Mission: The mission of the American Jewish Historical Society is to foster awareness and appreciation of the American Jewish Heritage and to serve as a national scholarly resource for research through the collection, preservation, and dissemination of materials relating to American Jewish history.
Geographic areas served: National
Programs: Library and archive - the organization welcomes all researchers who wish to conduct research on american jewish life from first arrival in the americas to the present day. The library consists of approximately 50,000 volumes, including both books and serials (journals and periodicals). The organization houses approximately 1,500 archival collections and has developed finding aids for its personal and institutional holdings, and they are available online.
exhibits - a) contributors to the cause, an overview of the history of jewish philanthropy in the united states, presenting a historical narrative and a compelling collection of more than 200 on-screen images of archival material including letters, documents, photographs, organizational papers, and government records dating from the 1700s through the late 20th century. B) passages through the fire, an exhibition exploring the meaning of the civil war for jews in america. C) chaplains exhibit - teaches current generations about the roles that american jewish chaplains played at winning world war ii and rescuing holocaust survivors around the world.
publications - a) american jewish historical journal - scholarly journal of published articles on american jewish themes. B) heritage newsletter - general interest magazine and a source of information about the organization's activities and programs.
MRK
Professional with expertise in this field
10/15/2009
Rating: 5
10/15/2009
AJHS is home to a treasure trove of historical materials. It houses vitally important collections and makes them accessible to a wide audience. Virtually anyone who has ever done any kind of historical research related to the American Jewish experience has spent significant time in the archives at AJHS, now housed in a beautiful and state-of-the-art facility at the Center for Jewish History in New York. AJHS is also committed to public programming, which makes it not only a valuable facilitator of scholarship but also an important contributor to public knowledge and awareness.
The AJHS is a substantial leader in supplying historical information on American Jewry especially for our local Jewish Historical Society in Napa, CA. We rely on this organization for valuable photographs and data that we use in local programming. Also the variety of programs and cultural interests held in NY but available online, is a resource that we can not live without! Thank you AJHS.
DDM
Professional with expertise in this field
10/08/2009
Rating: 5
10/08/2009
As an historian of American Jews, I have consistently found the rich archives of this organization to be invaluable for my work. Even more important, they continue to add to their collections, most recently an archive on the Soviet Jewry Movement and another one on the Jewish Counter Culture. These are welcome initiatives that will continue to pay dividends in the future.
I'm always fascinated and amazed by the stories and information AJHS shares. I've enjoyed visiting their museum and reading from their website & emails.
