Congregation B'nai Jeshurun (New York, N.Y.)

Manuscripts and research notes on Jewish history, including the emancipation of the Jews, nineteenth century emigration of German Jews to the United States, Jewish education, and the Jewish communities of Heidelberg, Goettingen, Frankfurt am Main, Magdeburg, and especially Cologne and vicinity, including manuscripts of eighteenth-century chroniclers.

The collection consists primarily of correspondence, as well as documents and newspaper clippings pertaining to efforts made by the American and British governments and Jewish communities in both countries on behalf of their co-religionists in the "East" during the blood accusation in Damascus, and related persecution in Rhodes.

Included is correspondence between Moses Montefiore and the Executive Committee of the Israelites of the city of New York; correspondence between the N.Y.C. Israelites and similar committees in Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Richmond and the Board of Deputies of British Jews; correspondence between the committee and President Martin Van Buren and Secretary of State John Forsyth and other government officials; minutes and resolutions of the committee; a printed address by Montefiore to the Turkish Sultan and his reply; an English translation of the Firman granted by the Sultan at Montefiore's request and its Greek translation circulated by Montefiore in the "East"; a communique in Turkish, Hebrew, and Ladino issued by the Haham Bashi in Constantinople, Haim Moshe Frisco.

Ms. Brandmark conducted research on early Jewish wills in New York City in order to complete the requirements of an undergraduate course conducted by Leo Hershkowitz at Queens College. Her research includes typed worksheets for each will, statistical charts compiling information in various categories, and lists of death records by synagogue name.