Congregation Or VeShalom Audiovisual Collection
Scope and Contents
Researchers studying the Or VeShalom Records will gain insight into Sephardic congregations in Atlanta in the 20th century. All material is arranged in alphabetical order and chronologically within each folder.
Dates
- 1973 - 2002
Creator
- Congregation Or VeShalom (Atlanta, Ga.) (Organization)
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 Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright.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
Or VeShalom, meaning “Light and Peace” in Hebrew, traces its genesis to the Edict of Expulsion promulgated by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella on March 31,1492 the same year as the discovery of America by Columbus. The Spanish monarchy, spurred on by the Catholic Church, decreed that all Jews must leave Spain within six months or convert to Catholicism, under pain of death.
These exiles fled to the Ottoman Empire where they remained for over four centuries in cloistered communities, keeping alive their Spanish language and culture in the hope of someday returning to their ancient homeland of Spain.
The beginning of the 20th century found these exiles anxious to unshackle themselves from Moslem rule and they migrated to America by the tens of thousands. Some of them made their way to Atlanta and founded Or VeShalom in 1914. At that time there was a membership of 57 families. These Sephardic Jews emigrated with their families from the Isle of Rhodes and from Turkey. Today, we have an extremely diverse membership that traces its roots from the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, North and South America, and even Atlanta.
(Source: Congregation Or VeShalom, “About Us,” http://www.orveshalom.org/.)
Extent
2 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Congregation Or VeShalom was founded in 1914 when Congregation Ahavat Shalom and Congregation Or Hahayim merged. Its membership was originally comprised of immigrants to Atlanta from Turkey and the Isle of Rhodes. The records consist of congregation footage, oral histories and Jewish prayers.
Arrangement
All material is arranged in alphabetical order and chronologically within each folder.
- Atlanta (Ga.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Audio-visual materials Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Congregation Or VeShalom (Atlanta, Ga.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Congregation Or VeShalom (Atlanta, Ga.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- DVD Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Judaism--Prayers and devotions Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Oral history Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Oral tradition Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- VHS Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Congregation Or VeShalom Audiovisual Collection, Mss 426
- Author
- Oriana Indira Valencia, Elisabeth Tasciotti
- Date
- February 2020
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- 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
