Federations, Financial (Social service)

The Dr. I. Edwin Goldwasser Papers document the professional achievements and personal life of Dr. Goldwasser and his extended family. The bulk of the materials are related to his work as the first Executive Director of Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, and his subsequent philanthropic activities. The collection also contains a series with genealogical materials related to the larger Goldwasser family, assembled by his descendants. There are drafts and notes on his various writings, both published and unpublished; essays on “Jewish Women of the Bible” and “Jewish Women at the Bar of History” are included in the collection, as is a copy of his published book Method and Methods in the Teaching of English.

The Jack D. Weiler and Family Papers are divided into two sub-groups: one containing most of JDW's personal records, including materials related to the Lenru Men's Club; JDW's philanthrophy in regards to the many organizations he worked with; items related to his work as part of the real estate firm, Swig, Weiler, and Arnow; and also includes a large number of photographs related to his meetings, dedications, campaigns, and building funds for Israel Bonds, UJA, and Federation. Last in this sub-group are books dedicated to JDW or Robert Arnow, and several small, pocket-sized booklets on subjects varying from toasts to Jewish law to care of the back.

The second sub-group is dedicated to the family of Jack D. Weiler and his wife, milliner designer Doris (née Person) Weiler, and their children, Joan and Alan. While the sub-group does contain many images and outings with Joan's husband and Jack's business partner, Robert Arnow and the children of Alan and Helene Weiler, this is primarily due to marriage into the Weiler family, and therefore the series relates more to the Weilers, with major evidence of Jack and Doris's grand- and in some cases, their great-grandchildren.

The sub-group also documents the family circles of Weiler and Person families, including the brothers and sisters of Jack and Doris, but primarily documents the family of Faivel and Chana Weiler. This sub-group contains correspondence, primarily between Jack and Doris and their children; general personal papers relating to the lives of Jack and Doris; and a large cache of family photos dating from the mid-1920s to the early 2000s.

A seperate series of Audio-Visual Materials rounds out the collection.

This collection contains general correspondence, minutes and memorandum concerning federation meetings, including statements of the Review committee on the Welfare Fund agency's relationship with local communities. In addition the collection contains reports concerning the Casework Service Subcommittee, the Pre-School Committee, studies and surveys, lists of local Jewish organizations, and the publication Budget Digest (1960-1961).

The collection documents the National Jewish Welfare Board's (JWB) evolution from an organization founded in 1917 to provide support for soldiers in times of war to an agency involved in all aspects of Jewish life both in the United States and abroad. In 1990 JWB recreated itself as the Jewish Community Centers Association of North America.