Seeking Sources

Welcome to our “seeking sources” hub! We want to provide access to broad, inclusive stories of Jewish Buffalo, and we need your help. We appreciate all levels of participation from a single item to multiple collections.

A large reservoir of agency, organizational and synagogue source materials are located at the University Archives, the University at Buffalo as well as other local archival repositories.

Although these are rich sources of Jewish history in Greater Buffalo, they provide only a partial story. Most Buffalo Jewish historical sources are held within families and their descendants. We have an active program of upcoming exhibitions as well as ongoing needs to expand existing organizations and neighborhoods. We welcome your help in building these sections and telling these stories.

“William Street Worlds,” 2022 online exhibition

This upcoming exhibition combines images and research about the neighborhood, religious lives families, associations, culture and work lives in order to tell multiple stories of the East Side from 1880 to 1924. We seek synagogue related materials to add to our existing curation, as well as images and documents about the Workman’s Circle and Landsmannschaftn (immigrant benevolent and social organizations). We are very interested in the cultural life of the East Side, and look for materials that document theater and music. We welcome recordings, photographs, music scores, programs and more.

As “William Street Worlds” explores the breadth of East Side living, our main emphasis is to tell family stories as well as highlighting all manner of commercial activity across the East Side. We seek images from homes, the neighborhood, the streets and the inside spaces were Jewish living happened.

The names of businesses that operated on William Street are listed below, and they often link to family names too. Over time some of these businesses had different forms of the name we list below. This is not a conclusive William Street business listing, nor a full listing of the commercial activity of the East Side.

Many shops and business also existed along Broadway, Sycamore and Jefferson and along other streets. There were also a range of other types of business on the East Side, including scrap and recycling that are part of the East Side story too. If you have information about these businesses, we would like to hear from you too, so we can include them. You can upload images here or contact Dr. Chana Kotzin here.

5/10 cent store

Automobile

  • Albert Silverberg Auto Supplies
  • Nathan Shulimson Auto Junk
  • Taubman’s Auto Accessories
  • Benjamin Glaser Tires

Bakeries

  • Aron Sidel
  • David Gutman
  • Harry Ruddank
  • Isadore Guttman
  • Joseph Cohen
  • Joseph Stein
  • Philip Freedman
  • Rosenblatt’s Bakery

Barber

  • Harry Trachtenberg
  • Modern Barber Shop
  • Louis Isenberg
  • Samuel Chodorow

Bicycle Shop

Bookstore

Butchers

  • Bernard Frey
  • George Michael
  • Jacob Ravinitsky
  • Ravnitzky and Brown
  • Rudolph Frey
  • Sam Sultanik

Cigar Shops

  • Henry Engelhardt Cigars
  • Herb Brown Cigars
  • Isaac Samuel Cigars
  • Benjamin Bloom Cigars
  • John Carter Cigars
  • Lou Schreiber Cigars
  • Morris Graetz Cigars
  • Reuben London Cigars
  • Samuel Spiegel Cigars
  • Sol Komm Cigars

Cleaners

  • Franklin Cleaners
  • Sarah Goldstein Clothes Cleaners

Clothing Companies

  • Adam Taylor Clothing
  • Irving Baker Mens Clothing
  • Jacob Harris Clothing
  • Jennie Myers Clothing
  • Joseph Fuhr Mens Clothing
  • Phil Goldstein Clothing
  • Shirley’s Apparel Shop

Confectioners

  • Tillie Herman
  • Harry Hoffman
  • Henry Scott
  • Isaac Besser
  • Israel Feldman
  • Jacob Shumsky
  • John Michael
  • Louis Sader
  • Max Weber
  • Nathan Kaplan
  • Sam Epstein

Dairy

  • Ruben Lubick Dairy
  • Isidore Ullman Dairy

Delis

  • Chasen’s Deli
  • Harry Fagin’s Deli
  • Yatrowshy Israel’s Deli
  • Jacob Steinhart’s Deli

Dentists

  • Elisha Gilbert
  • Daniel Kaiser
  • David Rosenblatt
  • William Swados
  • Marvin Cohen

