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The Records of the Quincentennial Foundation

 Collection
Identifier: ASF AR-5

Scope and Content Note

The collection of the Quincentennial Foundation (QF) contains its administrative and financial correspondence as well as documents related to its various activities. The most prominent among these include the organization of tourist trips to Turkey, work with various media, visits of various Jewish dignitaries from Turkey, and the organization of the gala dinner. The collection also contains lists of various dignitaries and supporters of the QF.

Series I: The bulk of the documents consists of correspondence with the GCI Group that provided media and public relations service for the Quincentennial Foundations. The collection contains both the communications between the QF and GCI and materials created by the company. The status reports provide a remarkable amount of information on various aspects of Jewish life and culture in Turkey compiled by the GCI group. The creators and the major recipients of the correspondence were the Co-Chairmen of the QF Ahmet Ertegun, Leon Levy, the President Ivan Schick, and the Executive Director Edward Alcosser.

Series II: The documents related to the gala dinner provide insight into the logistics of a social event attended by prominent figures such as the President of the Republic of Turkey: Turgut Ozal. This part of the collection consists mainly of communications between the QF and the GCI Group requesting clarification of various details and supplying the Foundation with various suggestions and memos. A substantial portion of this series deals with financial issues, i.e. covering the expenses and costs of the Gala dinner.

Although the QF issued publications, sponsored exhibitions, and was involved in preservation and conservation of the Jewish sites in Turkey, little is to be found on these issues in the collection besides the status reports and memos of the GCI Group.

Dates

  • Creation: 1990-1994

Language of Materials

The collection is in English, although there are a few items in Turkish as well.

Access Restrictions

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: ASFinquiries@cjh.org

Historical Note

The Quincentennial Foundation of Istanbul (QFoI) was established in 1989 by a group of Turkish citizens seeking to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the welcoming of the Jewish people to the Ottoman Empire after their expulsion from Spain in 1492. The Quincentennial Foundation was originally founded and headquartered in Istanbul, but a branch was opened shortly thereafter in New York. The latter office cooperated closely with the American Sephardi Federation and the American Association of Jewish Friends of Turkey. Later, the New York branch operated as the Quincentennial Foundation (QF).

The major goals of the Foundation were the promotion of tourism in Turkey and the spreading of knowledge about the life and traditions of the Jewish people in that region. In order to reach out to the public in the United States, the Foundation cooperated with a public relations company called the GCI Group which monitored and commissioned articles on Jewish life and culture in Turkey in various periodicals. The Foundation planned a "three-year cultural and academic program designed to bring the diverse and rich legacy to a greater audience", as it stands in the press release of the Quincentennial Foundation of Istanbul (U.S.A.). In general, the correspondence was addressed and produced on the part of the QF by the Co-Chairmen Ahmet Ertegun, Leon Levy, the President Ivan Schick, and the Executive Director Edward Alcosser.

One of the social highlights of the activities organized by the QF was a Gala dinner at the Plaza Hotel on April 27, 1992. The dinner was attended by many prominent personalities of Turkish, Jewish, and American communities. This included the President of the Republic of Turkey Turgut Ozal, Henry Kissinger, a number of members of the US Senate and Congress, as well as members of the diplomatic corps, and representatives of various Jewish organizations.

The Quincentennial Foundation closed its office in 1994.

Extent

1.4 Linear Feet (1 box, and 1 MS box)

Abstract

The Records of the Quincentennial Foundation contain the agenda of the office set up to coordinate activities related to the celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the coming of Jewish people to the Ottoman Empire in 1492. The Quincentennial Foundation supported a number of cultural and educational events and attempted to disseminate knowledge about the Jewish people in Turkey. In order to effectively target a broad audience the Foundation cooperated with a public relations agency and the correspondence with this company constitutes a great deal of the collection. Most of the documents are correspondence and various reports.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in two thematically distinctive series.

  1. Series I: Administrative Records, 1990-1994
  2. Series II: Gala Dinner New York, 1991-1993

Related Material

The Records of the American Sephardi Federation in possession of the Archive of the American Sephardi Federation.

Title
Guide to the Records of the Quincentennial Foundation 1990-1994; bulk 1991-1992 ASF AR-5
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by Stanislav Pejša
Date
© 2002.
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Description is in English.
Edition statement
This version was derived from QuincentennialFoundation02.xml

Revision Statements

  • September 2004.: Converted to ead 2002. Revised as QuincentennialFoundation02.xml by Dianne Ritchey Oummia. Removed deprecated elements and attributes, updated repository codes, added language codes, changed doctype declaration, etc.
  • January 2006.: Entities removed from EAD finding aid.

Repository Details

Part of the American Sephardi Federation Repository

Contact:
15 West 16th Street
New York NY 10011 United States