Found 9 collections related to African American Jews

Temple Beth Ab Shalom was incorporated in 1972, with the principal place of worship in Wyandanch, Long Island, in New York. The temple relocated to Brooklyn in 1975, where it continues its mission. The Temple Beth Ab Shalom records include biographical sketches of the founders, lists of founding members and trustees, incorporation papers, lessons, programs, and membership rules. less

Hatzaad Harishon ("The First Step") was formed in New York City in 1964, by Yaakov Gladstone, a white Jewish Hebrew teacher, with the aim of bridging the gap between Black and white Jews of America. Its members adhered to the concept of Klal Yisrael ("the unity of the world's Jewish community") and rejected any ideology which was separatist and did not place Israel as the spiritual and national center of the Jewish people. Open to all Jews regardless of race, members of the adult organization met monthly and offered programs covering a wide range of topics and concerns. The organization sponsored Hatzaad Harishon's Youth/Young Adults, an activities group for young people ages 16-20. This group first came together as an Israeli dance troupe for the children of the adult members. The dance group was the fundraising and primary public relations arm of the youth group, and received media attention for its performances of Israeli folk dances. The organization dissolved in the late 1970s due to internal turmoil and the resignation of Yaakov Gladstone as vice president. The Hatzaad Harishon records consist of the correspondence of Yaakov Gladstone with other Jewish organizations; files about Hatzaad Harishon's youth activities and programs; and minutes of youth meetings. Also included are membership lists, files on fundraising benefits, and membership meeting notebooks. There is also scholarship and educational material, including information about yeshivot; program files and printed material related to other Jewish organizations associated with Hatzaad Harishon; and the mission statement and incorporation papers. Of interest is correspondence pertaining to Black Jews in Ethiopia and Philadelphia, and the Association of Black and White Jews, also located in Philadelphia. less

The Ethiopian Hebrews Falasha Congregation, a black Hebrew congregation, was formed in the late 1950s in Brooklyn and disbanded in the late 1960s-early 1970s. In 1988 the congregation formed a burial society and now owns and operates the Mt. Moriah Cemetery in Fairview, New Jersey where members of the congregation are buried. The collection comprises: a list of members of the congregation, 1968, prepared by Rabbi Clifford A. Woods (includes a handwritten original and typed copy); a press release regarding a bazaar to raise money to furnish and equip a building for the congregation; photocopy of a letter from Iris R. Woods to Mrs. Roy, thanking her for assistance and gifts to the congregation; and a letter certifying purchase of a burial plot in Mt. Moriah Cemetery (1997). less

Kohol Beth B'nai Yisroel, a Black Hebrew congregation, was founded by Rabbi Julius Wilkins, later known as Rabbi Yirmeyahu Yisrael, in 1947. In approximately 1964, Kohol merged with Congregation Mount Horeb, located at 1036 Reverend Polite Place in the Bronx, where it continues to function. The Kohol Beth B'nai Yisroel records consist primarily of minutes of the board of trustees, 1945-1960; membership and donation ledgers, 1946-1957; and a list of members who, in 1954, transferred to two other black Hebrew congregations: Congregation Mount Horeb in the Bronx and B'nai Adath Kol Beth Yisroel in Brooklyn. Additionally, the collection contains financial records and issues of the newspaper, The Jerusalem Chronicle, 1990-1991. less

The Commandment Keepers Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation, one of the oldest and largest communities of Black Hebrews in the United States, was founded in Harlem in 1919, by Rabbi Wentworth Arthur Matthew (1892-1973). Though this congregation traces its origin to the activities of those who came to New York during the first waves of Black migration and immigration, it was in the post World War II years that the community took root. Rabbi Matthew created a number of auxiliary organizations, and today there are seven Black synagogues in the downstate New York area that trace their origins directly to Rabbi Matthew and his congregation. The synagogue is located in Harlem. The Commandment Keepers Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation records consist of several ledgers, including a photocopy of a record book listing members' names and addresses, births and deaths (1923-1959); and other membership ledgers providing individual financial records, worship, and Hebrew school attendance (1927-1959). The collection ledger lists amounts donated from 1974-1991. The collection also includes correspondence of Rabbi Matthew regarding dedication of the new synagogue in Harlem (1962) and speaking engagements in the Northeast (1968-1970). There is also a notebook listing members of various committees, along with notes about several services held at the synagogue (1948), a golden anniversary program (1966), and news clippings. less

The Wentworth A. Matthew collection relates primarily to the financial and real estate concerns of Rabbi Matthew and the Commandment Keepers. Included are deeds, contracts, architectural drawings, and invoices for property purchased in Wyandanch and Babylon, Long Island, where Matthew intended to establish a resident community. Also included are insurance policies for property leased by the congregation in Brooklyn and Manhattan. There are also personal insurance policies for Rabbi Matthew as well as correspondence and wills deeding property to Rabbi Matthew and the synagogue. Of interest are a 1931 letter from Rabbi Arnold J. Ford, musical director of Marcus Garvey's UNIA, to Matthew discussing the latter's certificate of ordination and urging him to encourage Black Jews to settle in Ethiopia. Matthew's death certificate from Harlem Hospital and letters to his daughter are included in the collection. less

In 1972, Rabbi and Rabbinit Yahonatan founded the Beth Ha-Tefilah Ethiopian (Black) Hebrew Congregation in St. Albans, Queens, New York, as a spiritual branch of the Headquarters Commandment Keepers Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation in Harlem. By the early 1980s, the Beth Ha-Tefilah congregation had relocated to Mount Vernon, New York. Although the temple was still in existence as of 2005, there was no congregation. The Beth Ha-Tefilah Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation records include the constitution; by-laws; minutes of board meetings (1963-1988); and a scrapbook containing correspondence with other Hebrew congregations, newsletters, flyers, programs, and copies of telegrams expressing sympathy upon the death of members' relatives. less

Congregation Mount Horeb, a Black Hebrew congregation, was founded by Rabbi Albert Moses in 1945. In 1954, the congregation was reorganized by Rabbi Joseph Thomas. The Congregation Mount Horeb records consist primarily of membership meeting minutes (1976-1988), financial reports, legal documents, and correspondence pertaining to the sale of property owned by the congregation in Manhattan and Laurelton, Queens. The records reflect an internal dispute among members of the congregation regarding the ownership and sale of buildings. The collection includes membership lists and a ledger (1976-1987), as well as its constitution and by-laws. less