Benjamin M. Roe photograph collection

Benjamin M. Roe photograph collection, 1898-1960

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Roe, Benjamin M., 1898-
Title: Benjamin M. Roe photograph collection
Dates: 1898-1960 (inclusive)
18981960
Quantity: 2 boxes
Collection Number: P0139
Summary: The Benjamin M. Roe photograph collection contains portraits of Benjamin Roe, photographs of prominent Jews in Utah, photographs of Jewish social events and businesses and photographs of various synagogues in Salt Lake City.
Repository: University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860

Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu
Access Restrictions: Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
Languages: English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Benjamin Roe was born in 1898 and grew up in a Jewish ghetto in a small village in Russia. His formal education was truncated. In his own words, "I am holding a distinction that many of my friends and associates cannot boast of; insofar as my formal education stopped at the age of fourteen, I have never had the pleasure of finishing any grade or receiving any degree in my entire life. I have never had the pleasure of walking up an aisle with my outstretched hand to receive a certificate indicating a completion of any grade. In spite of that, my hunger for education and books has never subsided."

Roe immigrated to the United States in 1913 at age fifteen without either parent. At age forty he was newly married with no means of support, except his creative mind, and in debt. Since that time his accomplishments have been extraordinary.

His life may be thought to exemplify a Horatio Alger story, except that Ben did it all by himself. He was bankrupt and starting a new business in 1939 and by 1955 he had retired from business. Also, unlike Alger's heroes, his criterion of success was not to own an important business or earn a huge profit, but rather to give of himself to his community. During one of our talks I was lucky to capture on tape Ben's philosophy of life in his own words:

"I believe that every man in his humble way, in accordance with his abilities must help make this a better world to live in for everybody. Developing your own goodness and extracting whatever values your abilities permit is very worthwhile, but you must also bear in mind that if you continue extracting those values and developing that goodness and do not replace it, you will sooner or later go dry. I, as an immigrant who knows the value of freedom, liberty, equality, and opportunity, know better than many people what it means to be deprived of those things. Therefore, I've always tried to pay society back in whatever my abilities and education permitted for all the kindness and goodness and opportunities I was privileged to enjoy. America is the greatest haven in the world for the oppressed. I cannot express it as well as the poem inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, written--did you know--by Emma Lazarus, a Jew."

Ben is too modest to list all of the activities and organizations that he began or became involved with. When he was given the coveted Chai Award in 1966, however, a partial list was made. It stated that he was a past President of Temple B'nai Israel, former board member of the Jewish Community Center, one of the original organizers of the University of Utah's Model United Nations, past Commander of American Legion Post Number 18, former board member of the United Jewish Council, Chairman of the American Jewish Tercentenary for Utah 1654-1954. He served as Past Chairman of the Israel Bond Committee and the United Jewish Appeal. He was awarded the Purple Heart during his service in the Army in World War I.

He was also President of the 91st Division Association and board member of the Utah Citizens Organization for Civil Rights, the Utah Association for the United Nations, Intermountain Chapter Hemophelia Foundation, University of Utah Judaica Library Board, History Committee of Jews in Utah and Idaho, and the National Committee on American and Israel Public Affairs. In addition, he was treasurer of the American Civil Liberties Union, Regional Vice President of the Z.O.A. [Zionist Organization of America], Shriner-Mason 32nd Degree, and Trustee of Youth Tobacco Advisory Council. He was also a board member of the American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, Metropolitan Salt Lake Services for the Aging, and, in addition to being a board member, an organizer of the Jewish Community Center, Friends of the University of Utah Libraries, and the Alberta Henry Education Foundation.

The above biography was written by James M. Rock, associate professor of economics, University of Utah.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Roe was a leader in the Salt Lake business and Jewish communities. His collection includes portraits of prominent Jewish people in Utah, photographs of Jewish social and religious events, and pictures of Salt Lake synagogues.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library's Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Preferred Citation

Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Collection is arranged topically.

Separated Materials

Manuscript materials were transferred to the Benjamin M. Roe papers (MS 0139).

