American Federation for Polish Jews Records

Collection

Identifier: RG 1015

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Constitution. Minutes of committee meetings, 1940s-1950s. Financial and relief records, 1945-1947. Records of the Women's Division, 1942-1943. Organizational reports, 1940s. Material pertaining to membership. Correspondence, 1942-1963. Materials pertaining to conferences, mass protest meetings, commemorations, 1945-1954. Materials pertaining to the fourth World Conference of Polish Jews, 1945. Testimonies given in Palestine regarding Nazi brutality and accounts of escape from Nazi persecution. Reports pertaining to Jewish life in Poland. Publications. Yearbook, 1938. Bulletins, newsletters. Typescripts of chapters of The Black Book of Polish Jewry. Publicity materials. Photographs.

Dates

Creation: 1926
Creation: 1938
Creation: 1941 - 1963

Creator

American Federation for Polish Jews (Organization)

Biographical / Historical

Formerly known as the Federation of Polish Jews in America. Founded in 1908 as the Federation of Russian-Polish Hebrews, primarily to "help Polish landslayt in New York in any possible way" and to strengthen the activities of landsmanshaftn in the city. Established the Beth David Hospital to aid members and newly arrived immigrants, ca. 1912. Contributed to the People's Relief Committee, 1919. Sent a delegate to the Versailles Peace Conference, 1919. In 1920, dropped "Russian" from name of organization. In 1926, changed "Hebrews" to "Jews." Established the World Federation of Polish Jews in 1935 for relief and economic assistance for Jews in Poland. The women's division, Ezra, was organized in 1931. Cooperated with the Association of Jewish Refugees and Immigrants from Poland in publishing The Black Book of Polish Jewry, 1943. In the mid-1940s, coordinated relief activities of New York Polish landsmanshaftn on behalf of their home towns and landslayt. In the 1950s campaigned actively against antisemitism and racial discrimination. Leaders included Dr. Joseph Tenenbaum, Zelig Tygel, Benjamin Winter.