WAUTempleBethAmPHColl1089.xmlGuide to the Temple Beth Am Photograph Collection 1957-1988Temple Beth Am Photograph CollectionSpecial Collections, University of Washington Libraries© 2013 (Last modified: 8/4/2020)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written in English.Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard).University of Washington Libraries, Special CollectionsPH1089Temple Beth Am (Seattle, Wash.)Temple Beth Am photograph collection1957-198840 photographic prints; 14 slides (1 box) ; various sizesCollection materials are in English.Photographs of Temple Beth Am, a Reform synagogue serving the north area of Seattle

Temple Beth Am is a Reform synagogue serving northeast Seattle. The congregation was founded by a handful of families in the View Ridge neighborhood and held its first service in January 1956. Early rabbis included Army chaplain Joel Messing (1956-57), Robert Zimmerman (1957-58), and Arthur Oles (1958-62). Rabbi Norman Hirsh served the congregation for 33 years (1962-95) and was succeeded by Rabbi Jonathan Singer (1995- ) and associate Rabbi Beth Singer (1997- ). Services were held at Hillel House (January-May 1956) and subsequently at University Unitarian Congregation (1956-65) until the synagogue building was opened in 1965.

The collection includes the 1958-1971 confirmation classes, congregational rabbis, and photographs of school and other synagogue activities.

Forms part of the Washington State Jewish Archives.

View the digital version of the collection

Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries' Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator is required to view original photographs. 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: Temple Beth Am, August 1992, December 1996, January 1997, April 2001, October 2001

Processed by Jack Falk, 2012; revised by Don Romero, 2014.

Temple Beth Am Records

Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)Temple Beth Am (Seattle, Wash.)--PhotographsJews--Washington (State)--Seattle--PhotographsRabbis--Washington (State)--Seattle--PhotographsJewish children--Washington (State)--Seattle--PhotographsConfirmation (Jewish rite)--Washington (State)--Seattle--PhotographsTorah scrolls--PhotographsPhotographsColor photographsBlack-and-white photographsBlack-and-white slidesColor slidesWashington State Jewish Historical SocietyJewish AmericansPhotographsWashington (State)Seattle

 

Temple Beth Am founders1/11First Temple Beth Am board, Seattlecirca 1956-1958

Seated (from left): Gerald Cone, Belle Ruth Witkin, Lutz Lobe (president), Rabbi Joseph Messing, Howard Breskin, Harold Thal, Elmer Klein. Standing: Phil Shainman, Seymour Kaplan, Bert Aronsberg. (Board members identified inFamily of Strangers, p.277.)

 1/12First Temple Beth Am board, Seattlecirca 1956-1958

Seated (from left): Bert Aronsberg, Lutz Lobe (president), Belle Ruth Witkin, Howard Breskin, Harold Thal. Standing: Bert Robinson, Gerald Cone, Phil Shainman, Rabbi Joseph Messing, Seymour Kaplan, Elmer Klein. (Board members identified inFamily of Strangers, p.277.)

Temple Beth Am rabbis1/23Major Joseph Messing, rabbi in Army uniform with Jewish Chaplain insignia pins on lapelcirca 1956-1957 1/24Major Joseph Messing, rabbi in Army dress uniform with Jewish Chaplain insignia pins on lapel, U.S. Army Chaplain School, Fort Slocum, New YorkOctober 2, 1957Saul Fitzgerald, Fort Slocum, New York 1/25Rabbi Robert L. Zimmermancirca 1957 Temple Beth Am confirmation classes1/36Temple Beth Am confirmation class, Seattle1958Bill Stephens, Seattle

In accompanying materials, confirmands are listed alphabetically as Jacquelyn Barish, Paul Hecker, Tom Lobe, Nancy Mano, Larry Michaelson, Fredrica Pocher, Meyer Rashkov, Franklin Reifler, Joyce Segelbaum, and Barbara Unkeles, with Rabbi Robert Zimmerman.

