Julibee: Temple Emanuel's Fiftieth Anniversary- 1932-1982

This book highlights the commemoration of Temple Emanuel's Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration (1932-1982) and Confirmation Service which took place on Friday, May 28th, 1982 in Winston-Salem, NC. It gives us a view into some of the important celebrations and religious practices within Jewish life. This text makes a note that the Torah designates every fiftieth year as the year of Jubilee. The celebration was not only given to showcase the efforts and contributions of the Temple and it's staff to the community, but to remind us of the joy we can find in remembering the Sabbath Holy day. Whether you celebrate this day on Saturday, as is Jewish custom, or another day, it's a good reminder to stop and take time in our lives to rest, reflect, and be present with God and one another. The Sabbath as highlighted by Temple Emanuel in this celebration is a reminder that "God is with us." It is an ever-present reminder of the things that can bring us wholeness and joy in an overproduced and hyper-mobilized world. The Temple's celebration gives us a glimpse into what sustains the human spirit and the things that are important in life. Their anniversary was a reflection on the past fifty years of dedication, hard-work, and service to God, to oneself, and to their community.
  




Furthermore, this text reflects on the relevance of Temple life within the Jewish Faith and Reformed Judaism as a connection point for the people within their community. This is where the life and work of faith, service, education, and spiritual growth is developed and sustained. The history of Jewish presence in Winston-Salem is recorded and its beginning story, which dates back to the early 1880's. It lists the names of all the prior Temple Emanuel President's as well as members of their Sisterhood Charter in 1949. The women of Temple Emanuel and their hard work are uplifted as a central component to the congregation's growth and success. These women have contributed to teaching in Sunday School, preparing Shabbat dinners, participating in services and many other tasks. Letters from local/national government officials and community members have been included to show their appreciation and congratulations to the Temple. Photo's of Temple life and members are also included. 

We hope you enjoy this piece of history and continue to utilize our Religion in North Carolina Digital Collection for more interesting finds, documents on Jewish life and other important artifacts.

Month(s) in Review: Focus on Outreach

It's time (past due) for a update on recent happenings at Religion in NC.  Our focus in this post is on outreach for the project.

Welcome, Monique!

Religion in NC is pleased to welcome Monique Swaby as a graduate assistant working with research and outreach at Wake Forest this summer.  Monique is a graduate of Smith College and the University of Vermont, and is working on her Master of Divinity at the Wake Forest School of Divinity.  Her work will include producing materials to highlight items in the collection, as well as offering presentations on Religion in NC and its uses to groups at WFU and its neighboring community. Welcome, Monique!

Pentecostal Holiness Resources

On May 10, Project Coordinator Elizabeth DeBold attended the Archives Training Day sponsored by the NC Conference of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church in Falcon, NC.  Visiting different groups across the state allows project staff to examine new and interesting materials for possible inclusion in the collection.  This is important for increasing the diversity of our resources and foster a wides appeal to a broad range of researchers. Stay tuned for updates featuring some of the individual sources being added to the collection daily.

Conferences and Presentations

In April, Doctoral Fellow Ken Woo presented on Religion in NC at the annual conference of the Society of North Carolina Archivists in Raleigh.  Among the questions from the audience were several concerning our plans to maximize social media for promoting the collection.  Be sure to check us out on Facebook and Twitter (@ReligionNC), where we will provide regular updates on the project and features on the collection's holdings.

Better yet, connect with us in person! Here is a selective list of upcoming presentations by project staff:

June 18-21, 2014  American Theological Libraries Association Annual Conference (New Orleans, LA)
June 26, 2014  Rare Books & Manuscripts Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries Annual Preconference (Las Vegas, NV)
October 22, 2014 Chatham Community Library (Pittsboro, NC)
December 11, 2014 Durham County Library - Main Library (Durham, NC)
November 22-25, 2014 American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting (San Diego, CA)
March 15, 2015 World Methodist Museum (Lake Junaluska, NC)

There are several presentations in the planning stages at any given time, so this list is constantly changing.  Look for updates on programming here, as well as project staff reports "from the field."  If you have questions about specific presentations or would like to schedule one for your group, please contact Ken.