Marking our Centennial

The Hebrew Home of Greater Washington has a rich history of serving the Greater Washington D.C. area, dating back to 1910. We celebrated our centennial milestone in 2010 with programs for residents, families, supporters, and healthcare professionals.

Watch our interactive video, narrated by radio correspondent Susan Stamberg.
Recap of the year's special events

Learn highlights of our history

In 1910, Hymen Goldman, then a young salesman making his rounds, saw a bearded Jewish man sitting on a bread box in front of a grocery store, crying. The old man's situation became the subject of a discussion among community-minded individuals who were concerned about the lack of care for the aged.  They collected funds to take care of this elderly gentleman -- nickels and dimes --and made arrangements for room and board in a widow's home.  She was paid $3 a week. The Hebrew Home was born.

To see the dramatic changes during our first century, click on the date:

1914      1916      1923      1925      1941      1953      1969      1978      1981      1995      2006

Meet residents of the past

In the 1980s, Linda Gordon Kuzmack and Shulamith (Shelly) Weisman interviewed Hebrew Home residents whose personal stories captured the Jewish immigrant experience and published To Make a Dream Come True: Stories of the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington. We would like to share their inspiring tales:

Alfred Klein
From Volozhin to the U.S. Civil Service Commission

Nathan Zagoria
From Rabbi to Storeowner

Rose Gershman
Story of a Labor Organizer

Sadie Hershey
A Survivor of the Triangle Fire

Harry Reidinger
A Jew in the Old West, Tailor to Buffalo Bill

Ben Sperling
The Struggle to Make a Living