 1/37Congregants at Temple Beth Am confirmation services held at Unitarian Church, Seattle, with Rabbi Robert L. Zimmerman at ark1958Bill Stephens, Seattle 1/38Congregants at Temple Beth Am confirmation services held at Unitarian Church, Seattle, with Rabbi Robert L. Zimmerman, Lutz Lobe, and Tom Lobe at ark1958Bill Stephens, Seattle 1/39Temple Beth Am confirmation class, SeattleJune 7, 1959Bill Stephens, Seattle

In accompanying materials, confirmands are listed alphabetically as Carol Bolotin, Sherry Cohen, Robert Kaplan, Barbara Katz, Marsha Klinger, Eileen Michele Levitin, Howard Lowen, Bobbie Jean Presender, Stephanie Shaffer, Paul Weiss, and Steven Weiss.

1/310Temple Beth Am confirmation class, Seattle1959

(L to R) Steven Weiss, Bob Kaplan, Howard Lowen, Risha Bay.

 1/311Temple Beth Am confirmation class, SeattleJune 5, 1960Bill Stephens, Seattle

In accompanying materials, confirmands are listed alphabetically as Douglas Arensberg, Sharon Asia, Judy Bolotin, Stephen Danz, Patty Gorlick, Edward Hartstein, Gail Hecker, Gerald Katz, Jacqueline Levitin, Anne Reifler, Susan Schrieber, Judy Spear, and Craig Sternberg, with Rabbi Arthur Oles.

 1/312Temple Beth Am confirmation class, SeattleMay 21, 1961

In accompanying materials, confirmands are listed alphabetically as Gary Arthur Cone, Judith Sarah Feinberg, Kathi Kraus, Dennis J. Loeb, Robert Michael Pruzan, Clifford Stein, Wendy Lou Trotsky, and Sheryl Marie Witkin, with Rabbi Arthur Oles.

 1/313Temple Beth Am confirmation class, SeattleJune 8, 1962

In accompanying materials, confirmands are listed alphabetically as Joan Eisenhardt, Arlene Glickman, Kalman Hahn, Susan Hartstein, Marlene Litchman, Janice Lowen, Susan Metzon, Miriam Oles, Marguerite Rosenberg, Judy Vleeschhouwer, Sidney Weinstein, Margo Weiss, and Vivian Zollshan, with Rabbi Arthur Oles.

 1/314Temple Beth Am confirmation class, Seattle1963Bill Stephens, Seattle

In accompanying materials, confirmands are listed as (L to R): Jackie Zollshan, Harriett Spear, Judy Motulsky, David Docter, John Benditt, Rabbi Norman Hirsh, Jim Arensberg, Len Schrieber, Kenny Broches, Ron Butler, Bruce Sternberg, and Jim Lobe.

 1/315Temple Beth Am confirmation class, Seattle1964Bill Stephens, Seattle

In accompanying materials, confirmands are listed alphabetically as Ann Kogan, Linda Cheryl Michelson, Richard Alan Michelson, Marvin Lloyd Rosenberg Jr., and Jana Lee Silverman, with Rabbi Norman Hirsh.

 1/416Temple Beth Am confirmation class, Seattle1965Bill Stephens, Seattle

In accompanying materials, confirmands are listed alphabetically as Linda S. Berson, Katherine J. Cooper, Michael S. Dash, Rachel A. Dickerson, Ted G. Eisenhardt, Michael R. Gorlick, Tim C. Hirschstein, Stephanie R. Miller, Eunice Z. Rosenperl, Richard L. Shurman, Jonathan W. R. Stein, David C. Utevsky, Amy L. Vernon, Marsha K. Weinstein, Martha K. Weiss, and Ileen S. Wilets, with Rabbi Norman Hirsh.

