Borofsky Family
Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library. Philadelphia: G. W. Bromley & Co. 1912. Atlas of the City of Boston.
Connection to Salem Street
The addresses 40-46 Salem Street were, according to G. W. Bromley's collection of Atlases of the City of Boston, registered to Sarah Borofsky from at least 1902 to 1928. By the early 1930s, we know this piece of property was demolished for the construction of the East Boston Tunnel (see Widening of Cross Street).
Borofsky, Samuel H. 1920 US Federal Census. [database online]. Provo, UT, USA. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.
Family Background
According to the United States Census in 1920, the Borofsky family consisted of father Samuel H. Borofsky, his wife Etta, and their daughter Sara, aged 51, 49, and 17, respectively. Both Samuel and Etta were naturalized immigrants to the United States; Samuel immigrated from Russia, and Etta immigrated from Poland. While they could read, write and speak English, their first language was Yiddish. Samuel was listed as a lawyer by trade.
Sarah would graduate from Dorchester High School in 1922, and on June 6, 1923, Sarah R. Borofsky married Frederick R. Cohen. At this time, Samuel and Etta had their primary residence at 1197 Beacon Street in Brookline, Massachusetts, despite owning the Salem Street property. The young couple honeymooned on the West Coast, and planned to live in Brookline to start their lives together.
Taken from the Boston Globe, September 28, 1906, "Boston's New Jewish Charity."
Hebrew Ladies' Helping Hand Association
The Hebrew Ladies' Helping Hand Association was a philanthropic Jewish group in Boston, which had over 1000 members in 1906. In February of 1899, a charity ball was held by the Hebrew Ladies' Helping Hand Association at Copley Place, with over 600 guests gathered. Samuel H. Borofsky was newly elected president of the association at this gathering. The Association was working to raise money to establish a home for poor, young Jewish children. The work of this Association was to continually fund and support the Helping Hand Temporary Home for Destitute Jewish Children, located at the corner of Fort Ave and Glen Street in Roxbury. Fundraising events were frequently hosted by the Association, such as Labor Day of 1901. In 1903, the home housed 63 children; 39 boys and 23 girls. By September of 1906, the home was successful enough that an industrial home was being added, which would teach the children there skills necessary to enter the workforce. Through these efforts, Samuel Borofsky helped and took leadership roles.
Samuel H. Borofsky was also very involved in the legislative efforts to combat the 1895 law requiring all businesses to remain shut (see Closed on the Sabbath). He seemed to be very involved in various Jewish, Democratic, and political associations from the 1890s to the early 1910s. He passed away in 1937 in Brookline.
References
Borofsky, Samuel H. 1920 US Federal Census. [database online]. Provo, UT, USA. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.
"BOSTON'S NEW JEWISH CHARITY.: HEBREW INDUSTRIAL HOME IN WEST ROXBRY WILL TEACH CHILDREN HOW TO WORK." Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922), Sep 28, 1906. https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www-proquest- com.holycross.idm.oclc.org/historical-newspapers/bostons-new-jewish-charity/docview/500631448/se-2?accountid=11456.
"FOR NEEDY JEWISH CHILDREN.: BALL OF THE HEBREW LADIES' HELPING HAND ASSOCIATION PROVES A SUCCESS IN ALL RESPECTS." Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922), Feb 15, 1899. https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www- proquest-com.holycross.idm.oclc.org/historical-newspapers/needy-jewish-children/docview/499026572/se-2?accountid=11456.
"FOR POOR JEWISH CHILDREN.: HEBREW LADIES' HELPING HAND ASSOCIATION WILL HOLD A LAWN PARTY IN ROXBURY ON LABOR DAY." Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922), Aug 09, 1901. https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www-proquest- com.holycross.idm.oclc.org/historical-newspapers/poor-jewish-children/docview/499508343/se-2?accountid=11456.
Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library. Philadelphia: G. W. Bromley & Co. 1912. Atlas of the City of Boston.
"MISS SARAH R. BOROFSKY BRIDE OF FREDERICK COHEN." Boston Daily Globe (1923-1927), Jun 06, 1923. https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www-proquest-com.holycross.idm.oclc.org/historical- newspapers/miss-sarah-r-borofsky-bride-frederick-cohen/docview/497377370/se-2?accountid=11456.
"OVER 1000 MEMBERS." Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922), May 19, 1902. https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login? auth=cas&url=https://www-proquest-com.holycross.idm.oclc.org/historical-newspapers/over-1000- membres/docview/499673472/se-2?accountid=11456.