The Camden County Historical Society kicks off its popular series of Sunday programs on Sept. 23 with “Character, Compassion, Community: The Story of Camden’s Jewish Community.”
Spanning 1890 to the present, with emphasis on the 50 years from 1920 to 1970, it is the story of how Jews came to Camden; how comfortable they felt in the city they loved; and what they built, not just for themselves, but for Camden and the surrounding area.
Offered to the public free of charge, Ruth Bogutz, former executive director of the Camden County Cultural and Heritage Commission, and president of the Tri-County Jewish Historical Society, presents the 2 p.m. program whose archive is now housed at CCHS. Selected archival photos are also on display in the society’s museum and vestibule.
At the end of the 19th century, forbidden to own land and forced into ghettos where their homes, families, businesses and places of worship were the targets of violent attacks, Jews fled Eastern Europe in a historic exodus. Arriving in the city of Camden in the 1880s, they immediately felt at home.
At the same time, movements were being organized to help Jews escape the cities of Europe, improve their image, and learn to live off the land in agricultural colonies like those founded in Cumberland, Salem and Cape May counties. But many of these new settlers found the soil inhospitable and the agrarian life extremely hard. As a result, they came to Camden during the workweek and returned to southern New Jersey to worship.
They worked with their new neighbors to shape Camden into a metropolitan community. Shopkeepers and professionals alike contributed to all parts of Camden life. They took part in the all-out effort for America’s involvement in World War II. Jews were part of city government. They were its doctors, lawyers and small business owners. And as they helped build the city, they developed institutions and agencies to take care of their fellow Jews.
In the 1920’s there were 2,000 Jews living in the city of Camden. Now more than 50,000 live in the tri-county community, enjoying community services made possible by the character and compassion shown by those original Jewish settlers.
The Camden County Historical Society is located at 1900 Park Boulevard, just across Route 130 from Collingswood, behind Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center and next to Harleigh Cemetery. Please call (856) 964–3333, or visit www.CCHSnj.com for more information and directions to the society.
