Frederick Isaac is an independent scholar in Berkeley. He is the archivist of Temple Sinai, the oldest synagogue in the East Bay, and the author of a history of the Reform movement. In Jews of Oakland and Berkeley he has used archival material from the Judah Magnes Museum in Berkeley, as well as images from numerous institutions and private collections to illustrate both the community's impressive past and its vibrant present.
Title: Jews of Oakland and Berkeley
Author: Barbara M. Bibel
Publisher: Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter
Date: Nov-Dec 2009 The cities of Oakland and Berkeley often end up
in the shadow of glamorous San Francisco. Both have lively Jewish
communities dating back to the 1860s. Fred Isaac, archivist at
Oakland's Temple Sinai, the oldest synagogue in the East Bay, has
created a photographic history of the communities in these two
cities. Oakland's community is older. Its members purchased land
for Home of Eternity Cemetery in 1865 and founded First Hebrew
Congregation in 1870. Berkeley's community developed a bit later,
as Jew moved north to the home of the University of California.
Using archival photographs from the Western Jewish History Center
at the Judah Magnes Museum in Berkeley, Mr. Isaac shows readers how
the communities grew. He also tells the story of the early leaders
and the institutions they formed. The book continues into the
present with information about new synagogue buildings, kosher
restaurants and food stores, and community leaders. Robert Alter,
Michael Chabon, and Marcia Falk are a few of the illustrious
members of this community. An index would have been helpful, but
the book is still a useful addition to local history collections in
academic, public, and synagogue libraries. Barbara M. Bibel,
Oakland Public Library, Oakland, CA;
Congregation Netivot Shalom, Berkeley, CA
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