Guide to the Papers of Abraham and Irma Lopes Cardozo
1910-2008
(Bulk 1950-1994)

ASF AR-8

Subgroup I: Personal Papers of Abraham and Irma Lopes Cardozo, 1958-1988.

Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically with the files of Rev. Abraham Lopes Cardozo followed by various members of the family.

Scope and Content:

These series contain the personal papers of Reverend Abraham Lopes Cardozo and his wife Irma Robles Lopes Cardozo. They are made up of speeches, lectures, sermons, and events (i.e., Bat Mitzvahs) in the lives of the two Cardozos; events and publications honoring the Cardozos; correspondence received by the Cardozos as well some written to friends and relatives; honors received by the Cardozos (i.e., on anniversaries, etc.) and newspaper articles detailing the life of the Cardozos. The Cardozos' lives were inextricably bound up in the Congregation Shearith Israel Community of New York City, but also very significant is their reception of the "City of Peace" award, and Reverend Cardozo's knighting by the Netherlands government in 2000. Their personal papers continue to accumulate even as they are being processed.

Series 1: Cardozo, Abraham Lopes, 1934-2006.

Scope and Content:

These folders contain speeches and events (i.e., Bat Mitzvahs, Erev hazzanut, etc.) from the life of the Reverend Abraham Lopes Cardozo. Included as well is information regarding the publication of Reverend Cardozo's book Sephardic Songs of Praise, the Sephardic Program Resource Guide, published articles, information and correspondence about Rev. Cardozo wanting to become a mohel, and materials from Rev. Cardozo’s teaching of Sephardic Hazzanut at Yeshiva University.

Series 2: Family, 1950-2003.

Scope and Content:

These folders contain memorabilia mainly from the lives of the Cardozos' children : Deborah (born 1952) and Judith (born 1955), the husbands of each of the daughters, and the children born to each, including some family photos. Of particular note is Yossi Blum, Deborah's son from her first marriage to Jay Richard Blum, who was valedictorian at Yeshiva College of Yeshiva University in 1999. He was married shortly thereafter, and became a Doctor of Medicine in 2003.

Series 3: Robles-Lopes Cardozo Families, 1947-2006.

Scope and Content:

These folders contain a number of items associated with Irma Lopes Cardozo's life, philanthropic activities and career. They include a few writings, recipes, commendations, and letters of recommendation dating from the time that Irma Lopes Cardozo came to America from Surinam at the end of WWII. They also include some correspondence on the death of her mother in March, 1966 as well as a small amount of material about the Robles family, its genealogy and heraldry. The collection also includes a number of letters of recommendation, as well as a petition instigated by Irma Lopes Cardozo fighting the inclusion of women on the Board of Electors of Congregation Shearith Israel. Finally, the series includes articles and photos from the wedding of Miss Robles to Rev. Abraham Lopes Cardozo.

Series 4: Honors and Newspaper Clippings, 1939-2004.

Scope and Content:

These folders contain a number of items honoring Rev. Abraham Lopes Cardozo and his wife Irma Robles Lopes Cardozo. Rev. Cardozo served as a hazzan at Congregation Shearith Israel in New York City, NY for more than fifty years, while Irma Lopes Cardozo was involved in many philanthropic institutions in the U.S. and in Israel. They are honored both for their contributions in the field of hazzanut, but also for their contributions towards various philanthropic institutions. Most notable among their philanthropic activities is Irma Lopes Cardozo's extensive involvement in the Central Sephardic Jewish Community of America's Women Division. The materials are mainly newspaper clippings and photocopies and programs from various events. Of particular note is the Santo Servicio conducted in 2004 at the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam in honor of Rev. Cardozo’s 90th birthday. Papers are arranged chronologically according to individual.

Series 5: Correspondence, 1934-2004.

Scope and Content:

This series contains a collection of some of the correspondence exchanged by Reverend and Irma Lopes Cardozo over a nearly forty year period. It consists partly of letters of acknowledgement and recognition sent to the Cardozos during this period, both personal and that which has to do with Rev. Cardozo’s responsibilities as a hazzan and the Cardozos’ philanthropic activities. There are also a number of letters from and to various members of the Cardozo and the Robles families and a large collection of letters gratefully acknowledging the Cardozos for their conscientious and generous giving of time and energy to various causes.

Subseries A: Business Papers and Personal Correspondence, 1934-2003.

Subseries B: Special Papers and Correspondence, 1950-2003.

Subgroup II: Influential Individuals in the lives of Abraham and Irma Lopes Cardozo, 1907-2000.

Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically according to last name of personality.

Scope and Content:

This subgroup features information on individuals with whom the Cardozos came into contact during their more than 50 years of involvement with Congregation Shearith Israel in New York and with Sephardic communities around the world. It contains materials on such figures as the Haham Solomon Gaon, the Reverend Dr. Louis Gerstein, the Reverend Dr. David de Sola Pool, and Dr. Pool's wife: Tamar Pool. Dr. David de Sola Pool was the Rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel when Reverend Cardozo became the hazzan there during the 1940s, while Dr. Louis Gerstein was the Rabbi there during the 1960s and 1970s. The Haham Solomon Gaon was a major figure in the Cardozo's community in N.Y. as well as a close friend of their family. There is a collection of photographs included in which the Central Sephardic Jewish Community mounted a plaque at Yeshiva University in honor of Dr. Gaon. Though deriving from individuals familiar to the Cardozos, some of this material long pre-dates these individuals' participation and contact with the Cardozo family. Some figures have been included because they appear to have made a major impact upon the lives of the Cardozos. They were important enough that the Cardozos felt that they wanted them to be included in their archives.

