Scope and Contents
Researchers studying the Ben Smith Family Papers will gain insight into Jewish life and business in Vidalia, Georgia. The papers are arranged in alphabetical order by subject and chronologically within each folder.
Dates
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1964 - 2001
Conditions Governing Access
There are no restrictions on accessing material in this collection.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright restrictions may apply. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
Biographical / Historical
Benjamin Israel Smith was born on May 24, 1920 in Claxton, Georgia, the son of Max and Fannie Lipsitz Smith. The Smith family settled in Vidalia, Georgia, and opened a shoe store in 1925. The family business flourished into Max Smith’s Department Store. Ben married Sarah Berman in 1940 and had two children: Barbara Smith Pomeranz and Richard Smith. The family was active in Congregation Beth Israel in Vidalia and the Savannah Hebrew Day School. In 1998, the city of Vidalia opened a park named in honor of Ben Smith for his service to the community. He passed away in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 9, 2005. He was 85 years old.
Extent
0.2 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Smith family settled in Vidalia, Georgia, and opened a shoe store in 1925. The family business flourished into Max Smith’s Department Store. The papers contain correspondence, newspaper clippings, and material related to Congregation beth Israel and the Savannah Hebrew Day School.
Arrangement
The papers are arranged in alphabetical order by subject and chronologically within each folder.
Separated Materials
Photographs removed to Visual Arts collection.
Processing Information
Processed by Sandra Berman and Jeremy Katz (April 2014) and entered into ArchivesSpace, with additional revisions, by Lindsay Resnick (July 2020).
- Title
- Ben Smith Family Papers, Mss 185
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Sandra Berman and Jeremy Katz
- Date
- April 2014
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum Repository
1440 Spring St. NW
Atlanta Georgia 30309 United States
678-222-3700
