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Descriptive Summary
Creator:	Jewish Historical Committee (Boston, Mass.)
Title:	Jewish Historical Committee (Boston, Mass.), minutes
Dates:	1947
Abstract:	Contains the minutes of the Committee, which was sponsored by the Associated Synagogues of Massachusetts, for the purpose of collecting and preserving material concerning the history of Boston Jewry.
Languages:	The collection is in English.
Quantity:	1 half manuscript box (0.25 linear feet)
Identification:	I-137
Repository:	American Jewish Historical Society
Location:	Located at AJHS, Newton Centre, MA.

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Historical Note

The Jewish Historical Committee (originally called the Committee on Archives) was sponsored by the Associated Synagogues of Greater Boston, and was intended to collect and preserve material related to the Jewish communal life of Greater Boston. The idea of the committee was first conceived at a meeting of the Rabbinical Association of Greater Boston. The objectives of the committee were:

(1) To collect, catalogue and conserve documents and materials relating to the history of the Jewish Community of Greater Boston and of its agencies and institutions;
(2) To establish and maintain in the City of Boston a central archives for the care and preservation of communal and other documents and publications of Jewish historical import;
(3) To establish and maintain a Union Catalogue as an index to source material relating to the foregoing;
(4) To provoke and foster among individuals and Jewish Agencies in the Community an interest in Jewish historical data, and the stimulating of research in that field;
(5) To publish from time to time monographs and papers on matters of Jewish historical interest; and
(6) To cooperate with educational institutions and historical societies in furtherance of the foregoing objects.¹

• Footnote

• ¹ "Minutes of Meeting of Jewish Historical Committee," March 7, 1947, I-137, Jewish Historical Committee, American Jewish Historical Society

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Scope and Content Note

This collection consists solely of meeting minutes for the first three meetings of the Jewish Historical Committee in 1947. The minutes set out the goals and objectives of the Committee, but no material related to its future efforts is included.

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Arrangement

The collection has been arranged into one series as follows:

• Series I: Minutes, 1947

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The collection is open to all researchers by permission of the Director of Library and Archives of the American Jewish Historical Society, except items that are restricted due to their fragility.

Use Restrictions

Information concerning the literary rights may be obtained from the Executive Director of the American Jewish Historical Society. Users must apply in writing for permission to quote, reproduce or otherwise publish manuscript materials found in this collection. For more information contact:
American Jewish Historical Society, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY, 10011
email: info@ajhs.org

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Provenance

The collection was donated to AJHS by Rabbi Samuel Korff in 1975.

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Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Jewish Historical Committee (Boston, Mass.), minutes; I-137; box number; folder number; American Jewish Historical Society, Boston, MA and New York, NY.

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Access Points

• Subject Organizations:

  • Associated Synagogues of Massachusetts

• Subject Topics:

  • Boston (Mass.)--History

• Document Types:

  • Minutes

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Container List

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series I: Minutes, 1947.
English.
Box 1. (0.25 linear feet)
Arrangement: Chronological.
Scope and Content: The material documents the first meetings of the Committee, at which its purpose and future plans were set out. The primary goal was to collect materials pertaining to the first hundred years of Jewish life in Greater Boston, while also accepting any other material which might be offered to it. Further, the Committee hoped to document current Jewish history by collecting the yearbooks put out by local Jewish organizations. Committee members also discussed the possible use of microfilm and a union catalogue, to provide access to additional materials. (The minutes also document committee members' concern that their activities might be limited by the sponsorship of the Associated Synagogues; they planned to request the Rabbinical Association to serve as sponsor.)
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	1	Minutes	1947

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