In the coming weeks, members of the Jewish Historical Society of Michigan will receive their 2016 issue of Michigan Jewish History, Vol. 56. "The Journal," as insiders lovingly refer to the book, is the pride and joy of our fine organization. The team of authors and editors who compile this annual publication, the longest continuously published journal of American Jewish history in the nation, curate a range of inspiring and fascinating stories that create a narrative of Michigan's history like none other.

This year's book is no exception. We learn about six brave men who fought in the Civil War, some wearing uniforms of blue and others gray. In the years following the war, they found their way to Grand Rapids and help found Temple Emanuel. A century later, we meet another set of pioneers, the young journalists who founded one of America's first underground newspapers, The Fifth Estate. We also, in this issue of Michigan Jewish History,  read the words of a WWII veteran, describing life on the front and his return home; and we meet a young fur trader who becomes the furrier of the stars. We explore the arts in the Remarkable Artists section and poke around baseball history in our Archived Treasures section. 

If we put this book on a shelf at this week's JCC Bookfair in West Bloomfield, it could easily sell for $40. But, we won't, and we don't.

Michigan Jewish History is for JHSM members only! And, membership to JHSM begins at just $36.  

As a member, the book is yours. As a member, you are voting to support the work of the Jewish Historical Society of Michigan. Your financial gift lets us know that you value the preservation of the stories of the men and women who came before us, who helped to found our social service organizations and our synagogues, whose visions built buildings and bridges, whose carts and horses led to the establishment of generations-old fur and clothing stores, and scrap yards and delicatessens.

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