WAUAroninZerlinePHColl1053.xml Guide to the Zerline Aronin Photograph Collection 1891-approximately 1931 Aronin (Zerline) Photograph Collection Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries © 2012 (Last modified: 1/31/2020)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard). University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections PH1053 Aronin, Zerline, 1901-2005 Zerline Aronin photograph collection 1891-approximately 1931 18 photographic prints (1 folder) ; various sizes Collection materials are in English. Photographs of a Seattle Jewish family, David and Rebecca Joelsohn and their daughter Zerline Joelsohn Aronin

Zerline Aronin was born on February 6, 1901, in Castle Rock, Washington, to David and Rebecca Joelsohn. Because they were the only Jewish family in the town, they had difficulties keeping kosher so Zerline's parents moved the family to Bellingham, Washington in 1906. Then in 1916, on the advice of Rabbi Koch of Temple de Hirsch, the family moved to Seattle to be part of a larger Jewish population.

The Joelsohns bought a house on Spring Street and opened a cigar store downtown. Zerline graduated from Broadway High School in 1919, then studied sociology for two years at the University of Washington before her marriage to Morris Jacobson in 1921. After their move to Everett, Washington, she ran the Sunday school at the Orthodox synagogue in Everett from 1925-1928. Zerline moved back to Seattle in 1930 and worked for 13 years at the Emporium store owned by the Poll family.

In 1942, Zerline left the Emporium to help with the war effort. She took a day job with the armed forces supplier, Arthur Berliner, and a night job with the U.S. government. After World War II, she opened a jewelry store at 25th and Columbia, operating it for twenty years until her retirement in 1966. In 1952, she married Herman Aronin.

Zerline was an early volunteer with Head Start and a long-time member of the City of Hope. She was named an Angel of Seattle at the age of 93 for her tutoring work. By the time of her death in 2005 at the age of 104, she had outlived her four siblings, two husbands, and both of her children. She was portrayed in a November 17, 2003 Seattle Times article as a "poster great-grandmother" for healthy aging.

The photographs document the David and Rebecca Joelsohn family and the childhood and early adult years of their daughter Zerline Joelsohn Aronin in Castle Rock, Bellingham, and Seattle.

Forms part of the Washington State Jewish Archives.

Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries’ Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Request at UW

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

Collected by the Washington State Jewish Historical Society.

Donor: Zerline Aronin, June 1981, January 24, 1991, November 5, 1991, December 16, 1992

Processed by Jack Falk; processing completed in 2012.

Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington) Aronin, Zerline, 1901-2005--Photographs Jewish Americans Photographs Washington (State) Bellingham Seattle Home and Family

 

1 1 David and Rebecca (Jacobs) Joelsohn on their wedding day, Portland, OR 1891 1 2 Rebecca (Jacobs) Joelsohn wearing a button with the wedding-day photograph of husband David Joelsohn in her lapel, Castle Rock, WA August 1899 Embody-Strait & Co., Castle Rock, WA

Written on verso by Rebecca Joelsohn: taken on my birthday.

 1 3 Rebecca (Jacobs) Joelsohn, holding Jeanette Joelsohn, and Dorothy Joelsohn on the porch of the Joelsohn family home in Castle Rock, WA circa 1900

Written on verso: only Jewish family in Castle Rock.

 1 4 David L. Joelsohn (on right) and other man inside Joelsohn's clothing store in Castle Rock, WA circa 1900 1 5 Group of children in costume with Dorothy Joelsohn second from the right in the third row. Castle Rock, WA circa 1900 1 6 Zerline Joelsohn as a baby 1901 Churchley, Portland, OR 1 7 Zerline Joelsohn as a small child, holding a photograph of a baby circa 1903 E. M. Strait, Castle Rock, WA 1 8 Abe K. Kreidel, Ellensburg, WA circa 1908

Written on verso: Abe K. Kreidel. Born in Austria 1878, came to Ellensburg where his uncle was mayor at beginning of century.

 1 9 Solis "Al" Joelsohn as a small child sitting in wheelbarrow handled by man outside of St. Joseph Hospital, Bellingham, WA circa 1910 Sandison, Bellingham, WA 1 10 Dorothy Joelsohn in Seattle, WA circa 1917 1 11 Zerline Joelsohn standing outside of house and holding a bouquet of flowers on the day of her confirmation at Temple de Hirsch May 27, 1917 1 12 Portrait of Zerline Joelsohn on the day of her confirmation at Temple de Hirsch May 27, 1917 James & Bushnell, Seattle 1 13 Abe Glassberg with friend circa 1921

Abe Glassberg worked for the Everett Herald for 46 years and served as the managing editor for the newspaper from 1937-1963.

 1 14-15 Zerline Joelsohn on her wedding day to first husband Maurice Jacobson at Temple de Hirsch July 27, 1921 Grady, Seattle 1 16 Zerline Joelsohn on her wedding day to first husband Maurice Jacobson at Temple de Hirsch, with bridesmaids

Included are Therese Joelsohn, Helen Sommers, Zerline (Joelsohn) Jacobson, Jeanette Joelsohn, and Margaret Deller.

July 27, 1921 1 17 Second Annual Western Coast Interstate Conference, Junior Council of Jewish Women, Seattle June 20, 1930 Walters, Seattle 1 18 Barbara Jean Jacobson as a child in Western wear riding a pony circa 1931