 1/417Temple Beth Am confirmation class, Seattle1966Bill Stephens, Seattle

In accompanying materials, confirmands are listed alphabetically as Alan Paul Benditt, Cheryl Diane Biback, Charles F. Broches, Stephen F. Cohen, Paula G. Frankel, Marilyn Freidenrich, Miriam E. Handlin, Jane Ruth Kaplan, Deborah Jane Kogan, Miriam Naomi Mayer, Moss Patashnik, Peter S. Rabinovitch, Ruth A. Rabinovitch, Jacqueline Jo Ruben, Susan M. Silverman, Deborah Kate Stein, Sandy R. Stein, Clifford Ross Sullam, Marcia S. Thal, and Jerry Wallace, with Rabbi Norman Hirsh.

 1/418Temple Beth Am confirmation class, Seattle1967Bill Stephens, Seattle

Front row: Gail Marie Cohen, Zoe Eliot Baird, Elizabeth Dash. Middle row: Alan James Shurman, Dennis Alan Sidell, Jonathan Gavril Docter, Larry Frank Blustein. Back row: Rabbi Norman Hirsh, Steven Henry Butler, Jeffrey Kenneth Frumkin, Keith Edward Flick.

 1/419Temple Beth Am confirmation class, Seattle1970

Front row: Rabbi Norman Hirsh, Cassie Benezra, Stephen M. Laboff, Deborah Lynn Abramson, Oren Patashnik, Marilyn Diane Broches. Back row: Bert Spencer Sullam, Eli Mayer, David Maxwell Kaplan, Joel N. Bodansky, Ethan Patashnik.

 1/420Temple Beth Am confirmation class, Seattlecirca 1971 Temple Beth Am religious school

Items 27-40 are slides.

1/521Edith Patashnik and children at Temple Beth Am nursery and religious school, held at View Ridge Schoolcirca 1959 1/522-23Children during snack time at Temple Beth Am nursery and religious school at View Ridge Schoolcirca 1959 1/524Assembly at Temple Beth Am nursery and religious school at View Ridge Schoolcirca 1959 1/525Musical performance at assembly session, Temple Beth Am nursery and religious school at View Ridge Schoolcirca 1959 1/526Rabbi Norman Hirsh and kindergarten children in Hirsh's office, with Hirsh eating challah baked by the childrenSpring 1988 1/627Schoolchildren clustered around Rabbi Norman Hirsh who is reading from Torahcirca 1980s-1990s 1/628Rabbi Norman Hirsh and students in synagogue sanctuarycirca 1980s-1990s 1/629Rabbi Norman Hirsh and students in sanctuarycirca 1980s-1990s 1/630Rabbi Norman Hirsh and young students watching as man teaches Hebrew prayerscirca 1980s-1990s 1/631Children and adults in synagogue librarycirca 1980s-1990s 1/632Young boy at blackboard, learning Hebrew alphabetcirca 1980s-1990s 1/633Young boy looking at Torah scroll in arkcirca 1980s-1990s 1/634Children and older man seated in classroomcirca 1980s-1990s 1/635Students and woman teacher in classroomcirca 1980s-1990s 1/636Man seated at desk with children in classroomcirca 1980s-1990s 1/637Three young adults seated at desk during bake salecirca 1980s-1990s 1/638Two young women at desk with red flowers and plates of cookiescirca 1980s-1990s 1/639-40Building exteriorcirca 1980s-1990s Temple Beth Am Torah scroll1/741Rabbi Norman Hirsh holding Torah scrollundated 1/742Professor Albert N. Schrieber holding Temple Beth Am Torah scrollundated 1/743-44Closeup of Torah coverundated 1/745Closeup of Torah scroll with yad (pointer) showing text from Exodus 14-16undated 1/746Closeup of Torah scroll showing Ten Commandments from Exodus 20undated Temple Beth Am congregational activities1/747Dr. Philip Herzog, Rabbi Norman Hirsh, Dr. Charles Broches, Dr. Richard Shikiar, and Dr. Irwin Bernstein at rally for Soviet Jewry in Washington, D.C.December 1987 1/748-54People at Temple Beth Am during eventundated