Jewish Central Pennsylvania Ethnography Oral History Small-town Jewish life History Anthropology Rural America
Abstract:
For nearly two centuries, Jewish communities have existed throughout Central Pennsylvania. During the latter half of the twentieth century, however, a majority of the region’s Jewish families left for opportunities elsewhere. In their wake, Central Pennsylvania’s Jewish communities were reduced to a handful of residents. While permanent Jewish landmarks, such as Jewish cemeteries, and some Jewish community members remain in the area, non-Jewish residents are largely unaware of the existence of once-vibrant Jewish communities in Central Pennsylvania. No formal document or oral history exists to preserve this history. The objective of this study is to compile the history of specific Central Pennsylvania Jewish communities, including Aaronsburg, Bellefonte, Philipsburg, and State College in Centre County and Lock Haven in Clinton County, to better preserve this history and compare it with broader trends in the study of small-town American Jewish life. A forthcoming website dedicated to the Jewish history of Central Pennsylvania will also help make the region’s Jewish history more accessible to community members.
