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Descriptive Summary
Creator:	Independent Order of Brith Abraham, Dr. Gaster Lodge, No. 689
Title:	Independent Order of Brith Abraham, Dr. Gaster Lodge, No. 689 - Boston, Massachusetts, records
Dates:	undated, 1913-1918
Abstract:	The Independent Order of Brith Abraham was a Jewish fraternity society headquartered in New York City. It was founded in 1887 after breaking away from its parent society, the Order Brith Abraham (founded 1859.) As a fraternal society it offered sick, death and funeral benefits for members, with both male and female members. In 1981 it merged with B’nai Zion, which is no longer in existence. The Dr. Gaster Lodge, No. 689, was most likely named for Dr. Moses Gaster, a Jewish scholar and Zionist. This collection contains an address book of members in Yiddish, a few blank invitations for meetings, a financial ledger, and membership ledger. The financial ledger includes minutes to a 1917 meeting of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, Local 171. Both ledgers are wrapped in tissue and should be handled with care.
Languages:	The collection is in English and Yiddish.
Quantity:	.5 linear feet (1 manuscript box)
Identification:	I-104
Repository:	American Jewish Historical Society
Location:	Located at AJHS, Boston, MA.

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Historical Note¹

Independent Order of Brith Abraham, Dr. Gaster Lodge, No. 689 - Boston, Massachusetts

The Independent Order of Brith Abraham was a Jewish fraternity society headquartered in New York City. It was founded in 1887 after breaking away from its parent society, the Order Brith Abraham (founded 1859.) As a fraternal society it offered sick, death and funeral benefits for members, with both male and female members. In 1981 it merged with B'nai Zion, which is no longer in existence.

¹ Information for this historical sketch is from the following resources:

"Brith Abraham." magnumArchive.com. The Encyclopedia Americana Corporation, 1918. Web. 22 Apr 2011. (http://www.magnumarchive.com/c/encyclopedia-americana-volume-4/Brith-Abraham.html).

"Jewish Orders." Phoenixmasonry Masonic Museum. Phoenixmasonry Masonic Museum, 2010. Web. 21 Apr 2011. (http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/masonicmuseum/fraternalism/jewish_orders.htm).

Materials from the collection.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection contains an address book of members in Yiddish, a few blank invitations for meetings, a financial ledger, and membership ledger. The financial ledger lists members’ names in the back of the book, and includes the minutes to a 1917 meeting of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, Local 171. Both ledgers are wrapped in tissue and should be handled with care.

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Arrangement

The collection is arranged into a single series as follows:

• Records of Independent Order of Brith Abraham, Dr. Gaster Lodge, No. 689 (Boston, MA), undated, 1913-1918

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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 Independent Order of B'rith Abraham Records, WJHC 1995.007.AR1, Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

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Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Independent Order of Brith Abraham, Dr. Gaster Lodge, No. 689 - Boston, Massachusetts, records; I-104; box number; folder number; American Jewish Historical Society, Boston, MA and New York, NY.

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Access Points

• Subject Names:

  • Gaster, Moses, 1856-1939

• Subject Organizations:

  • Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America
  • Independent Order Brith Abraham of the United States of America

• Subject Topics:

  • Fraternal orders

• Subject Places:

  • Boston (Mass.)

• Document Types:

  • Account books
  • Address books
  • Business Records

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Container List

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

Records of Independent Order of Brith Abraham, Dr. Gaster Lodge, No. 689 (Boston, MA), undated, 1913-1918.
The collection is in English and Yiddish.
Box 1.
Scope and Content: See Collection Scope and Content Note.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	1	Miscellaneous Materials	undated
1		Financial Ledger	1913-1917
1		Membership Ledger	1913-1918

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