Guide to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee collection, undated, 1914-1922, 1926, 1929, 1933, 1935-1936, 1938, 1941-1985, 1988

*I-345

Reprocessed by Marvin Rusinek

American Jewish Historical Society

Center for Jewish History

15 West 16^th Street

New York, N.Y. 10011

Phone: (212) 294-6160

Fax: (212) 294-6161

Email: reference@ajhs.org

URL: http://www.ajhs.org

© 2015, American Jewish Historical Society, Boston, MA and New York, NY. All Rights Reserved.

Machine-readable finding aid created by Marvin Rusinek as MS Word document, August 13, 2009. Finding aid was encoded by Marvin Rusinek on August 14, 2009. Finding aid written in English.

Historical Note

The American Joint Distribution Committee was founded on November 27, 1914 when the American Jewish Relief Committee (AJRC) and the Central Committee for the Relief of Jews (CCRJ) joined forces under the name of the Joint Distribution Committee of American Funds for the Relief of Jewish War Sufferers. Although JDC reflected the diversity of the American Jewish Community, the Reform-oriented American Jewish Committee faction dominated its early leadership. Conceived as a temporary agency to relieve suffering during the war, it developed more fully and complexly in the period of postwar reconstruction. In 1931 the organization changed its name to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, becoming a much-needed and permanent agency. Throughout the 1930s the organization became the relief center for Jews fleeing Nazi oppression, and in the late 1940s it conducted efforts to get oppressed Jews to Israel. In addition to its concern for, and activities in Israel, the JDC developed projects for oppressed and needy Jews throughout the world.

Scope and Content Note

This collection is comprised of annual reports, budget reports, cables, calendars of events, catalogs, correspondence, minutes, memorandum, lists of Board of Director members, photographs of speakers, and a chart of the organization’s Geneva Headquarters. The documents in this collection describe the many and varied activities of the committee such as fundraising, relief distribution, general information concerning Russian farm colonies and immigration. Also included are cables of congratulation on JDC’s 33^rd anniversary. The collection also includes a bound volume of the financial, statistical and general data relating to the committee's activities since its inception which is located at the end of the Miscellaneous Collections.

Arrangement

The collection is organized into a single series.

• American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee collection, undated, 1914-1922, 1926, 1929, 1933, 1935-1936, 1938, 1941-1985, 1988

Access and Use

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 16^th Street, New York, NY, 10011
email: reference@ajhs.org

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, collection; I-345; box number; folder number; American Jewish Historical Society, New York, NY, and Boston, MA.

Acquisition Note

Unknown.

Note

Old call#: MS-NAT.A45

Access Points

• Subject Organizations:

  • American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
  • Central Committee for the Relief of Jews (CCRJ)

• Subject Topics:

  • Social service

• Document types:

  • Annual reports
  • Budget reports
  • Cables
  • Calendars
  • Catalogs
  • Charts
  • Correspondence
  • Memorandums
  • Minutes
  • Photographs

Container List

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