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Descriptive Summary
Creator:	Shapiro, Judah J.
Title:	Judah J. Shapiro, papers
Dates:	undated, 1916-1980 (bulk 1971-1977)
Abstract:	This collection documents the time Judah J. Shapiro spent as writer and broadcaster of the radio show “Highlights and Background of the Jewish News” on WEVD in New York City. He wrote and broadcast the show from 1971 until his death in 1980. The bulk of the collection is transcripts of the radio show. The show focused mainly on the politics and current affairs of the state of Israel.
Languages:	The collection is in English, with some Yiddish.
Quantity:	4 linear feet (8 manuscript boxes)
Identification:	P-913
Repository:	American Jewish Historical Society

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Biographical Note

Judah J. Shapiro (1912-1980)

Judah Joseph Shapiro was born in New York City on June 12, 1912. Throughout his life, Shapiro was a "leading Zionist organizer, theoretician and educator."¹ From 1954 to 1956, he was the director of the Department of Cultural and Educational Reconstruction of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. In 1956, he was appointed as the national director of the B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundations, a position he held until 1959. He had previously been associate national director of the foundations and had worked with the foundations at college campuses in New York and Boston from 1942 to 1948. From 1959 to 1965, he was executive officer and secretary of the board for the National Foundation for Jewish Culture. In the spring on 1965, he was named as chairman of the Commission on Reorganization of the Zionist Movement in the United States, which led to the formation of the American Zionist Federation. From 1969 to 1976, he was a professor of contemporary Jewish thought at the Jewish Institute of Religion of Hebrew Union College. From 1971 to 1980, he wrote and broadcast the radio show Highlights and Background of the Jewish News, a program on Jewish affairs. The program was broadcast on the station WEVD, which was founded by the Socialist Party in honor of Eugene V. Debbs in 1927 and taken over by the Yiddish newspaper The Forward in 1932.

Shapiro was also president of the Labor Zionist Alliance as well as editor of the Sunday English-language page of The Forward and the periodical The Jewish Frontier. Throughout his career, he guest lectured at colleges and universities throughout the U.S. and abroad, as well as at conferences and special events held by a variety of Jewish organizations. He additionally served as the president of the National Conference of Jewish Communal Service, chairman of the Hadassah Youth Reference board, and as a board member for both the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research and the American Jewish Historical Society.

Shapiro also wrote several articles and books, including Contemporary Jewish Community Life and the Zionist Movement (1964) and The Friendly Society: a History of the Workmen's Circle (1970). His doctoral thesis for the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University is titled "A Report of an Experience in the Field of Educational Reconstruction in Europe After World War II (1948--1954)."

At the time of his death, Shapiro was president of the National Committee for Labor Israel. He died on September 2, 1980. Shapiro was married to Florence I. Shapiro (née Snyder), a social studies teacher. They had two sons, Jeremy Joel and Daniel Reuben Shapiro.

Footnote
¹ "Dr. Judah Shapiro, 68; Headed Zionist Groups," New York Times, September 6, 1980, 26.

References:
"B'nai B'rith Names Aide," New York Times, May 20, 1956, 19.
"Dr. Judah Shapiro, 68; Headed Zionist Groups," New York Times, September 6, 1980, 26.
"Hillel Director Resigns," New York Times, June 28, 1959, 54.
Shapiro, Judah J. Curriculum Vitae, 1967.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection documents the time Judah J. Shapiro spent as writer and broadcaster of the radio show "Highlights and Background of the Jewish News" on WEVD in New York City. He wrote and broadcast the show from 1971 until his death in 1980. The bulk of the collection is transcripts of the radio show. The show focused mainly on the politics and current affairs of the state of Israel. Significant events include the 1973 Yom Kippur War, various elections taking place in Israel over the course of nine years, and attempts at Arab-Israeli peace talks. Shapiro also focused on events affecting Jews worldwide, such as the plight of Jews trying to leave the Soviet Union, persecution of Syrian Jews, and the French government's release of Abu Daoud. Shapiro also extensively covered the broader Arab world. He spent a more limited amount of time on Jewish life in the United States. Some coverage is given to the activities of American Jewish cultural organizations, holidays and cultural events, as well as some conflicts within the American Jewish community, such as intermarriage. American political events are hardly discussed unless they pertain to Israel or the Middle East, with the major exception being the Watergate scandal.

There are small amounts of other materials also contained in the collection, including press releases from various Jewish organizations, letters to and from Judah Shapiro, newspaper clippings, materials for a course Shapiro taught at the Jewish Teachers' Seminary, invitations to and programs from various conferences and events, and lectures, papers, and essays in both draft and final format.

The partners of the Center for Jewish History have in their holdings several books by Judah Shapiro. The American Jewish Historical Society holds The Friendly Society: a History of the Workmen's Circle (HS1510.W9 S5) and Contemporary Jewish Community Life and the Zionist Movement (DS143.S45) in the AJHS Monographs collection. The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research holds Contemporary Jewish Community Life and the Zionist Movement (0000066938) and Der itstiker matsev in di kehiles un di Tsienistishe bayegung oyfgabn in onblik fun di sakones (00066932) in the YIVO Library Main Stack Collection.

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Arrangement

The collection is arranged into a single series.

