Hebrew Orphan Asylum of New York

The Hebrew National Orphan Home Alumni Association Records document the activities from the establishment of the association in 1925 until its demise 2011. The records consist primarily of the Association's newsletter, The Alumnus, programs of reunion events, meeting minutes of both the general meetings and the association advisory board, newspaper and magazine clippings, oral histories on audiocassettes and videotapes, alumni writings, scrapbooks, correspondence, and a few photographs.

Hebrew Orphan Asylum was founded in 1822 as the Hebrew Benevolent Society. It underwent various changes of name until 1906, and merged with The Jewish Child Care Association of New York in 1940. The collection includes extensive administrative records including financial statements, property records, Board, Committee, and Executive minutes, donation books, publications, and state and government correspondence and reports. The collection also includes children's admission and discharge ledgers, medical records, and conduct books. Also within the collection are childcare studies, dedication speeches, writings by alumni, oral histories, newspaper and magazine clippings, and photographs.

The collection consists of memorabilia and research materials Hyman Bogen collected regarding the Hebrew Orphan Asylum of New York and its alumni association, the Seligman Solomon Society. A wide range of documents exist, such as orphanage and alumni publications, personal and academic histories, souvenir programs, articles and newslcippings, reports, files on certain individual alumni, correspondence, completed alumni questionnaires, photographs, veteran and census documents, a scrapbook, and banners and towels. The collection includes many HOA publications, the HOA annual reports, commemorative booklets, a centenial souvenir book, a farewell dinner program, camp Wehaha and Wakitan songbook, and evaluation reports. The collection contains several personal and academic histories as well as informal recollections of HOA written by alumni and graduate students of the Graduate School for Jewish Social Work. Burial lists of children interred at Beth El (1930s) and Salem Fields (1988) Cemeteries can be accessed as well. Of unusual interest are research files Hyman Bogen gathered for his book The Luckiest Orphans: A History of the Hebrew Orphan Asylum of New York and a possible book on the Franco and Goldman families. These include Samson Simpson (1780-1857) as well as the musical prodigies Franco and Goldman families who had ties to HOA. Another appealing item is the visitor book to Moses Ezekiel's Rome Studio (1896). HOA photographs are numerous and consist of the Broadway and Amsterdam building, individual groups, camps, boys scout troop, the band, HOA staff, confirmation classes, the 1941 farewell dinner, a 1945 seder, and a memorial to HOA plaque dedication. A scrapbook compiled by HOA librarian Mildred Stember offers a detailed view of HOA life in the 1920's. Seligman Solomon Society material includes the oldest existing SSS document, a musical program from 1889. Further material encompasses bulletins, dinner programs, anniversary books, and meeting minutes proposing the merger of SSS and Academy Alumni Association.

Collection consists of 9 short stories written by Oblas; 7 in manuscript form, and 2 as they appeared in publications. Oblas lived in the Hebrew Orphan Asylum in New York 1924-1932, and was the editor of the HOA's rising bell. His stories often include portrayals of orphanage life.

Contains 2 letters from the officers of the DeKalb Regiment in New York City and the New York Medical Association, dated May 10, 1861 and June 27, 1861, requesting help and supplies provided by the "Ladies Connected with the Jewish Orphan Asylum."

The Society was named after "Papa" Seligman Solomon (1822-1884), a German Jewish immigrant who accumulated wealth in New York real estate. Retiring at age 38, Solomon devoted his time to works of charity, particularly in the care of orphans at the Hebrew Orphans Asylum (HOA) in New York. When Solomon died, a group of alumni from the HOA formed the Society to carry on Solomon's work. The group perpetuated Solomon's memory, helped orphans, and performed charitable works. Members included Louis Freund, Max Kaufman, Charles Herman, Edward Lauterbach, and bandleader Edwin Franko Goldman. The Society eventually merged with another group of alumni, The Academy Alumni, to form the HOA Association in 1956. The collection includes correspondence from Jewish World War I soldiers as well as other correspondence, Society member lists, photographs, a Souvenir Journal, and minutes.

Collection consists of alumni invitations, a biographical sketch for David Carasso/Carson, a button, information regarding a parade Saginaw took part in to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of George Washington's inauguration (1989), news clippings, HOA Association "Rising Bell" newsletters(1984, 1987, 1999), an centennial anniversary program for HOA Association (1987), photographs, HOA songs, and a scrapbook. Of particular interest is the scrapbook compiled by Meyer Saginaw, which dates from 1935-1940. Also of interest are lyrics to HOA songs from 1936. The themes of the songs include Palestine, Purim, Shavous, and HOA summer camps Wakitan and Wehaha.

United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York is the organization that resulted from the mergers of various New York federations with the New York office of UJA. UJA-Federation and its predecessor organizations have been a central force for communal planning and philanthropy in the New York Jewish community since 1917, and in overseas Jewish communities since 1939. The largest section of this collection covers the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies and its predecessor organizations in Manhattan, the Bronx and Brooklyn. Important subject areas include Federation’s work with their affiliated agencies including detailed budget files through most of the 20th century; UJA’s programs in Israel and campaigns in New York during the 1960s and 1970s; an overview of the UJA-Federation Joint Campaign 1974-1986; and the day to day work of the successfully merged organizations 1986-2000.