Introduction

Jews in Boston in the 1900s organized to create a hospital that would deliver medical care in a setting where people spoke Yiddish and were sensitive to Jewish patients’ religious and cultural needs. Such a hospital could also employ Jewish doctors and nurses who faced discrimination in the area’s existing hospitals. This story-map provides a visual history of the Beth Israel Hospital, from its origins in the Mt. Sinai Hospital to the present day Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. It also emphasizes the significant role women played in providing for poor Jewish immigrants and shaping Jewish medical institutions in Boston. The map makes use of the digital collection pertaining to the Beth Israel Hospital in the archives of the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center (a complete list of references can be found on the final slide).

The following story-map was created and built by Calliope Silverberg. The map is best viewed on a desktop device.