Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Sol Esfeld photograph collection, 1931-1949
Overview of the Collection
- Collector
- Esfeld, Sol, 1899-1984
- Title
- Sol Esfeld photograph collection
- Dates
- 1931-1949 (inclusive)19311949
approximately 1944 (bulk)19391949 - Quantity
- 26 photographic prints (1 folder) ; various sizes
- Collection Number
- PH0750
- Summary
- Photographs documenting Sol Esfeld's civic activities before and during World War II with Jewish and non-Jewish national and community organizations such as the B'nai B'rith War Service Committee
- 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.
- Additional Reference Guides
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by King County 4 Culture.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Sol Esfeld (1899-1984) was born in Poland and came to Seattle from Texas in about 1909. He attended grade school in Seattle and later went to Wilson’s Business College. After graduation, he worked at a wholesale grocery store and about six months later was recommended for a job with a large insurance company as a stenographer. Later Esfeld joined an insurance business which became known as Lippman and Esfeld. Esfeld was a civic leader and active in several Jewish community organizations in Seattle as well as some leading Zionist organizations. In Seattle, he was active in the B’nai B’rith Lodge No. 503 (1925-1939) and served as the Chairman of the Jewish Welfare Board. The JWB became incorporated into the U.S.O. during World War II and Mr. Esfeld served on the Operating Committee of the Seattle U.S.O. Club and was Chairman of the B’nai B’rith War Service Committee. He was also active in the Federated Jewish Fund, 1927-1945; United Palestine Appeal, 1936-1945; and the Zionist Organization of America, 1927-1944, among other organizations.
Historical BackgroundReturn to Top
The United Service Organization (U.S.O.) was created in 1941 by mandate of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941. Its duty was to provide morale and recreational services to U.S. uniformed military personnel returning from service abroad in World War II. Six organizations pooled their resources to meet this effort and effectively became the U.S.O. These were the YMCA, YWCA, National Catholic Community Service, Salvation Army, Traveler’s Aid Association, and the National Jewish Welfare Board.
B’nai B’rith is the oldest continually operating Jewish service organization in the country. It was founded in New York City in 1843. The organization is engaged in a wide variety of community service and welfare activities, including the promotion of Jewish rights, assisting hospitals and victims of natural disasters, awarding scholarships to Jewish college students, and opposing anti-Semitism. During World War II, the B’nai B’rith War Service Committee helped support the war effort by selling War Bonds for the United States government and it sponsored recreational activities for Jewish servicemen. It also organized gift donations to servicemen abroad during the war.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection contains images of Sol Esfeld and his activities mainly during World War II. While he is pictured in a few images, primarily they are events that were sponsored and organized by community organizations such as the B'nai B'rith War Service Committee he was involved with or chaired. Several photographs were taken by Ernst Kassowitz.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
View the digital version of the collection
Restrictions on Use
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | item | ||
| 1/1 | 1 |
Attendees at Conference on Religious
Understanding in front of Meany Hall, University of Washington, Sol Esfeld
second from far right
Cowan Photo
(photographer)
Conference sponsored by the National Organization for Christians
and Jews.
|
April 20, 1931 |
| 1/1 | 2 |
Group at Seattle train station about to
depart to B’nai B’rith national convention in Butte, Montana; Sol Esfeld
seventh from right
Waters , Seattle (photographer)
|
1936 |
| 1/2 | 3 | DJ playing music from car probably at the B'nai B'rith War Service Committee picnic | 1944? |
| 1/2 | 4-5 |
Servicemen and hostesses at the B'nai
B'rith War Service Committee picnic
Ernst Kassowitz Photography
(photographer)
|
1944 |
| 1/2 | 6-7 |
Servicemen and hostesses at monthly dance
hosted by B'nai B'rith War Service Committee at the U.S.O. Canteen, Seattle
Monthly dances were hosted by the B'nai B'rith War Service
Committee at either the U.S.O. Canteen or the Temple de Hirsch auditorium.
|
1944? |
| 1/2 | 8-9 | Military servicemen and hostesses dancing at U.S.O. canteen, Seattle | 1944? |
| 1/2 | 10 | Military servicemen and hostesses at U.S.O. event held at Temple de Hirsch gymnasium, Seattle | 1944? |
| 1/2 | 11 |
Servicemen and hostesses at the Temple de
Hirsch auditorium, Seattle
Monthly dances were hosted by the B'nai B'rith War Service
Committee
|
1944? |
| 1/2 | 12 | Military servicemen and hostesses dancing in front of band at Temple de Hirsch auditorium, Seattle | 1944? |
| 1/2 | 13 | Max Tobias holding a lucky draw at a fund raising activity, Temple de Hirsch, Seattle | 1944? |
| 1/3 | 14 | Military servicemen in front of houses, Seattle | 1944? |
| 1/3 | 15 | Servicemen sitting at counter probably at the Seattle U.S.O. Club snack bar | 1944? |
| 1/3 | 16 | Servicemen and sailors on crutches from
the U.S. Naval Hospital getting off bus
Seattle Times
(photographer)
B'nai B'rith War Service Committee gave tours of Seattle to
servicemen which included sightseeing, free cigarettes, lunch, and a movie
|
1944? |
| 1/3 | 17-18 |
Sailors from the U.S. Naval hospital and other servicemen,
includes African American sailors, Seattle
Ernst Kassowitz Photography
(photographer)
|
1944? |
| 1/3 | 19 |
Man with packages of Christmas and
Chanukah gifts
Frank Jacobs
(photographer)
B'nai B'rith War Service Committee adopted the
U.S.S. Farquhar and all 225 men on the ship were
sent gifts.
|
1944? |
| 1/3 | 20 |
The Destroyer Escort
U.S.S. Farquhar
U.S. Navy
(photographer)
|
1943 |
| 1/3 | 21 |
Boeing bomber
Boeing Aircraft Company
(photographer)
Named B'nai B'rith in honor of B'nai
B'rith War Service Committee's fund raising activities through its selling of
War Bonds
|
1943? |
| 1/3 | 22 |
Boxes of donated materials to the Signal
Corps U.S. Army, Alaska Communication System in Adak, Alaska
Signal Corps U.S. Army, Alaska Communication System
(photographer)
B'nai B'rith War Service Committee donated these materials to
furnish a day room.
|
1944? |
| 1/4 | 23-25 |
Sol Esfeld, Lieutenant Colonel E. Raymond
Attebery, and man in warehouse-type room with paintings
After Attebery's death in World War 2, B'nai B'rith Lodge no. 503
had a portrait commissioned of him and presented it to Grace Methodist Church,
where he served as pastor, in honor of his civic work.
|
1944? |
| 1/4 | 26 |
Members of the Herzl Congregation at
their anniversary dinner
This event honored the congregation's new rabbi, Samuel
Penner.
|
June 4, 1949 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Insurance executives--Washington (State)--Seattle--Photographs
- Jewish soldiers--Recreation--United States--Photographs
- Soldiers--Recreation--United States--Photographs
- Synagogues--Washington (State)--Seattle--Photographs
- Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)
- World War, 1939-1945--War work--United States--Photographs
- World War, 1939-1945--War work--Washington (State)--Seattle--Photographs
Personal Names
- Esfeld, Sol, 1899-1984
Corporate Names
- B'nai B'rith. Seattle Lodge No. 503 (Seattle, Wash.)
- Temple de Hirsch (Seattle, Wash.)
- United Service Organizations (U.S.). Service Club (Seattle, Wash.)
Geographical Names
- Seattle (Wash.)--Social life and customs--Photographs
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Kassowitz, Ernst (photographer)