• Papers of Judah J. Shapiro, undated, 1916-1980 (bulk 1971-1977)

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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 Director of Library and Archives 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: reference@ajhs.org

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Related Material

The partners of the Center for Jewish History have in their holdings several books by Judah Shapiro. The American Jewish Historical Society holds The Friendly Society: a History of the Workmen's Circle (HS1510.W9 S5) and Contemporary Jewish Community Life and the Zionist Movement (DS143.S45) in the AJHS Monographs collection. The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research holds Contemporary Jewish Community Life and the Zionist Movement (0000066938) and Der itstiker matsev in di kehiles un di Tsienistishe bayegung oyfgabn in onblik fun di sakones (00066932) in the YIVO Library Main Stack Collection.

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Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Judah J. Shapiro, papers; P-913; box number; folder number; American Jewish Historical Society, Boston, MA and New York, NY.

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Acquisition Information

Donated by Jeremy J. Shapiro in April 2008.

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Access Points

• Subject Names:

  • Kissinger, Henry, 1923-
  • Meir, Golda, 1898-1978
  • Shapiro, Judah Joseph, 1912-

• Subject Organizations:

  • WEVD (Radio station) New York, N.Y.

• Subject Topics:

  • Israel Politics and government
  • Israel-Arab War, 1973
  • Jews, American
  • Jews, Israel
  • Jews, Soviet Union
  • Refuseniks
  • Watergate Affair, 1972-1974

• Subject Places:

  • Israel
  • New York (N.Y.)

• Document Types:

  • Clippings
  • Correspondence
  • Press releases
  • Transcripts

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Container List

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

Papers of Judah J. Shapiro, undated, 1916-1980 (bulk 1971-1977).
English with some Yiddish.
8 manuscript boxes.
Scope and Content: See collection Scope and Content Note.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	1	WEVD Transcripts	January-June 1971
1	2	WEVD Transcripts	July 1971
1	3	WEVD Transcripts	August 1971
1	4	WEVD Transcripts	September-October 1971
1	5	WEVD Transcripts	November-December 1971
1	6	WEVD Transcripts	January-February 1972
Box	Folder	Title	Date
2	1	WEVD Transcripts	March-May, July 1972
2	2	WEVD Transcripts	August, November 1972
2	3	WEVD Transcripts	January, April, June, August-October 1973
2	4	WEVD Transcripts	November-December 1973
2	5	WEVD Transcripts	January-February 1974
2	6	WEVD Transcripts	March-April 1974
Box	Folder	Title	Date
3	1	WEVD Transcripts	May-June, September-November 1974
3	2	WEVD Transcripts	February-June 1975
3	3	WEVD Transcripts	October-December 1975
3	4	WEVD Transcripts	January 1976
3	5	WEVD Transcripts	February 1976
3	6	WEVD Transcripts	March 1976
3	7	WEVD Transcripts	April 1976
3	8	WEVD Transcripts	May 1976
3	9	WEVD Transcripts	June 1976
Box	Folder	Title	Date
4	1	WEVD Transcripts	July 1976
4	2	WEVD Transcripts	August 1976
4	3	WEVD Transcripts	September 1976
4	4	WEVD Transcripts (1 of 2)	October 1976
4	5	WEVD Transcripts (2 of 2)	October 1976
4	6	WEVD Transcripts	November 1976
4	7	WEVD Transcripts (1 of 2)	December 1976
Box	Folder	Title	Date
5	1	WEVD Transcripts (2 of 2)	December 1976
5	2	WEVD Transcripts (1 of 2)	January 1977
5	3	WEVD Transcripts (2 of 2)	January 1977
5	4	WEVD Transcripts (1 of 2)	February 1977
5	5	WEVD Transcripts (2 of 2)	February 1977
5	6	WEVD Transcripts (1 of 2)	Marchh 1977
Box	Folder	Title	Date
6	1	WEVD Transcripts (2 of 2)	March 1977
6	2	WEVD Transcripts (1 of 2)	April 1977
6	3	WEVD Transcripts (2 of 2)	April 1977
6	4	WEVD Transcripts (1 of 2)	May 1977
6	5	WEVD Transcripts (2 of 2)	May 1977
6	6	WEVD Transcripts (1 of 2)	June 1977
Box	Folder	Title	Date
7	1	WEVD Transcripts (2 of 2)	June 1977
7	2	WEVD Transcripts (1 of 2)	July 1977
7	3	WEVD Transcripts (2 of 2)	July 1977
7	4	WEVD Transcripts (1 of 2)	August 1977
7	5	WEVD Transcripts (2 of 2)	August 1977
7	6	WEVD Transcripts	September 1977
7	7	WEVD Transcripts	July-August 1980
Box	Folder	Title	Date
8	1	American Jewish Congress, Press Releases	1974, 1976-1977
8	2	Anti-Defamation League, Press Releases	1976-1977
8	3	Conference Brochures and Programs	1949, 1965, 1976-1977, 1980
8	4	Course Materials	1971
8	5	Curriculum Vitae	1967
8	6	Greater New York Conference on Soviet Jewry, Press Releases	1976-1977
8	7	Jewish Population Maps	1960
8	8	JTA Daily News Bulletin	1973, 1975-1977, 1980
8	9	Lectures	undated, 1964, 1966
8	10	Letters from Judah Shapiro	undated, 1959, 1960, 1967, 1969
8	11	Letters to Judah Shapiro	undated, 1958-1960, 1963, 1966-1976
8	12	Letters to Judah Shapiro	1977-1979
8	13	Newspaper Clippings	undated, 1916, 1960, 1965, 1967-1969, 1973-1974, 1976-1977
8	14	Papers and Reports	undated, 1959, 1966-1967, 1975
8	15	Press Releases	undated, 1971, 1973-1977, 1980
8	16	Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry, Press Releases	1976-1977

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