American Jewish History Autograph and Documents Collection

"Remember the Days of Old."

This phrase from the Torah is located on the Seal of the American Jewish Historical Society (AJHS) and also graces a pamphlet produced by the AJHS in 1946 entitled, "Memorable Documents in American Jewish History." The seal motto harkens back to the beginning of the AJHS (1892), while the pamphlet was created under the leadership of the president of the Society from 1922-1949, Abraham Simon Wolf Rosenbach (1876-1952), known as "A.S.W. Rosenbach." Rosenbach followed in the footsteps of his uncle, Moses Polock, who was the first rare bookseller in the United States. Polock died intestate, thereby leaving part of his collection, including a trove of historical children's literature, for sale. Rosenbach and his brother Philip were able to buy the greater majority of the collection, and the remainder was sold by Polock's sisters to the newly formed Rosenbach Company. Rosenbach carried on his uncle's collecting, eventually becoming known both as, "The Terror of the Auction Room" and "Le Napoléon des Livres" or, "The Napoleon of Books," depending on who was speaking. Rosenbach was an avid collector of American Jewish history. President Rosenbach donated his trove of American, Caribbean, and Mexican documents regarding Jewish history to the Society over a period of several years. Rosenbach's donation has formed the canon of the American Jewish Historical Society's collections.

Among the documents are correspondence from United States Vice President George Mifflin Dallas, and two letters from Rebecca Gratz which compliment the collection of Gratz letters at the AJHS.

Remember the days of old, Consider the years of ages past; Ask your father, he will inform you, Your elders, they will tell you: When the Most High gave nations their homes And set the divisions of humanity, Fixing the boundaries of peoples In relation to Israel’s number. (Deuteronomy 32:7-8)