Time Loss

There are shochets, and then there are pajama parties. This is another one of my favorite photographs that I’ve found in the temple’s archives. It almost hurt to just file this one away under “misc.”, because this is so iconic! I love this particular representation of Jewish presence in our city.

I especially love that someone took the time to write up a diagram of who was who in this gathering of pretty women with their 1920s hairstyles and nighties. Use the slider to take a look!

Not a care in the world at this point, just a bunch of women at a party in a little southern city. But just six years later in Europe, Adolph Hitler stepped into power, changing what it meant to be a Jew for people around the world.

Granted, these women were ensconced in their privileged urban lifestyle an ocean away, but one still has to wonder what this photograph might have looked like if it was taken in 1937 instead.

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In addition to documenting the interesting finds I come across while digging through old things, I want to keep a record of the work I’m doing, the questions that come up, and what I learn through the process.

I happily lost another several hours in there yesterday. After setting up a shelving system (new label printer for the win!) and getting a better sense of where things are, I’ve been able to sort and process more of the everywhere piles and put things away. I hate that it took so long for my own initiative and intuition to kick in, but it is what it is. I was afraid of messing something up but now, I’m just tired of looking at disorganization.

But, along with the piles that have been put away, I’ve created new ones. These, however, are organized, each item with its own sticky note question to answer (between my mentor and I, ADHD requires this). “Where does this go? Do I put this in its own box or start a new one? File with the event or in the photos box?” What in God’s name do I do with the thousand and one photo albums from the 1970s?

Do people document their organizational methodology for these things, other than via finding aid and inventory list? I’m thinking I might, once I get some questions answered, in hopes that this doesn’t eventually go back to being like it was when I first got here since I won’t be here forever. I’m apparently supposed to be done with this by mid-August, but if I can’t finish it by then, it’s going to haunt me.