Introducing Homestead Hebrew Data, where you can share in all the wonderful discoveries I’ve made about your families.
Articles
Original research about aspects of the history of Homestead’s Jewish community (more entertaining than it sounds, promise!).
The Friedlander Envelope
An envelope addressed to M. M. Friedlander and postmarked 1901 found its way to Greece — and that is the least exciting leg of its journey.
April 1917: Bloody April
A hundred years ago Homesteaders rallied around the country’s entry into a war going worse than they knew.
March 1917: War and Water
A hundred years ago Homesteaders began the month with news of a shocking GERMAN PLOT and ended on the verge of war.
Bulchachras, Shnodering, and Snuff: How the High Holidays Were Observed in Homestead
Sandy Koufax may have skipped the World Series for Yom Kippur, but he had nothing on the Homesteaders who missed the fall millinery openings. Learn about all the community’s familiar and unfamiliar holiday customs.
Crowdsourcing My Wishlist
Do you know where these missing records are? Can you answer these lingering questions?
From Hooligan to Historian: The Only-in-Homestead Story of Jacob Rader Marcus
A Homestead boy with a colorful childhood. A father who tried to follow the path towards prosperity. The son’s success would write them both into history.
The Boys Who Never Came Home
Twelve Homestead Hebrews made the ultimate sacrifice during the two World Wars.
Truth in Advertising
A store you all know and love in Squirrel Hill says it was founded in Pittsburgh, PA in the early 1900’s. Nope!
When Death Came to Homestead
Everything you ever wanted to know about the cemetery and the burial society — and things you never thought to ask. Like, why was there a fight over eggs and twigs?
The Yahrzeit Books
We all know about yahrzeit plaques, but have you even seen a yahrzeit book? Homestead had four!