Processing Note

Click here to read a statement on harmful language in library records.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Ben Roe, Jewsish Communities, Congregations, Utah/Idaho, and EuropeReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description
Box	Folder
1	1	Ben Roe and other people Photograph number 1: Portrait Ben Roe Photograph number 2-3: Ben Roe and his wife Photograph number 4-8: Ben Roe at Israeli Chai Award dinner Photograph number 9-11: Ben Roe and his wife on tour Photograph number 12-14: at a Jewish wedding
1	2	Ben Roe with the Youth Tobacco Advisory Council Photograph number 15-20: Ben Roe with the Youth Tobacco Advisory Council Photograph number 21-22: Ben Roe at the proclamation of Youth Tobacco Advisory Council
1	3-6	Prominent Jewish citizens of Utah Photograph number 23: M. S. Aschwin Photograph number 24: Fred H. Auerbach, Sr. Photograph number 25: Simon Bamberger Photograph number 26: Julius Gerson Brooks Photograph number 27-28: Mrs. Julius Gerson Brooks Photograph number 29: Alex Cohn Photograph number 30: Louis Cohn Photograph number 31: Myrtle Tredman Photograph number 32: The Jay Gould Family and friends at the Red Elephant Mine, July 1891, Hailey, Idaho Photograph number 33: First five state governors of Utah and one Territorial governor (see caption for more info) Photograph number 34-35: Samuel Kahn Photograph number 36: Gilchrist, Horace Wheat, Samuel Kahn Photograph number 37: Sarah Kahn Photograph number 38: Louis Marcus. mayor of Salt Lake City 1932-1936 Photograph number 39-40: Philip Meyer Photograph number 41: Philip and Mabel Meyer Photograph number 42: Sketch of the dead child of a Mormon family by Solomom Nunes Carvalo, a Jewish artist, 1854 Photograph number 43: Aaron Morris Photograph number 44: Samuel Newhouse, Born 1854, New York City. Came to Utah 1896. Mining. Financier. Capitalist. Builder Newhouse and Boston Buildings and the Newhouse Hotel, Salt Lake City. On back: Walter S. Reid, Son of Peter Reid, who came to Utah 1855, Mila Andrus Company, and Diana Davidson. Born Oct. 17, 1866, Salt Lake City if v. Statistician; Deputy Sheriff: (the rest is of the caption is cropped) Photograph number 45: Mordecai Podet, 1954 Rome, Italy Photograph number 46: Mordecai Podet, 1946 Salt Lake City, Utah Photograph number 47: Charles Popper Photograph number 48: Mrs. Charles Popper Photograph number 49: Eli Ransohoff Photograph number 50: Mrs. Aurelia Ransohoff, wife of Nicholas S. Ransohoff, who is in Photo 52. Photograph number 51: Mrs. Nicholas Ransohoff Photograph number 52: Nicholas Sigmund Ransohoff, husband to Mrs. Aurelia Ransohoff, who is in Photo 50. Photograph number 53: The Ransohoff brothers Photograph number 54: Henry J. Siegel Photograph number 55: Fred Simon Photograph number 56: Four Simon brothers Photograph number 57: H. A. Vairbraag
1	7-10	Confirmation classes Photograph number 58: Confirmation Class of 1965: Rabbi Stanley Relkin, David Axelrad; 2nd Row: Ruth Steinhardt, Brenda Siegel, Joanne Pedersen Photograph number 59: Confirmation Class of 1970: Garry Zinik, Barry Dupler, Stephen Goldsmith, Brent Schlesinger, Mark McGillis, Robert Safran, David Bergman, Sandra Segal, Laurie Auerbach, Mr. Norman Rosenblatt, Dr. Mark Littmann, Jan Bournstein, Malka Kassel Photograph number 60: Confirmation Class, May 1969: Sitting left to right—Jennifer Marks, Wendy Rosenblatt, Debra Zinik, Karen Faber; standing left to right—Lauri McGillis, Rabbi Frankel, Roger Marcus Photograph number 61: Confirmation Class, June 1968: Sitting left to right—Lisa Burnett, Lisa Marguleis, Judith Marks, Susan Sandack, Joyce Altschule; standing, left to right — Craig Schlesinger, Howard Safran, Rabbi Bernard Frankel, Richard Bram, David Bournstein. Photograph number 62: Confirmation Class of 