Arthur H. Aufses, Jr. MD Archives Blog

Now Online: Selected Beth Israel photographs

Sep 28, 2023

In light of recent news, the Arthur H. Aufses, Jr. MD Archives remains committed to preserving Beth Israel’s rich history. As part of our ongoing 2023 Digitization Project Grant, we have been digitizing a selection of photographs from the Mount Sinai Beth Israel photograph collection. This blog post seeks to recognize and celebrate Beth Israel employees over the years, naming and putting faces to just a few of the thousands of people who have contributed to the hospital’s history.  

This project was made possible by the Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO). We are very grateful for their support. You can find all the material digitized as part of this project here. 

1930s, 1940s, and 1950s

  • Mr. Scemes, engineering staff member, fixing sink at Emergency Department, circa 1930s (link)
  • Elias Gordon, MD, showing his sculptures at the BIH art show, December 1949 (link)
  • Mrs. Brumford at her farewell party following her retirement from food services, circa 1950s (link)

1960s

  • Carmela Pietraniella, patient beautician, November 1967 (link)
  • Eugene Mills R.PH., Chief Pharmacist, November 1967 (link)
  • B. Ethel Brewer, staff member at the BIMC processing center, November 1967 (link)
  • Jack Gradel, Medicaid coordinator, November 1967 (link)

1970s

  • Leon R. Jones, laboratory staff member, July 1977 (link)
  • Dick Jannsen, Purchasing Department medical-surgical buyer, February 1975 (link)
  • Ruth Kirsch, medical secretary for Department of Psychiatry, November 1974 (link)
  • Mr. Arrogo, patients’ accounts staff member, December 1976 (link)

1980s

  • Adela Borrero at her farewell party following her retirement as a housekeeper at the MICU, circa 1980s (link)
  • Mike Centrangol, Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program vocational rehabilitation counselor, February 1982 (link)
  • Bette Pesetsky, director of grants management, March 1982 (link)
  • Edwina Thompson, RN and Bernadette Sheehan, RN, December 1981 (link)

More information on this project

As part of the METRO Digitization Project Grant, additional materials from the Mount Sinai Beth Israel collection will be available as they are added to our catalog throughout Fall 2023, including more photographs, World War I letters, and other documentation on the history of Beth Israel through 1969. You can read more about this project here, and see our previous blog post on our annual reports and Board of Trustees minutes. 

Authored by Stefana Breitwieser, Digital Archivist