientsin Jewish School	May 20, 1931
box:oversize
XC2	9	Group portrait of children and adults outside the Tientsin Jewish School Hebrew caption on mat.	June 1931
Box/Folder
1/2	10	Group portrait of children and adults in front of the Tientsin Jewish School Hebrew caption on photo. A. Vasserman Photo Studio (photographer)	October 7, 1934
1/2	11	Group portrait of children and adults outside the Tientsin Jewish School on Speech Day Hebrew caption on photo.	April 23, 1939
1/2	12	Print of collage of photographs from Tientsin Jewish School depicting the Parents Committee, Medical Officers, Auditing Committee, School Staff, and the first Graduating Class of 1942 J.M. Lifshitz Art Photo Studio (photographer)	1942
1/3	13a-b	Group of employees of the Tientsin Jewish School Hebrew text on verso: Teaching staff.	June 10, 1942
1/3	14	Group portrait of Reuven Greenfield and children posing outside Typed on verso: April 9, 1943. Mr. Greenfield with Form III; Photo by Peter S.Chinese text typed or stamped on verso. Peter S. (photographer)	April 9, 1943
1/3	15	Group portrait of children with Reuven Greenfield at reading of the Book of Esther on Purim Chinese text typed or stamped on verso.Hebrew text written beneath image.	March 31, 1943
1/3	16	Group portrait of children in Form III with Reuven Greenfield Chinese and Hebrew texts on verso.	April 9, 1943
1/3	17	Group portrait of children with Reuven Greenfield on Purim Chinese and Hebrew texts on verso.Written on verso: Purim?	March 31, 1943

Personal Photographs with Reuven GreenfieldReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/4	18	Reuven Greenfield standing outside wearing a hat and long coat, Tientsin, China	December 4, 1930
1/4	19	Studio portrait of Reuven Greenfield with two women and two men taken in Harbin, China Date and location written below image in English and Russian. J.M. Lifshitz Studio, Harbin, China (photographer)	September 1, 1934
1/4	20	Portrait of Reuven Greenfield taken in Harbin, China Written in Chinese below image: Greenfield.Written in Russian below image: M.R. Greenfield.	August 24, 1935
1/4	21	Reuven Greenfield and two others sitting on boat with another man leaning on the boat from behind, at Peitaiho Beach, China	June 22, 1941
1/4	22	Reuven Greenfield with a man, woman, and girl in front of a tree Written on verso: Western Hills Hotel, Patachu, Peking; 8/VIII - 42.	August 8, 1942
1/4	23	Reuven Greenfield in front of a building in Tientsin Hebrew text written on verso: At school, Tientsin, China.	December 30, 1943

Jewish Community in Tientsin, ChinaReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/5	24	Group of people next to a building, Tientsin Hebrew text written on verso.Also dated May 18, 1941.	December 30, 1943
1/5	25-27	Group of men and women by water and tall grass in Tientsin	July 3, 1927
1/5	28	Group of people standing in front of a gated wall in Tientsin	October, 1930
box:oversize
XC2	29	Mr. and Mrs. L.I. Gershevich 25th wedding anniversary banquet held in the Jewish Club Kunst in Tientsin Photo appeared in thePeking & Tientsin Sunday Timeson January 28, 1934 A. Vasserman (photographer)	January 24, 1934

Harbin, ChinaReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/6	30	Son of Yaakov Novominski standing indoors in Harbin, China Caption written in Hebrew below image.	1924
1/6	31	Son of Yaakov Novominski standing indoors in Harbin, China	1924
1/6	32	Portrait of a man taken in Harbin, China Caption written in Hebrew below image.Hebrew text written on verso: With pleasant memories, a sign of friendship to the Greenfield family.	October 22, 1929

Other ChinaReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/6	33	Portrait of a woman, man, and three young girls Written on verso: Beiner's, 1926, in China.	1926
1/6	34	A woman, a man, and three boys in Tsingtao, China	1931
1/7	35	Portrait of a woman Text written in Hebrew on verso.	1924
1/7	36	Portrait of a young man leaning on a chair Text written in Hebrew on verso.	1923

Teaching MaterialsReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
box:oversize	item
XC2	37	Recurring alphabet drawing	undated
XC2	38	Alphabet drawing	undated
XC2	39a-b	Folio cover with drawings on inner panels and one loose drawing	1943
mapcase:oversize
M271	40	Illustrated alphabet drawing Hebrew-language writing. Combination of cut-and pasted images, hand drawing, typewriting Written on verso: Illustrated alphabet. Meir Reuven Grinfeld. [foreign characters]. 2/VIII - 46 p [illeg.]	between 1929 and 1942?

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