26. South Texas Jewish Archives

The Sol Schwartz family collection provides an in-depth look at the experiences of a Jewish family growing up in Houston, particularly through Alex Schwartz’ Autobiography and the Board Minutes he took for Congregation Rodefei Sholom. With its American Mizrachi Women Chapter Directory, Column by Rabbi Segal praising Alex Schwartz, and the Torah awarded Sol Schwartz, the collection showcases multiple family members and their contributions to the Houston Jewish community.

This collection consists of one folder containing a newspaper clipping on the death of one of Adath Israel's founders, a military pin, Israel Schuleman's graduation invitations from San Jacinto High School and the University of Texas Med School, and materials from his time in the U.S. Army (1946-1947; 1953) including, a photograph, a memorial certificate, dog tags, and military discharge papers.

The collection contains one folder of programs from events at Congregation Emanu El and Brith Shalom; a photograph of Joseph Silverman at the construction site for Houston's first modern skyscraper, the Melrose Building, downtown on the corner of Walker and San Jacinto; a newsclipping about Melvin Silverman's death; and a Beth Yeshurun newsletter.

The Bennet L. "Bill" Blumberg scrapbook collection is made up of one award and two scrapbooks containing photographs and news-clippings depicting the lives of Bill Blumberg, his wife Helen, and their family.

The Jules H. Borger collection offers a glimpse into the Houston Jewish community from the 1910 to 2015. Containing a number of materials such as bulletins, postcards, photographs, programs, magazines, and news clippings, the collection illuminates the day-to-day existence of some of Houston’s more prominent Jewish points of interest.

The Temple Freda collection is made up of documents, photographs, and news clippings concerning one of the oldest religious buildings in Bryan, Texas. Though used for different things over the years, Temple Freda remains stalwart in its support for the Jewish community in Bryan, interacting with both congregation Beth Shalom, and the A&M Hillel in College Station.

This item is a game-used, cracked bat belonging to Alex Bregman with the Houston Astros.

The collection contains correspondence, awards, memorabilia, photographic slides, speeches, sermons, and conference/meeting and marketing/publicity materials that document Sherry Merfish's activism to end the negative stereotyping of Jewish women in the guise of the "Jewish American Princess" and, to a lesser extent, her work with EMILY'S List.

This collection consists of one folder containing newsclippings, a marriage certificate, photographs of Adath Yeshurun and Beth Yeshurun, an Adath Yeshurun newsletter, and a list of San Jacinto High School class of 1949 graduates.

The Fisher Family papers include materials related to Rabbi Henry Cohen and his tenure at congregation B’nai Israel. A writer as a well as a scholar and community activist, Cohen’s knowledge of Jewry in Texas survives in the writings he left behind.