From family heirloom to shared community history
Doreen Brodsky donated her grandfather Abraham Rothbard’s medal and Bershader silver cup to the Jewish Historical Society of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ. Jill Hershorin, the society’s archivist and curator, accepted the donation, which will preserve the story of the Erste Bershader community for future generations.
Abraham Rothbard was one of the founding members of the Erste Bershader K.U.V. chapter, which was established in Newark in 1906. Like other landsmanshaften, Erste Bershader supported its members by providing life insurance, cemetery plots, funeral expenses, emergency financial assistance, and small, interest-free loans through a credit union. During World War II, the organization also was active in boycotting German imports and promoting the sale of U.S. war bonds. Although Erste Bershader disbanded in 1986, its legacy lives on through the collections housed in the Jewish Historical Society’s archives and the ongoing work of preserving and sharing these histories.
For information, email Jill Hershorin at JHershorin@JFEDGMW.org, call (973) 929-2995, or go to jfedgmw.org.