"The Early Migration and Settlement..."
The Jewish Encyclopedia
of Western Pennsylvania
A project of the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center
The Russian School was an adult education program in Pittsburgh for Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. It was established around 1890 by Dr. Lippman Mayer of Rodef Shalom Congregation and overseen by a small group of volunteers. The curriculum largely consisted of English reading and writing. The school was initially located in the basement of the Rodef Shalom Congregation synagogue on Eighth Street downtown. It moved to 400 Fifth Avenue in November 1891. At one point, the school had as many as 110 students and three teachers and maintained a small library. As the Jewish immigrant population of Pittsburgh increased, the Russian School gradually gave way to larger educational initiatives overseen by the National Council of Jewish Women—Pittsburgh Section.