Calmenson, Jesse B., 1892-1952

The collection contains background materials pertaining to the formation of the Conference, the election of delegates, financial records, memoranda, reports, and incomplete minutes of the Conference and its committees. It also includes extensive correspondence of the Administrative Secretary Jesse B. Calmenson, for March-December, 1943. The major portion of the collection consists of transcripts of the first through fourth sessions (1943-1947) of the Plenum and committees of the Conference. The published material in the collection includes the Bulletin of the activities and Digest of the press.

The collection consists primarily of correspondence reflecting Calmenson’s involvement in numerous national and local Jewish organizations. The largest quantity of materials is in relation to his work with the United Palestine Appeal (1926-1945, primarily 1926-1929), and the Zionist Organization of America (1919-1952). Among the local St. Paul Jewish organizations, the largest quantity of materials relates to the Emergency Committee for Palestine (1942-1951), and the Zionist Organization of America, St. Paul Chapter (1918-1950). Among his correspondents are Harry S. Truman, H.V. Kaltenborn, and Emanuel Neumann. Among the topics dealt with are the 1929 riots in Palestine, the protest against the Passfield paper, and the establishment of a Jewish army after World War I. The collection also contains materials relating to Calmenson’s private activities, and miscellaneous writings and papers belonging to the Calmenson family.

This collection contais records of the activities of a Jewish young men's club, founded in 1910 for the purpose of encouraging fraternity through social, religious, literary and athletic events.