Jewish National Fund

The materials in this collection constitute a semi-random sample of the pre-war archive that was transferred to the Central State Archives of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic following the liquidation of the Vilnius Jewish Museum in 1949. The collection includes records of YIVO work and activities, financial records, correspondence, and publications; documents about pogroms in Ukraine, and Red Army and Soviet activity in Vilna and Bialystok; and a significant amount of records of socialist, communist, and Zionist political parties, as well as associated newspapers and one-time publications.

The Annual and Mid-Winter National Conventions Records document the proceedings and outcomes of the conventions and conferences attended by Hadassah’s National Board as well as by convention delegates from the various regions of Hadassah. The conventions in particular are where local and regional leaders meet with each other and the National Board and learn about Hadassah’s various projects and committees. This record group also includes annual reports from 1926-2001.

The collection contains materials pertaining to the Zionist theater "Barak" ("Zionistische Propagandatruppe").

This collection contains materials pertaining to the life and career of Boris Smolar, a journalist and editor-in-chief of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and an author of children's books.

This collection of posters includes approximately 1,000 rare or unique items pertaining to over 100 displaced persons (DP) camps and centers in Germany, Austria, and Italy, dating primarily from 1946 to 1952. Comprised of approximately 60% handpainted and 40% printed items, it includes posters produced by diverse Jewish groups within individual camps, such as administrative and cultural committees, sports clubs, Zionist and religious groups, and landsmanshaftn; as well as organizations active throughout the camps, including the Jewish central committees in the respective countries, the World ORT Union, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the Jewish National Fund, and the Jewish Agency. A small number of items also document activities of the revived Jewish communities in the city centers of Munich and Vienna. Many of the posters use not only language but also color, graphic design, and pictorial and figurative elements to engage their audience with calls to entertainment, lectures, protests, and commemorations.

The collection contains various materials pertaining to Ernst Marckowicz.

The collection contains personal items from the Harry Kaufamn Family.

The Jewish National Fund records reflect the non-profit organization’s afforestation efforts in Israel in funding partnership with Hadassah. Included in this collection are personnel records, membership lists, and convention summaries, as well as correspondence, project documentation, and publications such as press releases, and magazines.

Contains the memoirs and scrapbooks of Bluestone, concerning his numerous communal activities, especially those in the Zionist movement. A description of the collection was published by Hyman B. Grinstein in Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society, no. 35 (1939), and a detailed inventory was prepared by Harry Bluestone (n.d.).

The collection contains certificates for seats at the synagogue in Mannheim (1857-1910); and Jewish National Fund certificates for trees planted in honor of Otto Simon's 80th birthday (1961).

The collection contains various material pertaining to the Rosin family and comprises 12 folders.

The collection contains the personal writings of Ruth Freund (née Joachimsthal), in the form of 41 diaries and four notebooks, and comprises of two boxes.

This collection contains the papers of Sallyann Amdur Sack, “The Godmother” of Jewish Genealogy. In 1980, Sack founded the Jewish Genealogy Society of Greater Washington (JGSGW); in 1984, she organized the First International Seminar on Jewish Genealogy in Jerusalem, Israel; and in 1985, she co-founded AVOTAYNU: The International Review of Jewish Genealogy, known as “The Voice” of Jewish Genealogy research. These papers chronicle Dr. Sack’s groundbreaking work, which ranges from the early 1980s through 2007. The collection contains correspondence, conference and seminar materials, planning and research papers, as well as photographs and audio/visual material.

The collection contains various ephemera pertaining to the 20th century history of Jews in Germany and German Jews in Israel, including stamps, letters and postcards, cirulars and leaflets, and membership cards.

Collection primarily consists of labels and stamps from various political or religious Jewish organizations. Additional material includes two Judaica catalogs, correspondence, pamphlets, and stock certificates. Of interest is a map showing places of Jewish interest, circa. 1900. Six stamps portray the work of Arthur Szyk.

This collection contains the papers of Samuel J. Citron, dramatist and educator.

Over 270 items include: voluntary Jewish organization monthly dues stamps and seals; synagogue and Kosher labels; Berlin Community Council membership booklets; Jewish sport club certificates; multilingual stamps of the Harand Movement ‘against race hatred and human misery’ (including an autographed postcard photo of founder Julie Harand); and a notable collection of Jewish Veterans Relief Stamps of World War l (RJF). Jewish merchants and banks are also represented in colorful advertising labels and seals. Also included are several Nazi anti-Semitic items and post-World War II depictions of restored synagogues destroyed by Nazis.

The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence relating to his efforts as a committee chairman for tree-planting efforts in Israel. Other materials concern his genealogy and his memoirs.