Collections : [Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford]

Abraham Jehiel Feldman, born in 1893 in Kiev, was one of the leading Reform rabbis in the country. He came to the New York in 1906 and received his ordination in 1918 from Hebrew Union College. He was invited to return to New York where he served for almost two years under Rabbi Stephen S. Wise. Following that, Feldman became the assistant of Joseph Krauskopf for five years at his congregation in Philadelphia. In an oral history recorded in 1974, Rabbi Feldman commented on the influences he received from serving under two extremely prominent rabbis who were so different in approach. From Wise, he learned to use the pulpit as a "completely free forum" to espouse his views without control from the congregation. Under Krauskopf, he learned skills for building and maintaining a congregation. Feldman was selected in 1925 to lead at Beth Israel in Hartford. From his boyhood, Feldman was an ardent Zionist, and he spoke out on the matter from the Beth Israel pulpit to his decidedly non-Zionist congregation. During the next few decades, Feldman was unable to convert many of his congregants to Zionism, but he did neutralize opinion and prevent them from joining anti-Zionist groups. He also played a leading role in changing the general attitude among Reform leaders nationally. Feldman acquired a national reputation as a major leader of Reform Judaism and served on the Board of the Hebrew Union College, the Executive Council of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, and as President of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. He retired in 1968 but continued serving as Rabbi Emeritus until his death in 1977. Rabbi Feldman was also very active in the local secular community. He served as Chaplain to the Connecticut State Guard, the Connecticut State Police, and the Veterans' Hospital. Feldman was involved with various other governmental agencies including the local Selective Service Re-employment Board, the National Recovery Administration in Connecticut, and Department of Defense post-war missions to the Pacific Rim. He was active in inter-faith activities that included the Connecticut Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, lectures at the Hartford Seminary, and the founding of the Hartford Inter-Faith Committee. Rabbi Feldman was a prolific writer of numerous books and articles. He also co-founded the Jewish Ledger in 1929 and edited it for 48 years. In addition, Feldman was a member of the Publications Committee of the Jewish Publication Society, on the Executive Board of the Jewish Book Council of America, and a contributing editor of several Jewish encyclopedias. This is far too small a collection to provide an in-depth look at Rabbi Feldman's life and profession, but, together with material in the Beth Israel Collection, it provides insight into his relationship with the non-Jewish community.

Sophie Tucker (1884-1966) known as the “Last of the Red Hot Mamas” was a popular vaudeville performer during the early and mid twentieth century. Her humorous, slightly bawdy renditions of Yiddish and English songs captivated large audiences on the stage, radio, and television. Although less well-known today in her own right, Tucker provided the inspiration for comedian Bette Middler’s stage persona and performance style. Tucker was born Sophie Kalish in Russia and grew up in Hartford from the age of three months. While traveling to the United States by ship, her father changed the family name to “Abuza.” Sophie’s musical career was launched when she began singing for customers in her parents’ kosher restaurant. After marrying Louis Tuck in 1903, Sophie changed her name to “Tucker.” She had one son, Burt, born in 1906, shortly before she divorced husband Louis. Sophie left for New York as a very young woman, leaving her son in the care of her family. Her career began slowly, but she eventually became a noted celebrity. Although she never saw herself as an iconoclast, today Sophie Tucker is regarded as a daring female pioneer in the entertainment field. During World War II copies of Tucker’s recordings of “My Yiddishe Momme” were destroyed by the Nazi in an effort to wipe out any traces of nostalgia for Jewish culture. Tucker never forgot her Hartford roots and frequently performed for local charity benefits. She was particularly loyal to the Hebrew Home, of which her mother was a founder.

With deteriorating conditions in Eastern Europe, many Jews came to the United States with the dream of becoming farmers. Various charities, especially the Baron de Hirsch Fund provided guidance and support and Jewish farming communities appear throughout Connecticut. Many small farms eventually developed into hotels and resorts. This collection documents the Jewish farming community in the Greater Hartford area through family and oral histories, records, newspaper articles, and photographs.