Julius Bisno Collection

Julius Bisno

(1911- )

Julius Bisno was born on April 20, 1911 in Memphis, Tennessee to Jacob and Evelyn (Segal) Bisno. He earned his Bachelors of Philosophy at Creighton University, and completed his post-graduate work at the University of Chicago, American University, and George Washington University. He is married to Rose with whom he has a son, Jay Alvin.

As a boy, Bisno belonged to the Memphis Chapter of Aleph Zadik Aleph (AZA), a Jewish youth organization. His interest in AZA led him to work as an assistant to AZA's National Executive Secretary Philip M. Klutznick. In 1933, Bisno replaced Klutznick as National Executive Secretary, helping to form AZA chapters in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Cairo, and Beirut. Unfortunately, none of these chapters survived World War II. In addition to his personnel work, Bisno edited AZA's newsletter "Shofar" and other AZA publications. Bisno also served as Executive Chairman of the National Conference of Jewish Youth Organizations from 1941-1943.

AZA merged with the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO) in 1944, and Bisno became BBYO's National Director of Boys' Work and Administrative Secretary. He moved a year later to Los Angeles to work as Assistant and then Executive Secretary of the Los Angeles Jewish Community Council, an agency that supervised the United Jewish Welfare Fund's annual campaigns. Bisno headed the United JWF and in 1959, when the Los Angeles Jewish Community Council and the Federation of Jewish Welfare Organizations merged to form the Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles, the two Executive Directors of each agency, Bisno and Martin Ruderman, shared directorship.

In 1954, Bisno received the National Sam Beber Award, given annually to distinguished AZA alumni. Today an AZA chapter in the United Kingdom bears his name.

Bisno continued to be involved in BBYO, joining its Commission's Board in 1962. Citing his hobby as collecting manuscripts and autographs, Bisno participated in the creation of the South California Jewish Historical Society and was a Board member for both the American Jewish Historical Society and the National Manuscript Society. Other Board positions include the Jewish Committee on Scouting and the Council Federation of Jewish Welfare Funds.

Bisno's collection of manuscripts relating to Jews in American government and diplomatic service was donated to the American Jewish Historical Society in 1970. Bisno donated additional manuscripts, some dating from the Revolutionary War, to AJHS in 1972.