Poster [2017-8-88_1]: [Salute to Israel, Celebration of 17th Anniversary of Israeli Independence at Hebrew Alliance, May 2nd, 1965]
[Salute to Israel, Celebration of 17th Anniversary of Israeli Independence at Hebrew Alliance, May 2nd,1965]
Brooklyn, New York, 1965
Letterpress on cardstock board
Gift of Oscar and Theda Firschein
Location background:
The Jewish Center of Brighton Beach (formerly of Coney Island) is a site that holds deep cultural significance in relation to the Jewish communities in Brooklyn and across the United States. The building that stands today was constructed in 1928 by Bloch and Hesse, the architecture itself demonstrating the thought process of the diasporic Jewish communities living in America. Displaying an unusual combination of Renaissance and Semitic architectural aspects, there seems to be a want to display a uniquely Jewish history of design. Aspects of this are seen in the gold stoned, austere facade, aspects of a style developed by Walter B. Schneider and Henry B. Herts in there design of the Congregation B’nai Jeshurun. The concept of a Jewish Center is also one with very interesting implications in terms of how it functioned within Jewish communities. The Jewish population of Brooklyn grew significantly at the end of the 19th century, as did the general population; areas such as Brownsville had a Jewish population of around 250,000, making up around 80% of the population. With these numbers growing, as well as the increasing ideological conflicts between new Jewish communities and the popular appeal of americanised culture such as dance halls and social clubs, the Jewish Center was seen as somewhat a solution to this; a community center offering entertainment, education and worship. (1)
Important reference sites:
History of Brooklyn Jewry
National Register of Historic Places Program
http://www.avotaynu.com/books/LostSynagogues.htm
http://www.museumoffamilyhistory.com/erc-syn-brooklyn.htm
http://brooklynjewish.org/
https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/
Sources:
(1) https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/pdfs/13000908.pdf
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