1967: Top Row: Rabbi Stanley Relkin, Barry Mervis, Robert Axelrad, Stephen Marcus, Marshall Smith; 2nd Row: Karen Bank, Jean Goodman, Terri Landa, Marlene Kassel. Photograph number 63: Confirmation Class of 1966: Top Row: Rabbi Stanley Relkin, Louis Ritz, Joanne Faber, Sharon Connell, Philip Ersler, Stepren Blackman; 2nd row: Carole Katz, Susan Dolowitz, Ronna Siegel, Janet Misner Photograph number 64: Sandra Tannenbaum, Janice Sugar, Susan Finkelstein, Wilma Dolowitz, Jane Ann Lovinger, Rabbi S. Strome Photograph number 65: Roger Segal, Rabbi S. Strome, Douglas Bernstein, Joan Levy, Susan Freshman, Judy Ritz, David Burnett, James Friedman, Louis Ershler, Nathaniel Goodman Photograph number 66: Howard Landa, Barry Bank, Kay Sugar, Rabbi Sidney Strome, Mark Rudman, Arthur Sandack, Donne Levy Photograph number 67: Susan Dickman, Raymond Pederson, Rabbi Mordecai Podet, Tanker Reisman, Roger Sandack, Carol Landa, Richard Sandack, Judith Smith, Michael Feiler, Lorraine Segal Photograph number 68: Rabbi Podet, Joan Friedman, Judy Dolowitz, Joan Leslie Leven, Mr. Gerald Gruber, Richard Anthony Sweet, Marilyn Ann Friedland, Martin Bernstein, Nancy Lynne Sandack, Marvin Lee Friedland Photograph number 69: Elinor Leven, Janice Finkelstein, Ron Tikofsky, Thomas Bodenheimer, Jeffrey Gillman, David S. Dolowitz, Steven Rosen, Frances Shlafer, Sydney Carson, Marcia Alder, Laura Lovinger, Rabbi Mordecai Podet, Judy Lovinger, Joan Schwartz Photograph number 70: Joan Lovinger, Torn Burnett, Neil Smith, Daniel Schwartz, Edna Tannenbaum, Ellen Jean Smith, Rabbi Mordecai Podet, Eileen Segal, Peggy Rosen Photograph number 71: Confirmation Class of 1953: Back Row — Jack Spitzer, David Furth, Donley, Donley, Rabbi Adolph Fink, Michael Roe, ? , Tom Frank, Toby Rosenblatt; Front Row — Susan Wintrobe, Myrna Goldstein, Barbara Finkelstein, Virginia Sweet, Barbara Arnovitz, Bonnie Fink Photograph number 72: Eugene Pepper, Roseanne Cline, Rabbi Adolph Fink, Joanne Spitzer, Kenneth Platt, Marilyn Arnovitz, Robert Frank, Francine Tannenbaum, Fred Frank, Valerie Siegel Photograph number 73: Dan Tannenbaum, Rabbi A. Luchs, Melvin Finkelstein, Ralph Kahn, Myra Grossman, Kayla Wolfe, Harold Skolnick Photograph number 74: Rabbi Alvin Luchs, Rabbi Samuel Gordon, Barrett Brittan, Richard Stone, Dianne Axelrad, Joan Drucker Photograph number 75: Dr. Louis Zucker, Alan Cline, Bernard Axelrad, Anatole Zucker, Rabbi Gordon, Nell Grossman, Miriam Rose, Helen Zinik, Eloise Bamberger, Nadine Rosenblum, Evelyn White, Dionne Drucker, Lynn Cohne. Photograph number 76: Dr. Louis Zucker, Alan Cline, Bernard Axelrad, Anatole Zucker, Rabbi Gordon, Nell Grossman, Miriam Rose, Helen Zinik, Eloise Bamberger, Nadine Rosenblum, Evelyn White, Dionne Drucker, Lynn Cohne Photograph number 77: Rabbi Gordon, Marvin Bloom, Dick McGillis, Ralph Tannenbaum, Jules Frank, Al Klein, Emily Segal, Ruth Wiemer, Barbara Schubach, Jean Wolfe Photograph number 78: Dr. L. C. Zucker, Richard Schubach, Robert Axelrad, Rabbi S. Gordon, Donald Rosenblatt, Samuel Grossman, Joel Shapiro, Barney Rosenblatt, Bob Segil, Arthur Sweet, Ruth Glaser, Elinor Kahn, Ruth Cline, Amy Bloom, Betsy Ann Bamberger, Dorothy Cline Photograph number 79: 1st row: Bernice Rosenblum, Gertrude Schubach, Lenore Lewis, Corinne Finkelstein, Claire Landau, Helen Frank, Helena Rice, Barbara Rosenblatt, Helen Ottenheimer, Helen Hilson, Marjorie Rosenblatt. 2nd row: James Lieberman, Daniel Alexander, Irving White, Bernard Wolfe, David Rauitz, Irving Glaser. 3rd row: Dr. L. G. Zucker, Stanley Friedman, Howard Collins, Mitlan Newman, Walter Tasem, Rabbi S. Gordon. Photograph number 80: Judy Williams, Linda Siegal, Trudy Pepper, Leslie Bernstein, Pauline Guss, Charlotte Smith, Jerry Lutzker, Louis Grossman, Abe Chiat Photograph number 81: Sandra Brooks, Joel Rosenberg, ? , Ronald Turner, Tobby Pepper, ?, Jon Appleman, Paula Skolnick, Steven Teutch Photograph number 82: Jerry Bernstein, Sharon Mednick, Mirl Nord, Sherry Sher, Miariam Onhouse, Marcia Williams, Gail Bernstein, Richard Golden Photograph number 83: Darcey Rosenblatt, Patrice Arent, Franne Einhorn, Paula Block, David Arnovitz, Michael Perlman, Paul Soffran, Nate Bloom, Michael Katz, Rabbi Abner Bergman, Rabbi Nissan Goldstein
