This Week in History
Do you subscribe to our This Week in History email list? If you don't, you're missing out on time travel. Alright fine, maybe not time travel. But, you are missing out on weekly emails that bring you all of the facts, histories, and stories from the American Jewish world of yesteryear.
This week's rundown was so rich in history that I couldn't help but share it here on our blog. From Shari Lewis and Lambchops, to women's history being made at the Olympics, to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords return to Congress, this week pretty much has it all.
July 29, 1997
Deborah Kaufman's documentary film, "Blacks and Jews," aired on PBS.
July 30, 1894
Blanche Wolf Knopf, longtime leader of the publishing company Alfred A. Knopf, was born.
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July 30, 1942
The WAVES program, enlisting female volunteers in the U.S. Navy, was established. Miriam Miller was among the first enlistees.
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July 31, 1928
Canadian Bobbie Rosenfeld won an Olympic silver medal in the 100-meter race. The 1928 Olympics, held in Amsterdam, were the first in which women were allowed to compete in track & field events.
August 1, 2011
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords made a triumphant return to Congress to cast her vote on the debt ceiling, seven months after being shot.
August 1, 1979
Reconstructionist rabbi Linda Joy Holtzman became the first woman to lead a U.S. Jewish congregation when she was appointed the spiritual leader of the Coatesville, PA, Beth Israel Congregation.
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August 2, 1924
The first issue of the "Saturday Review of Literature," founded and edited by Amy Loveman, appeared.
August 2, 1998
Children's television favorite Shari Lewis, a puppeteer who created the characters Lamb Chop and Charlie Horse, died.
August 2, 1932
Lillian Copeland won an Olympic gold medal in discus. At the previous Olympics, in 1928, she had won the silver in the same event. Her 1932 toss set a new world record.
August 3, 1923
Noted fashion designer Anne Klein was born.
August 3, 1944
American Jewish journalist Ruth Gruber arrived in New York harbor with 984 refugees from Nazi-occupied Europe, which concluded her secret mission to escort the refugees from Italy to America.
August 4, 1981
Birth of Ariel Glaser, the child whose death inspired the Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
