| Repository: | Western Reserve Historical Society |
| Creator: | Braverman, Sigmund |
| Title: | Sigmund Braverman Photographs |
| Dates: | 1915-1959 |
| Extent: | 0.80 linear feet (2 containers) |
| Abstract: | Sigmund Braverman (1894-1960) was a Cleveland, Ohio, architect who designed many synagogues and other buildings throughout Cleveland, the United States, and Canada. Born in Austria-Hungary, he came to the United States at age 10 and settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1917. After service in World War I, he came to Cleveland in 1920 and opened an architectural practice. From 1932-1935, he served as assistant, and later acting, Cleveland city architect. In 1948, he formed a partnership with Moses P. Halperin, known as Braverman and Halperin, Architects. Synagogues in Cleveland designed by Braverman included the Young Israel Synagogue, Warrensville Center Synagogue, Temple Emanu El, Temple on the Heights, and Fairmount Temple. His work in Cleveland also included the Orthodox Home for the Aged, Cleveland Hebrew Schools, the Bureau of Jewish Education, and apartment buildings, theaters, shopping centers, schools, and restaurants. He was a member of many professional architectural organizations, and published articles on the subject of synagogue architecture. Braverman was also active in several Cleveland Jewish organizations, including the Bureau of Jewish Education, the Jewish Welfare Federation, the Jewish Community Center, and the Zionist movement. He married Libbie L. Braverman in 1924. The collection consists of views of synagogues and other Jewish community facilities in Cleveland, Ohio, and cities throughout the United States and Canada, designed by the Cleveland architectural firm of Braverman and Halperin. Also included are several portraits of Sigmund Braverman. |
| PG Number | PG 210 |
| Location: | closed stacks |
| Language: | The records are in English |
Sigmund Braverman (1894-1960) was an architect who displayed his Jewish heritage in both the buildings he designed and his involvement in various activities in the Cleveland, Ohio, Jewish community. Born in the Austro-Hungarian empire in 1894, he immigrated to the United States with his parents and settled first in Pennsylvania. After graduating in 1917 with a degree from the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh and then serving in World War I, Braverman moved to Cleveland in 1920 and opened his architectural offices.
During the course of the forty years in which he practiced, especially during the time in which he was associated with architect Marcus Halperin, Braverman gained national recognition for the numerous structures he designed or assisted in designing. He also served as Cleveland's City Architect from 1933-1935. Throughout the years, Braverman showed great interest in the design of structures for Jewish institutions. Among the building projects on which he was involved were at least forty synagogues located throughout the country.
In addition to Cleveland structures, such as the Young Israel Synagogue, the Warrensville Center Synagogue, Temple Emanu El, Temple on the Heights, and Fairmount Temple, Braverman worked on similar projects in Georgia, Nebraska, Iowa, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Alabama, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, North Dakota, and Maryland. Braverman did not restrict his efforts to projects involving synagogues. His work in Cleveland also included the Orthodox Home for the Aged, the Bureau of Jewish Education, and apartment buildings and restaurants.
Sigmund Braverman was the author of several articles which appeared on the subject of synagogue architecture in professional journals. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects, the Ohio Architectural Society, and the Cleveland Architectural Society. He served on the Synagogue Architects' Consultant Panel of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. In addition, Braverman was active in Cleveland's Zionist movement and was on the board of directors of the Bureau of Jewish Education, was a trustee of the Cleveland Jewish Welfare Federation, and was an officer of the Jewish Community Center. Sigmund Braverman died on March 27, 1960. He is memorialized through an annual Sigmund Braverman Art Collection established by the Bureau of Jewish Education.
click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Sigmund Braverman
The Sigmund Braverman Photographs, 1915-1959, consist of views of synagogues and other Jewish community facilities in Cleveland, Ohio, and cities throughout the United States and Canada, designed by the Cleveland architectural firm of Braverman and Halperin. Also included are several portraits of Sigmund Braverman. The collection includes approximately 600 black and white photographs that measure 9.5 x 14 inches and smaller.
This collection will be useful to researchers studying the history of the Jewish community in Cleveland, Ohio, and architectural history as it relates to Jewish synagogues and community facilities.
None.
