JEWISH FEDERATION OF INDIANAPOLIS RECORDS, 1880-(----)

Collection #

M 0463

OMB 0013

CT 0568-0571

JEWISH FEDERATION OF INDIANAPOLIS

RECORDS, 1880-( )

Collection Information

Historical Sketch

Scope and Content Note

Series Contents

Cataloging Information

Processed by

Paul Brockman

September 23, 1986

Revised, June 10, 1997

Revised by Monica Casanova

January 9, 2008

Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269

www.indianahistory.org

COLLECTION INFORMATION

VOLUME OF COLLECTION:	Manuscript Materials: 359 Manuscript Boxes; 1 oversize box, 4 cassette tapes, Visual Materials: 3 Boxes of Photographs, 1 Box of Color Photographs, 1 OVA Photographs Folder, 1 OVC Graphics box, 1 Oversize Graphic in flat file storage, 1 box of 4x5 Polyester negatives, 1 8x10 Acetate Negative
COLLECTION DATES:	1903-( )
PROVENANCE:	Jewish Welfare Federation, 615 N. Alabama, Indianapolis, IN 46204, March, 1982, January, 1983, October, 1986.
RESTRICTIONS:	Boxes 264-274 are restricted. Permission for use must be obtained in writing from the Jewish Welfare Federation.
COPYRIGHT:
REPRODUCTION RIGHTS:	Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society.
ALTERNATE FORMATS:	None
RELATED HOLDINGS:	Jewish Community Center Records (M-349); Judith Endelman, The Jewish Community of Indianapolis, 1849 to the Present (F 534, .I55, E 5, 1984), Federation World/Federation News [monthly newsletter, 1960-present] (HV 3192, .I55).
ACCESSION NUMBER:	1980.0606, 1983.0111, 1987.0003, 1987.0453, 1987.0456, 1987.0457, 1987.0458, 1987.0459, 1987.0460, 1987.0461, 1987.0462, 1987.0463, 1987.0464, 1987.0465, 1987.0468, 1987.0469
NOTES:	The Jewish Welfare Federation of Indianapolis continues to donate their inactive records to the Indiana Historical Society as they accumulate. The size of this collection will increase over time.

The Jewish Welfare Federation of Indianapolis was established in 1905 as the Jewish Federation to centralize fund raising and allocate funds to support local and nation Jewish organizations. Initially the federation, which consisted of existing immigrant aid societies such as the Industrial Removal Office and the Hebrew Ladies Benevolent Society, provided services to the poor in the Jewish immigrant community through financial support, employment opportunities, health care, and assistance in adjusting to American life. With the decline of immigration in the 1920s, the organization's interests shifted to Jewish community-related projects such as the Kirshbaum Center (1926), a community center which served as a social gathering and meeting place and offered adult education programs. In addition, the federation became a member of the Indianapolis War Chest (later the Community Chest, then the Community Fund) in 1918. The Jewish Welfare Fund, an autonomous, yet constituent agency of the Jewish Federation, was established in 1926 to raise and distribute funds for areas which the Community Fund would not support. The Welfare Fund conducted annual fund raising campaigns that provided support for local and national Jewish organizations and which helped to cover federation deficits. In 1948 the Jewish Federation and the Jewish Welfare Fund were combined and reorganized to form the Jewish Welfare Federation of Indianapolis. The federation continues to conduct annual fund raising campaigns to support national Jewish organizations such as the United Jewish Appeal and the federation's local member organizations: the Jewish Education Association (now the Bureau of Jewish Education), the Jewish Community Center Association, Jewish Social Services, Jewish Family and Children's Services, Park Regency retirement housing, and the Hooverwood home for the aged. Also affiliated with the federation is the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council, which was started in 1947 as a joint venture of the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Congress, and became an independent organization in 1954. The council originally concentrated on combating anti-Semitism, but it later became involved in working for civil and human rights for both Jews and non-Jews.