Doctors/Physicians

  • Sam Goldberg
  • Martin Friedland
  • Mark Grinstein
  • Samuel Bleichfeld
  • David Rivo

Drug Stores

  • Gertrude Abrams
  • Marcus Wallens
  • Joseph Zackheim
  • Harvey and Carey
  • Resnick Drugstore
  • Obletz Drugs

Dry Goods

  • Herman Teibel
  • Bernard Steinberg
  • Benjamin Feigelman
  • Anna Safren
  • Nate Meyers
  • Yetta Kutner
  • Louis Goldsand
  • Nathan Blechman
  • Hyman Strauss
  • Aaron Rosenberg
  • May Lawson
  • William Bloom
  • Ruth Orenstien
  • Hyman Heller
  • Morris Tobel
  • Samuel Korman
  • Jacob Weinstein

Electric Service and Electronic Supplies

  • Max Freedman Radios Electronic Supplies

Fish Businesses

  • Louis Reisner
  • Isaac Carrel
  • Simon Swartz
  • Jacob Singer
  • Saltzman and Kadish Fish and Poultry

Fur

  • Falbush Lippman Furrier
  • Joseph Hesch Fur

Furniture

  • Aaron Goldberg
  • Cohen Bros
  • Isadore Singerman

Grocery and Fruits

  • Benjamin Dekoff
  • Benjamin Silverstein
  • Danahy-Faxon Stores
  • David Alt
  • Eugene Drozen
  • Fierstein Brothers
  • Henry Miller
  • Hyman Levite
  • Joseph Podlubick
  • Morris Glickstein
  • Morris Summer
  • Robert Schuler
  • Samuel Sandler
  • Simon Friedland
  • Weinstein and Cheplowitz
  • Rose and Reubin Kullick Fruits

Hardware

  • Louis Kaplan Hardware
  • Sam Silver Hardware

Insurance

Jewelry

  • Marian Holender Jewelry
  • William Russell

Leather

Locksmith

Mens Clothing and Accessories

  • David Rovall Mens Furnishings
  • Mens Suits and Accessories
  • Meyer Bros Mens Furnishings
  • Nelfach Mens Furnshings
  • Sol Bloom Men Furnishings
  • Weintraubs Mens Clothes

Milinary

Music Teacher

Paint and Printer Businesses

  • Joseph Lieberman Printing

Poultry

  • Jacob Wohlfeld Poultry
  • Louis Silverstein Poultry
  • Sam Balber Hay and Grain Polutry
  • Sol Carr Poultry

Recycling

Religious Goods

Restaurants

  • Benjamin Klein
  • Lewis Kosher
  • David Shalwitz
  • Buffalo Kosher

Russian Baths

Saloons

  • Max Lebby Saloon
  • Meyer Balsam Saloon

Sewing Machines

Shoes

  • Abraham Finegold Shoes
  • Benjamin Garber Shoe Repair
  • Dixie Shoe Store
  • Harry Sallman Shoe Repair
  • Jacob Meyer Shoes
  • John Maier Shoe Co
  • Joseph Pearl Shoes
  • Liberty Shoe Store
  • Meyer Hermon Shoes
  • Morris Katzman Shoes
  • Pearl Fuhr Shoes
  • Schlemker & Linsner Shoes

Soda Shops

  • Max Shafer
  • George Wittman

Tailors

  • Meyer Korris
  • Morris Gordon
  • Harry Garten
  • Jacob Weber
  • Herman Berzon
  • Leo Feldman
  • Michael Reinhardt
  • Joseph Rabinowitz
  • Jacob Levitt
  • Weintraubs Storage and Tailoring
  • Jacob Swerdloff Tailors Supplies

Theatres

  • Jewish Labor League, People’s Theatre
  • Waxman’s Art Theatre
  • Temple Theatre

Women’s Clothing Businesses

  • Abraham Slotkin Womens Clothes
  • Fannie Dworkin Ladies Furnishings
  • Julius Alpern Womens Clothing