Guide to the Records of the Yemenite Jewish Federation of America
1939, 1961-2009
(bulk 1990-2007)

ASF AR-11

Processed by Rachel S. Harrison as part of the Leon Levy Archival Processing Initiative, made possible by the Leon Levy Foundation.

American Sephardi Federation

Center for Jewish History

15 West 16th Street

New York, NY 10011

Phone: (212) 294-8350

Fax: (212) 294-8348

Email: info@AmericanSephardiFederation.org or
Rbelinfante@ASF.CJH.org

URL: http://www.americansephardifederation.org

©2010 American Sephardi Federation. All rights reserved.

Center for Jewish History, Publisher.

Electronic finding aid was encoded in EAD 2002 by Rachel S. Harrison in April 2010. Description is in English.

Historical Note

The Yemenite Jewish Federation of America was founded in 1995 by the descendants of Jews who had immigrated to the United States from Yemen, mainly in the late 1940s and early 1950s. This wave of immigration was spurred in large part by hopes of greater opportunities and religious freedom outside of Yemen, particularly in the wake of the increasingly dangerous living situation for Jews in Yemen after the 1947 United Nations partition of Palestine and the 1948 establishment of the State of Israel. In addition, there are members who are Yemenite Jews who first immigrated to Israel and later immigrated to the United States and some who came directly from Yemen in later years. The Federation sponsors educational and cultural activities and provides social services for the children and grandchildren of Yemenite immigrants in an effort to promote an appreciation of the cultural and historical traditions of Yemenite Jews. The Federation also provides educational scholarships and emergency support for Yemenite Jewish families in need in Israel and the New York Metropolitan area. The Yemenite Jewish Federation of America moved into American Sephardi Federation space at the Center for Jewish History in 2000. While the Federation has since moved to a location in Brooklyn, they remain affiliated with both ASF and CJH.

Scope and Content Note

The collection consists of membership and dues receipts, correspondence, drafts, membership and scholarship applications, photos, receipts, bills, newspaper clippings, form letters, handwritten notes, bank statements, committee and board meeting minutes, programs, invitations and event announcements, and letters to existing and potential contributors and donors.

Much the collection is made up of information about membership, academic scholarships given by the YJFA, financial assistance provided to needy members, and community events in the greater New York area, including the Federation’s yearly gala fundraiser event. The materials have been arranged into a single series, reflecting the fact that the majority of the collection pertains to the organization’s finances, including dues and donations paid to the YJFA and financial assistance and sponsorship of individuals and other organizations by the YJFA. This includes events and programs sponsored by the Federation as these events were usually formulated as membership and fundraising drives. In addition, the Yemenite Federation applied for numerous grants from Jewish and other organizations and foundations in order to cover operating costs and to be able to pass the money on to those in need. This collection contains many of these grant applications as well as responses to the grants.

The materials in this collection date from 1939-2009 with the bulk dating from 1990-2007. The majority of the collection is in English, with some documents in Hebrew. The collection consists of 18 manuscript boxes, comprising 9 linear feet.

Arrangement

At the time of accession, the materials in this collection were arranged in rough chronological order within Paige boxes, although the boxes themselves were not in any order. The materials were mostly in labeled folders reflecting the creator of the file, such as former president Sampson Giat, current president Ephraim Isaac, or Dalia Krinsky, assistant to the president, or by the main topic or individual represented in the folder. These folder titles have been retained. Unlabeled folders were given titles in accordance with existing titles. The collection is arranged in one series alphabetically and, within this order, chronologically by earliest dated document.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This collection is open to researchers.

Use Restrictions

There may be some restrictions on the use of the collection. For more information, contact:
American Sephardi Federation, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011
email: info@AmericanSephardiFederation.org or Rbelinfante@ASF.CJH.org

Related Material

The American Sephardi Federation and YIVO both have many books about the Jews of Yemen, as well as music and video recordings. The ASF Archives have the Papers of Dina Dahbany-Miraglia, ASF-AR 42, which contain articles about the Jews of Yemen and the Records of the American Sephardi Federation, ASF AR-6, which contain a small amount of information about the YJFA.

Separated Material

There is no information about materials that are associated by provenance to the described materials that have been physically separated or removed.

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Identification of item, date (if known); Records of the Yemenite Jewish Federation of America; ASF AR-11; box number; folder number; American Sephardi Federation.

Acquisition Information

Access Points

• Subject Names:

  • Isaac, Ephraim

• Organizations:

  • American Sephardi Federation
  • Yemenite Jewish Federation of America

• Subjects:

  • Fraternal organizations
  • Immigrants -- United States
  • Jewish Community of New York City
  • Jews, Yemeni
  • Yemeni Americans

• Places:

  • Israel
  • New York (N.Y.)
  • Yemen (Republic)

• Document Types:

  • Correspondence
  • Minutes
  • Newspaper clippings
  • Periodicals
  • Photographs

Container List