The Federation continues to support the needs of the United Jewish Appeal, local organizations, and overseas and national agencies. Financial support is received from the annual JWF campaign, the United Way, membership dues and fees from local Jewish agencies, and the endowment. In 1984 the Federation allocated 55% of its budget to the United Jewish Appeal; 42.8% to local Jewish Agency needs (Jewish Community Center Organization, Jewish Family and Children's Services, Hooverwood, and the Bureau of Jewish Education), federation campaign and administration, and special funds such as scholarships and maintenance and upkeep of Jewish buildings; and 2.2% to oversees and national agencies such as the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, and the National Jewish Welfare Board.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection has been divided into five series based upon individual organizations and events. Series I contains the correspondence and records of the Jewish Welfare Federation, the Jewish Federation, the Jewish Welfare Fund, and other predecessor organizations, 1903-1983; Series II, the Jewish Community Relations Council and Anti-Defamation League records, correspondence, and printed materials, 1945-1977 ; Series III, annual federation fund raising campaign statistics, organization, and events including those of the Women's and Men's Divisions, 1932-1980; Series IV, records of the Industrial Removal Office and other predecessor organizations, 1908-1949; and Series V, generally related published materials. All future additions to this collection will be placed in Series VI.

Series I, Correspondence and Records, includes board of governors, directors, and executive committee meeting minutes (1903-1970); budget and policy committee reports; personnel records; records of funds allocated to local and national organizations; annual meeting minutes and reports; and public relations materials. Also contained are correspondence, minutes of meetings, reports, budgets, financial records, and printed materials of the federation's member organizations, including the Jewish Education Association; the Jewish Community Center Association, including records regarding the Kirschbaum Center and the construction of a new center; the Borinstein and Hooverwood homes for the aged and Park Regency retirement apartments; the Jewish Family and Children's Services; and the Jewish Social Services (1945-1983). In addition there are correspondence and materials regarding the Young Leadership Council, philanthropic funds and memorials, and national Jewish organizations such as the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds and the United Jewish Appeal (1956-1983). From 1956-1966 the organization's files were maintained on a yearly basis in alphabetical order, from 1967 to the present the files are maintained on a continual basis in alphabetical order and are donated to the IHS when they are determined to be inactive.

Series II, Jewish Community Relations Council, covers the period 1944-1977 and consists of correspondence with national, state, and local religious, human, and civil rights organizations concerning subjects such as anti-Semitism, racial and religious discrimination, and church-state relation problems including prayer in schools and Christmas. Also included are the council's committee meeting minutes, financial records, communications with other state wide Jewish organizations, and miscellaneous printed materials and correspondence regarding anti-Semitism, Zionism, and JCRC meetings and activities. Also involvement with community, and national problems such as poverty, equal housing, political extremism, and legislative and legal issues.

Series III, Campaigns, contains lists, financial figures, special events, functions, and publicity regarding the annual fund raiser, 1958-1980, with other earlier like items dating to 1932. Also included is a sub-series containing records of the Women's and Men's Divisions,

1956-1980. Most of these records involve the divisions roles in the annual campaigns such as activities, financial figures, reports, soliciting workers and donors, membership lists, and the records of the Young Matrons Division.

Series IV, Industrial Removal Office and Other Predecessor Organizations, includes individual case records containing relief records, medical statements, financial assistance, and correspondence with other city's immigrant and transient organizations, 1908-1919. Also the correspondence and records of individual case aid by the Jewish Social Service Association, 1921-1934; arrival case cards, 1927-1949; and Jewish Family Service Society Records, 1942-1949. Use of these records are restricted. Permission to use must be granted in writing by the Jewish Welfare Federation.

Series V, Published Materials, includes publications of the Anti-Defamation League and Jewish Community Relations Council, 1949-1954; Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds publications (1940s-1960s); Jewish Welfare Federation scrapbooks, 1940-1967); periodicals and yearbooks published by Jewish organizations, 1974-1976; and general and current Indianapolis Jewish organizations newsletter and publications, 1960- .

The largest portion of the collection was transferred from the Jewish Welfare Federation of Indianapolis to the Indiana Historical Society in 1982. All records are open to the public except those that contain confidential information about individuals who sought assistance from the Federation: Minutes of the Jewish Federation Board and the Jewish Federation Executive Committee, 1905-1928; Industrial Removal Office Case Files, 1908-1919; Industrial Removal Office Register of Arrivals, 1911-1913; Jewish Social Services Association Case Files, 1921-1934; Services to Foreign Born--records regarding resettlement of Jewish Refugees, 1927-1949. Individuals wishing to use this part of the collection must receive written permission from the Jewish Welfare Federation of Indianapolis. Additional Federation files were transferred to the Historical Society in 1983 and 1986.

series CONTENTS

Series 1: Correspondence and Records