Megan Scauri

New York

Senior Librarian at American Jewish Historical Society

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ajhs.org

Articles

Birth Records of a Jewish Midwife on the Lower East Side

1 month ago | ajhs.org | Megan Scauri

Within a small family collection, the Michaelson Family Collection (P-808), is a fascinating trove of records related to a Jewish midwife’s work at the end of the 19th century into the early 20th century. Anna Shair Michaelson carefully recorded the births of more than 800 infants that she delivered on the Lower East Side of New York City.
Snow Days: Fun for Kids of All Ages

Jan 1, 2025 | ajhs.org | Megan Scauri

It’s that time of year again (at least here in the northeast!) when kids hope to wake up to a blanket of snow – and the phone call saying that school is closed! Some kids follow a superstition that says if you turn your pjs inside out it will make it snow (the nubs on the inside of flannel or fleecy pjs look a bit like snow). Even adults feel that electricity in the air when the first flurries fall.
Hanukkah Celebrations in the AJHS Collections

Dec 24, 2024 | ajhs.org | Megan Scauri

AJHS holdings cover a variety of American Jewish experiences and perspectives, the celebration of Hanukkah is equally diverse. From Philanthropy balls to office parties, gatherings of enlisted service members and children displaced by war. The holiday is marked by acts of charity, reflection and prayer, lighting the menorah, dreidel games, Hanukkah play pageants, and parties.
Grab your #2 pencils, AJHS is headed back to school!

Aug 28, 2024 | ajhs.org | Megan Scauri

There is something in the air this time of year that brings back memories of sharpened pencils, chalk, cracking the spine of a new textbook…and maybe for the younger generations, firing up your new Chromebook. There is a frisson of excitement in the air, as summer adventures come to a close and we gear up for a new year – whether we are still in school or not – especially with Rosh Hashanah around the corner.
San Francisco Jewish Lesbian Gang: Intersectionality Before it Had a Name

Jun 11, 2024 | ajhs.org | Megan Scauri
Making new “Friends”: A generous gift from the Friends of the Oakton Library

Dec 21, 2023 | ajhs.org | Megan Scauri

A few months ago, I wrote a blog post about an early Jewish bookseller in New York City, Benjamin Gomez, illuminating the details of his life that could be discerned from within the pages of the books he published and sold at his shop on Maiden Lane.
A Rabbi’s Response to the First National Thanksgiving Holiday in 1863 - American Jewish Historical Society

Nov 22, 2023 | ajhs.org | Megan Scauri

In 1863, the nation was in the throes of the Civil War, with a devastating 50,000 casualties at the Battle of Gettysburg in July of that year.
Fun on Sukos: The First Picture Book in English About Sukkot

Sep 28, 2023 | ajhs.org | Megan Scauri

In 1946, Jane Bearman wrote and illustrated the first picture book in English about the Sukkot holiday. It was published by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and was part of a small series that Bearman created about various Jewish holidays and observances. Her text is simple and accessible for children and cheerfully illustrated to explain the rituals around the holiday, particularly highlighting children’s participation in both the preparation and celebration of Sukkot and Simchat Torah.
The Bookplates of Notable Jewish Americans

Aug 15, 2023 | ajhs.org | Megan Scauri

A bookplate was often designed or commissioned by the book lover, and was usually affixed to the book's endpapers.
HELLO MUDDAH, HELLO FADDAH: Notes from Camp Saratoga - American Jewish Historical Society

Jul 18, 2023 | ajhs.org | Megan Scauri

Some of the greatest gems in the American Jewish Historical Society archive are our small collections that provide a window into a specific time and place, a particular person’s (or people’s) lived experience, or just a sliver of information on a particular institution. When we look at these materials, we are often struck at the universality of the human experience, whether it’s a mother writing to her son or a ledger keeping track of expenses – we can find analogues in our modern life.