1	11-12	Jewish social events Photograph number 84- 91: Jewish social events Photograph number 92: Temple b'nai, Israel Photograph number 93-100: Jewish social events
1	13-14	Rabi Cardon and Congregation Montefiore Photograph number 101: Rabbi E. Lewis Cardon, 1947 Photograph number 102: Rabbi E. Lewis Cardon, Photograph number 103-105: Rabbi Cardon and Congregation Montefiore Photograph number 106-107: People from Congregation Montefiore Photograph number 108: Mrs. Cardon's Sunday School Class, 1950 Photograph number 109: Interior of Congregation Montefiore, before remodeling Photograph number 110: Interior of Congregation Montefiore Photograph number 111: Meeting to pay off the mortgage on Congregation Montefiore. Bernard Rose m.c.'d the greeting at this very important dinner meeting. Photograph number 112: Meeting to pay off the mortgage on Congregation Montefiore. President Milton pepper took the floor, In solemn words. He offered his plea, The synagogue, its debt to be free. Photograph number 113: Meeting to pay off the mortgage on Congregation Montefiore. Abe Bernstein asked for donations from every member. Photograph number 114: Meeting to pay off the mortgage on Congregation Montefiore. Rabbi Cardon did his part, asking us to search our heart. Photograph number 115: Meeting to pay off the mortgage on Congregation Montefiore. Rose pepper hands over the money from the Chevra Kadisha Photograph number 116: Meeting to pay off the mortgage on Congregation Montefiore. Every member answered the plea, Mr. Doctorman was one of the first Photograph number 117: Meeting to pay off the mortgage on Congregation Montefiore, in this situation a lot of help was needed, Lou shows, that together we succeeded Photograph number 118: Meeting to pay off the mortgage on Congregation Montefiore. Holding the mortgage, these four, prepared to burn it. Photograph number 119: Meeting to pay off the mortgage on Congregation Montefiore, the mortgage is burned.
1	15	Congregation B'nai Israel Photograph number 120: Congregation B'nai Israel Photograph number 121: Documents of Congregation B'nai Brith, April 1892 Photograph number 122: Documents of Congregation B'nai Brith, Plaque of past presidents of b'nai birth Photograph number 123: Documents of Congregation B'nai Brith, Plaque of World War I Vets of the Jewish community
1	16	Sculptor and work for the James L. White Jewish Community Center, St. Christopher's Mission to the Navajo, Bluff, Utah. Photograph number 124: Caption reads "Marie Benally who recovered from [tuberculosis] in our 1 room clinic, October 1951. " This is probably connected to the mission in Bluff, Utah. Photograph number 125: Caption reads "Esther Atcity and Jennie Haabaa Stack [?] from Christian mission to Navajo." This is probably connected to the mission in Bluff, Utah. Photograph number 126: Caption reads "Alfred Van Loren of New York" probably the sculptor who was doing work for the Jewish Community Center in Salt Lake City. Photograph number 127: Unidentified illustration, possibly related to the work of sculptor Alfred Van Loren for the James White Jewish Community Center.
