Hanukkah & Jewish Culture

As Atlanta evolved from a sleepy, backwater, 19th-century frontier railroad town into a 21st-century international metropolis, Jewish men and women significantly contributed to the rich tapestry of the "Gate City of the South." The commercial infrastructure of the expanding city was greatly enhanced through numerous small businesses established by Jewish merchants, some of which became major players in various industries. Many of Atlanta's most recognizable icons--The Coca-Cola Company, Georgia Institute of Technology, and the Atlanta Braves--originated, in part, thanks to support from visionary leaders in the Jewish community. While there are many success stories throughout Atlanta's Jewish history, there are also dark episodes of blatant antisemitism that traumatized the community and had national implications. The lynching of Leo M. Frank; the bombing of the city's historic synagogue, the Hebrew Benevolent Congregation; and the deliberate expulsion of Jewish students from Emory University Dental School marred Atlanta's self-proclaimed reputation as "The City Too Busy to Hate."

Only five months after Gen. James Edward Oglethorpe established the new colony of Georgia in 1733, pioneering Jewish settlers arrived at her shores. They landed in Savannah, where over the next several centuries they built a thriving community within one of the South's most revered cities. Savannah's Jewish citizenry, while a well-defined entity on its own, is also steeped in the rich, overall heritage of the area, contributing to every facet of civic, business, and cultural life. The Jewish Community of Savannah celebrates, in word and image, the colorful history of one of the nation's oldest established Jewish communities. Vintage photographs culled from the Savannah Jewish Archives, housed in the Georgia Historical Society, reveal what life was like in days gone by. Early twentieth-century scenes depict Savannah Jews not only in times of steadfast worship and engaged in earnest business efforts, but also in lighter moments of celebration and recreation. The three local congregations are all represented in this collection, including those practicing Reform Judaism (Congregation Mickve Israel), Orthodox Judaism (Congregation B'nai B'rith Jacob), and Conservative Judaism (Congregation Agudath Achim.) Many readers will be surprised and delighted to view images of their ancestors within this treasured volume.