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Spring 2024 Intern Spotlight

Sep 9, 2024

by CLARA GOLDBERG

Early this fall, I had the opportunity to visit YIVO for the first time on a trip with my American Jewish History class from the Jewish Theological Seminary. During this visit, I walked through the archives, read original letters, and saw artifacts relating to all aspects of Yiddish culture. I immediately knew I wanted to be a part of this place.

From YIVO's Territorial Collection: Worshippers leaving the Altshtot (Old City) synagogue on Wolborska Street. Łódź, Poland, 1937. Photograph by Moshe Raviv.

I started interning at YIVO in spring 2024 as a Photo Archives Intern. I helped with the process of digitizing the Territorial Collection, which allowed me to see thousands of photos of pre-war Jewish life in Eastern Europe, particularly Poland. I continued with this project during the summer, when I researched town names and their geocoordinates. This information will be used to create a map for the YIVO Learning and Media Center that connects these expansive photos to the town where they were taken.

Interning at YIVO was a remarkable experience. It not only offered me the chance to express my love of history and see incredible materials, but it also allowed me to be a part of something bigger. YIVO dedicates itself to preserving the rich history of Eastern European Jewry through the archival process and I couldn’t be more proud to have been a part of this mission.

Clara Goldberg is a Photo Archives Intern at the YIVO Archives.