For more than a century, the Brachman family helped shape Fort Worth through leadership, philanthropy, and vision. From their roots in Latvia and Ohio to their arrival in Texas during the oil boom, the Brachmans became deeply involved in business, education, the arts, and Jewish community life. Generations of Brachmans—among them Sol, Ella, Leon, Fay, and Marilyn—left lasting marks on institutions from the Jewish Federation and Ahavath Sholom to Texas Christian University and the Fort Worth Jewish Archives.
This collection features family photographs that capture the personal side of their story—weddings, portraits, and gatherings spanning decades of family life and community involvement.
1906. Marietta Ohio, Brachman Family. Elias, Ita (Stepmom), Lillian 2, Dora 17, Abraham J. 5, Marcus (father), Sol Original photograph owned by Karen Raimey KaplanOctober, 31, 1921. Wedding of Sol and Etta Brachman
1929. Madlyn & Leon Brachman. Marietta, Ohio1930s. Brachman Siblings. Back: Abraham J Brachman, Sol Brachman, Elias Brachman. Front: Lilian Brachman Raimey, Dora Brachman Ginsburg
Aunt Lillian Brachman Raimey and daughter Karen Raimey [Kaplan] , 1936. Fort Worth Jewish Archives Collection
1941. Wedding of Leon Brachman and Fay Rosenthal. Blackstone Hotel. Standing: Harry Beren, Leon Brachman, Fay Rosenthal Brachman, Madlynn Brachman Barnett, Sheldon (Sheftal). Seated: Wolf Beren, Ella Beren Brachman, Elias Brachman
August 10, 1941. Fay Rosenthal Brachman on her Wedding
Marilyn Brachman as a child. Undated. Maurice studio in Chicago. Marilyn Brachman Hoffman FoundationYoung Marilyn Brachman. Undated. MBH Foundation
August 10, 1941. Fay and Leon Brachman cutting their wedding cakeAugust 10, 1941. Wedding of Fay Rosenthal & Leon Brachman.
Left to Right: Eli Brachman, Ella Brachman, Leon Brachman, Fay Rosenthal Brachman, Jennie Rosenthal, & Harry Rosenthal
August 10, 1941. Wedding of Fay Rosenthal and Leon Brachman. Left to right: Louis Luskey, Sylvia Rosental Wolens, Sheldon Beren, Rowena Ginsberg Kimmel, Leon Brachman, Fay Rosenthal Brachman, Madlynn Brachman Barnett, Leonard Rosenthal, Lilliam Rose Rabinowitz Rosenthal, & Marcus Ginsburg Blackstone Hotel, Fort Worth, Texas
1952. Leon & Fay Brachman1944. Passover Seder. Medford, Ct.
New Orleans, 1947. Marilyn Brachman (center) and two young women in formal gowns. Two personal notes on photo written to Marilyn. MBH Foundation1950s. Joking around. Left to right: Congressman Jim Wright, Tarrant County Sheriff Lon Evans, and Leon Brachman
1954. Mrs. Ella Beren Brachman. Wife of Eli Brachman1954. Fay & Leon Brachman with their children
1954. Mrs. Etta Brachman, wife of Sol BrachmanIsrael Bonds Speaker, Leon Brachman
1958. Brachman Siblings. Rabbi Abraham J. Brachman, Lillian Brachman Raimey, Dora Brachman Ginsburg, Solomon BrachmanSol Brachman. Undated. MBH FoundationEtta Brachman. Undated. Photo taken at “The Julian Studio.” MBH Foundation Sol & Etta Brachman. Undated. MBH Foundation Marilyn Brachman in Presentation gown, 1946. MBH Foundation
Marilyn in cap and gown, graduating from Wellesley, 1952. MBH Foundation.Marilyn Brachman photo portrait. 1955. MBH Foundation.
Sol and Etta Brachman, Rowena Ginsburg Kimmel, Malcolm Brachman, Sam Kimmel learning against a car, outside the Brachman home on Mockingbird Lane, ca. 1940s. MBH Foundation.1962. Left to Right. Unkown, Louis Barnett, Madilynn Barnett, Sayde Maye Garsek, Rabbi Isadore Garsek, Ella Brachman, Harry Beren, Louise Klar Lipshitz, Leo Lipshitz.
November 7, 1956. Rabbi Abraham J. Brachman, marking 20 years in the rabbinate. Photograph by Don Barnett.June 10, 1966. Sol Brachman
1971. Maddlyn Brachman BarnettSeptember 4, 1974. Left to right: Fay Rosenthal Brachman, Leon Brachman, Ella B. Brachman, Madilyn Brachman Barnett, Lou Barnett
Brachman Family. October 31, 1971. Image shows the entire Brachman family at a celebration for Sol and Etta’s 50th Wedding anniversary at Shady Oaks Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. Left to right: Marilyn, Sol Brachman, Etta Brachman, Malcolm Brachman (brother), and Minda Brachman (sister-in-law). MBH Foundation.
Fort Worth Jewish Archives 