Subgroup III: Congregation Shearith Israel, 1892-2006,  (bulk 1930-1981).

Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically by project date.

Scope and Content:

This subgroup describes material dealing with Congregation Shearith Israel-The Spanish Portuguese Synagogue of New York City, NY. Reverend Cardozo served there as Assistant Hazzan for more than 50 years. As such, the Synagogue has been extremely important in the lives of both of the Cardozos. This series goes beyond the Cardozos' contact with the Synagogue to describe some of the major events that have taken place there over the past 250 years. Thus, one finds information authored by Rev. David de Sola Pool describing the Mill Street Building, the Crosby Street Building and the 70th Street building that belonged to Shearith Israel over its 300 year history. One also finds information on the 250th anniversary of the Synagogue, of its Tercentenary in 1954, and of the constitution of the Hevra Hesed Va-Emet in 1892. A variety of events are represented which may or may not directly involve the Cardozos.

Subgroup IV: Organizations, 1974-2008.

Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically according to name of organization.

Scope and Content:

Rev. and Mrs. Abraham Lopes Cardozo have long been heavily involved in a wide variety of philanthropic and non-profit organizations, many having to do with Jewish education and social welfare agencies. Irma Lopes Cardozo served on the Executive and the Membership committees for many of these organizations, such as Alliance Israelite Universelle and the American Sephardi Federation. Rev. and Irma Lopes Cardozo's service was distinguished with honors by some of these organizations, such as the Yedid Nefesh Award given to them by the Jaffa Institute. With still others, such as the Women's Division of the Central Sephardic Jewish Community, Irma Lopes Cardozo ascended to the position of vice-president and president of the organization. Some of the papers retained from these experiences are included in this series.

Series I : General Organizations, 1974-2008.

Scope and Content:

This series contains a collection of materials from some of the various philanthropic organizations with which Rev. and Mrs. Cardozo worked. They include correspondence, informational brochures, and even the by-laws. Also included are a number of photos, memos, and clippings highlighting the activities of some of the organizations.

Series II: American Friends of Misgav Ladach Hospital in Jerusalem, 1972-2003.

Scope and Content:

This series describes material dealing with the American Friends of Misgav Ladach Hospital in Jerusalem, Israel. This hospital was originally founded in the late 1800s by Rabbi Isaac Askenazi, the son of the then Chief Rabbi of Eretz Yisrael, as Rishon-Lezion-Hacham Bashi Avraham Askenazi to serve as a women's maternity hospital. A new building was erected for the hospital in the mid-1980s, as is detailed in some of the material cited here. The American Friends of Misgav Ladach Hospital were instrumental in the erection of the new building. Irma Lopes Cardozo served for a number of years as the President of the American Friends of Misgav Ladach hospital, and through her efforts, over $100,000 was raised to help in the construction. Playing such an important role in the organization, Irma Lopes Cardozo has collected a great deal of information about its history, by-laws, and correspondence.

Subgroup V: Communities, 1866-2007.

Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically according to name of community.

Scope and Content:

The Cardozos have traveled extensively and been ivolved with a wide variety of Sephardic Communities. From Rev. Cardozo's birthplace in Amsterdam to Irma Lopes Cardozo's birthplace in Surinam, there are numerous Sephardic Communities that have been significant in the lives of the Cardozos. In this subgroup are included a number of the major Sephardic Communities with which the Cardozos have come into contact. A separate series contains materials describing the world of Surinam, where Irma Robles Lopes Cardozo was born and spent the first years of her life.

Series I : General Communities, 1866-2007.

Scope and Content:

This series contains a collection of materials from some of the various communities with which the Cardozos have had contact over the past 60 years. The series contains materials extending from the installation of Rev. Prof. B. Artom at the Spanish and Portuguese Jews Synagogue in London in 1866 up to the Janina Sisterhood's 60th anniversary in 1992. The materials have been grouped in general geographical order and then alphabetized.

Series II : Surinam, 1890-2003.

Scope and Content:

This series contains a collection of references and articles dealing with Surinam, a locale with which the Cardozos have had contact throughout their lives. The materials contain information about the Jewish community, the general community, the political situation, and the physical landscape and include correspondence from a number of different organizations, informational brochures on a few organizations, and numerous articles from such publications as the Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society. Also included are a number of photos, memos, and clippings highlighting the activities in Suriname. Granted independence on November 25, 1975, Suriname added an e to the end of the name of the territory, which was also known as Dutch Guiana.

Subgroup VI: Special Topics, 1973-1980.

Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically according to the title of the folder.

Scope and Content:

Irma Robles Lopes Cardozo has attempted on several occasions to write the story of her life. The first of these two folders contains two such attempts. Irma Lopes Cardozo considers these attempts too sensitive and so has asked that they remain closed until after the parties involved or described herein are all dead. Irma Lopes Cardozo has promised that these efforts are to be replaced by a new autobiography on which she is currently working. The second folder contains correspondence involving the Cardozos which they have deemed too sensitive for public consumption. They have closed these two folders and wish them to remain closed until 25 years after their deaths.