A decade of lectures for centuries of history

     By Sarah Morrison
     The Jewish State

     In 1977, Ruth Marcus-Patt decided that there needed to be a way to preserve and educate others on the rich Jewish history of central N.J.

     "While writing a book on the Jewish history of Raritan Valley, Ruth came across lots of documents, pictures, maps, and temple ledgers from all over central N.J.," said archivist and administrator Debbie Cohn. "However, she realized that there wasn't a place to keep all the material together."

     Marcus-Patt didn't want to give her treasures to a museum or a library where the public wouldn't have access to them. She wanted to create a functioning historical society that would constantly research and collect material on every single Jewish family that ever set foot in the central N.J. area. Marcus-Patt felt strongly that a historical society was necessary for the Jewish community.

     With Marcus-Patt's determination and the help of the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Jewish Historical Society of Central Jersey was born.

     "The whole purpose of the Historical Society is to preserve the Jewish history of central N.J.," said current president Nat Reiss.

     Reiss, who has been a member since 1997, has a keen interest in genealogy. Some of his own genealogy books appear in the historical society archives. "There was a need to have all the research kept in one place," he said.

     The historical society started out at the Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living, which was known back then as the Central New Jersey Jewish Home for the Aged. From there, the society moved to a house next door to Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple in New Brunswick. When the temple tore down the house to expand their facilities, the society was given space in the new wing, where the archives are still today.

     "We have everything relevant to central N.J. Jewish history," Reiss said. "We have meeting notes, pictures, and anniversary journals for synagogues in Middlesex, Union, Somerset, Mercer, Warren, and Hunterdon counties. We have copies of all the Jewish publications relevant to those counties going back 50 years. We have everything and anything related to the abundance of Jewish history and are still collecting."

     "We are, without a doubt, the best-kept secret in N.J.," Cohn added. "I can never predict who-- and what-- might appear in our office."

     "People would be surprised how often we are contacted by people who live on the other side of the country asking for information about their family," Reiss said. "Even the people who live here don't realize how many Jews can trace their roots back to Raritan Valley."

     A prime example is Susan Lederer Geiger from Simi Valley, Calif. In June of 2006, she contacted the historical society looking for information about her family. She didn't just find information on her family, she found pictures, books, information on an old family business, and cousins that she never knew existed.

     "I e-mailed her saying that I found a photo in one of Ruth Marcus Patt's books, and she was floored," Cohn said. "She had no idea that her family ended up in the history books!"

     In 1997, the society began to give lectures about the American Jewish experience. Guest speakers from within the society and outside of it came to talk about anything that connected to Jewry, from women's roles in Judaism to Jews in the court system and the history of Sephardic Jews in America.

     On July 9, the society celebrated the 10th anniversary of the culmination of the lecture series. Adelaide Zagoren came to the Monroe Township Jewish Center to speak about Jews in journalism. Zagoren's lecture explored the history of Jews in journalism, including the divide between and controversy surrounding different Yiddish papers of the late 1800s and early 1900s, how Jewish journalism evolved over time, the outlook of Israel, and Jewish issues of different famous Jewish columnists and reporters for papers such as The Washington Post and The New York Times. Zagoren, a past president of the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, past Executive Director of the Girl Scouts of Middlesex County, the United Way, and the Associate Alumnae of Douglass college, was well-prepared for her lecture and delivered it with gusto and a passion for her subject.

     She also happens to be Marcus-Patt's twin sister.

     Both sisters have been heavily involved in the Jewish Historical Society in multiple ways. In addition to founding the organization, they are the nieces of Irving Laurie of the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, and have their roots buried deep in Raritan Valley.

     "They were two of five [of the] Marcus sisters," Cohn said. "All five of them are deeply involved with community work and are famous for their efforts."

     The Jewish Historical Society of Central New Jersey, partnered with the lecture series, would like to let central N.J. know what the group has to offer. The work done in that tiny office in New Brunswick is impressive, and for some, life-altering.