1	17	Utah and Idaho scenes Photograph number 128: Cohn Brothers Store Photograph number 129: Independence Hall, Salt Lake City Photograph number 130: Advertisement for N. S. Ransohoff and Co. Building. May 4, 1864 Photograph number 131: N. S. Ransohoff and Co. Building Photograph number 132: Siegal Brothers Clothing Store Photograph number 133: Advertisement for the Eighth Annual Grand Carnival in aid of the Hebrew Benevolent and Relief Societies at the Salt Lake Theatre, Date on photograph: February 26, 1884 Photograph number 134: Charles R. Savage Overland Stagecoach, Salt Lake House Photograph number 135-136: Main Street, Salt Lake City, Utah. Photograph number 137: Harry Roe and Jennie Roe with friends on a picnic on State Street in Salt Lake City, Utah, 1914 Photograph number 138: Zion's Cooperative sign and the Gentile sign Photograph number 139-141: Deseret News Publishing Company Photograph number 142: Main Street, Hailey, Idaho
1	18-20	Europe Photograph number 143-145: Vienna, Austria Photograph number 146: : CYPRUS MUSEUM. IRON AGE TOMB reconstructed in the Museum. Found at Lapithos. Tenth-Ninth century B.C. (Swedish Cyprus Expedition). Photograph number 147: K. K. " NEFUSOT YEHUDAH "LINE WALL ROAD GIBRALTAR Photograph number 148: Athens, Greece Photograph number 149: Rome, Italy. Roma Tempio Israelitico Photograph number 150: Rome, Italy. Interno del Tempio Israelitico di Roma Photograph number 151: Rome, Italy. Roma Interno Tempio Israelitico Photograph number 152: Rome, Italy. Interno del Mausoleo Ardeatino Photograph number 153: Rome, Italy. Grafica Fotocolor Roma Photograph number 154-161: Venice, Italy Photograph number 162-166: Amsterdam, Netherlands Photograph number 167: Belgrade, Yugoslavia Jewish Museum Photograph number 168: Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Moša Pijade Hero of Yugoslavia revolution Photograph number 169-170: Belgrade, Yugoslavia
1	21	Jewish people in Utah Photograph number 171: Moses Alexander, governor of Idaho, 1914-1922. First Jewish governor in the United States Photograph number 172: Congregation Montefiore Photograph number 173: Jacob Gadaliah Brodie-the first Cantor and Mohel of Congregation Montefiore Photograph number 174: Philip Meyer in 1943 Photograph number 175: (see No.32) The Jay Gould Family at the Red Elephant Mine at Hailey, Idaho Photograph number 176: Auerbach's Branch Store in Ogden, Utah, 1869 Photograph number 177: S. J. Friedman Store, Hailey, Idaho Photograph number 178: Kahn Bros. Wholesale Grocery and N. S. Ransohoff Wholesale Liquors Photograph number 179: F. Auerbach and Bros.-Wholesale and Retail Store in 1901. Photograph number 180: Confirmation Class: Dr. L. Zucker, Marjorie Segal, Marjorie Newman, Hugh White, Rabbi Gordon, Francis Slater, Harold Grossman, Harold Glaser, Helen Herman, Marian Alexander, Howard Marcus, Josephine Clark, Robert Schubach, Barbara Hilson Photograph number 181: Gustave Meyer residence at 315 Est Second South, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1890

OversizeReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description
oversize-box	Folder
2	1	Convention and Artifacts Photograph number 1: 83rd Annual Convention of Southern California B'nai Brith, June 22, 1946 Photograph number 2: Artifacts from the 4th East Temple B'nai Israel

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Department stores--Idaho--Photographs
Department stores--Utah--Photographs
Jewish businesspeople--Utah--Photographs
Jews--Idaho--Photographs
Jews--Utah--Photographs
Rabbis--Utah--Salt Lake City--Photographs
Synagogues--Utah--Salt Lake City--Photographs

Personal Names

Auerbach, Frederick H.--Photographs
Bamberger, Simon, 1847-1926--Photographs
Roe, Benjamin M., 1898---Photographs

Corporate Names

Congregation B'nai Israel (Salt Lake City, Utah)--Photographs
Congregation Montefiore (Salt Lake City, Utah)--Photographs

Geographical Names

Europe--Photographs

Form or Genre Terms

Photographs
Portraits

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