Council of Archives and Research Libraries in Jewish Studies (U.S.)

The records of the American Jewish Historical Society, the oldest national ethnic historical organization in the United States, include correspondence of officers and staff as well as inter-office memos, multiple versions of the constitution and by-laws of the society, meeting minutes of administrative branches and committees, membership and financial records, reports, exhibit materials, records relating to the society’s library and archival holdings, press releases and newspaper clippings, and publications and newsletters created by the society. There are also materials from various programs, such as meetings and conferences, tours, lectures, awards and dinners, films, and educational programs.

From its inception in 1961, the National Foundation for Jewish Culture (later known as the Foundation for Jewish Culture) supported Jewish scholarship, art, and community services. The collection primarily covers the period between 1959, when the original study proposing the creation of the NFJC was conducted by the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds (CJFWF) and 2015, when the Foundation ceased operations. The materials document organization’s support for Jewish scholarship, art, culture, and its work in strengthening the relationships between cultural institutions and local Jewish communities. The collection also documents the organization’s shift in the 1980s from scholarship to more involvement in Jewish arts and culture.

The Steven Siegel Collection documents the life and professional activities of Steven Siegel, archivist, genealogist, and an active member of the LGBT community. The collection consists of correspondence, seminar and conference materials, publications, lists, manuscripts, original genealogical research, minutes, official documents, photographs, project proposals, and questionnaires. Materials related to Steven Siegel’s personal life constitute a smaller portion of the collection and consist of personal correspondence, materials documenting his involvement with Cornell University and Congregation Beth Simchat Torah. Materials documenting Siegel’s professional activities include documents pertaining to the Jewish Historical Society of New York, the Jewish Genealogical Society, and the Council of Research Libraries in Jewish Studies.