Related MaterialThe researcher should also consult MS 3807 Sigmund Braverman Papers; MS 4537 Sigmund Braverman Papers, Series II; MS 4547 Moses P. Halperin Papers; MS 4566 Libbie L. Braverman Papers; MS 4812 Libbie L. Braverman Papers, Series II; and PG 508 Sigmund and Libbie L. Braverman Photographs.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] PG 210 Sigmund Braverman Photographs, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
These photographs were removed from MS 3807 Sigmund Braverman Papers. Gift of Libbie Braverman in 1977.
Series I: Portraits 1915-ca. 1950 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Sigmund Braverman 1915-ca. 1950 | |||||||||
Series II: Ohio Buildings ca. 1948-1959 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Cleveland, Anshe Emeth ca. 1950 | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Cleveland, Brantley Apartments ca. 1948 | |||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Cleveland, Bureau of Jewish Education ca. 1952 | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 | Cleveland, Cleveland Hebrew Schools ca. 1951 | |||||||||
| 1 | 6 | Cleveland, Fairmount Temple 1958-1959 | |||||||||
| 1 | 7 | Cleveland, Jewish Community Center ca. 1959 | |||||||||
| 1 | 8 | Cleveland, Orthodox Home for the Aged ca. 1948 | |||||||||
| 1 | 9 | Cleveland, Temple Emanu El ca. 1953 | |||||||||
| 1 | 10 | Cleveland, Temple on the Heights ca. 1955 | |||||||||
| 1 | 11 | Cleveland, Warrensville Center Synagogue ca. 1956 | |||||||||
| 1 | 12 | Cleveland, Young Israel Synagogue 1956 | |||||||||
| 1 | 13 | Akron, Anshe Sfard ca. 1955 | |||||||||
| 1 | 14 | Akron, Beth El Synagogue ca. 1952 | |||||||||
| 1 | 15 | Akron, Temple Israel ca. 1950 | |||||||||
| 1 | 16 | Canton, Temple Israel ca. 1952 | |||||||||
| 1 | 17 | Elyria, Temple B'nai Abraham ca. 1954 | |||||||||
| 1 | 18 | South Euclid, Young Israel Synagogue ca. 1953 | |||||||||
Series III: Non-Ohio Buildings ca. 1947-1959 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 2 | 19 | Alabama, Montgomery, Temple Beth Or ca. 1959 | |||||||||
| 2 | 20 | Georgia, Columbus, Temple Israel ca. 1957 | |||||||||
| 2 | 21 | Iowa, Sioux City, Temple Israel and Temple Mt. Sinai 1954-1956 | |||||||||
| 2 | 22 | Kentucky, Louisville, Adath Jeshurum Synagogue ca. 1956 | |||||||||
| 2 | 23 | Maryland, Baltimore, Beth El Synagogue 1955-1959 | |||||||||
| 2 | 24 | Massachusetts, Springfield, Sinai Temple ca. 1956 | |||||||||
| 2 | 25 | Michigan, Benton Harbor, Temple Beth El; and Michigan, Jackson, Temple Israel 1947-1949 | |||||||||
| 2 | 26 | Nebraska, Omaha, Temple Israel ca. 1952 | |||||||||
| 2 | 27 | North Carolina, Winston-Salem, Temple Emanuel ca. 1950 | |||||||||
| 2 | 28 | North Dakota, Fargo, Temple Beth El ca. 1950 | |||||||||
| 2 | 29 | Pennsylvania, Ellius Park, Beth Shalom ca. 1950 | |||||||||
| 2 | 30 | Pennsylvania, Erie, Brith Shalom congregation ca. 1950 | |||||||||
| 2 | 31 | Pennsylvania, Erie, Jewish Center ca. 1955 | |||||||||
| 2 | 32 | Tennessee, Nashville, Congregation Ohabai Sholom (Vine Street Temple) ca. 1953 | |||||||||
| 2 | 33 | Canada, Ontario, Hamilton, Temple Anshe Sholom ca. 1950 | |||||||||
| 2 | 34 | Temples and synagogues collages ca. 1954 | |||||||||
| 2 | 35 | Synagogue Hezlia ca. 1950 | |||||||||
| 2 | 36 | Synagogue Natanya ca. 1950 | |||||||||
| 2 | 37 | Unidentified buildings and school ca. 1948-1955 | |||||||||