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Finding Aid
Subcollection: Subject Matter

This subcollection details JDC’s relief activities in this period, including efforts to assist orphans and children; to support rabbis and cultural and religious institutions; to provide aid for emigrants, and care and relief for the displaced and the vulnerable; to set up medical facilities and public health services to combat disease, infant mortality, and unsanitary living conditions; to distribute supplies and kosher provisions; to respond to personal appeals for help in locating and assisting family members; and to organize trade schools, training programs, and loan societies; to supply tools and machinery; and to help rebuild homes and shattered lives. It is arranged in nine record groups.

Record Group 3-1: Child Care

File 88.1: Child Care, 1919-1921

Extent: 1.5 inches

Correspondence, reports (English, Yiddish, German) on child care, children’s medical problems, orphans, financial adoptions, bringing orphans to relatives to the U.S. Information Service Letter (September 15, 1920) on war orphans, plans for their care.

Child Care, 1919-1921

File 88.2: Child Care, War Orphans Bureau, 1920-1921

Extent: 1.25 inches

Correspondence, reports on establishment, activities of war orphans bureau since opening in November 1920, procedures for financial adoptions. Jessie Bogen paper (transmitted May 25, 1921) on Jewish war orphans; Sir Herbert Samuel letter (July 12, 1921) commending JDC’s work with orphans in Palestine. Miscellaneous queries, responses on individual children. List [Names in correspondence]

Child Care, War Orphans Bureau, 1920-1921

File 88.3: Child Care, Financial Adoption Lists, 1921

Extent: 0.75 inch

Lists of children in financial adoption plans, names of adopter.

Child Care, Financial Adoption Lists, 1921

File 89.1: Child Care, Administration-Financial, 1921

Extent: 0.75 inch

Correspondence, reports on activities and procedures of War Orphans Bureau, financial adoptions, remittances, fund-raising, publicity.

Child Care, Administration-Financial, 1921

File 89.2: Child Care, Administration-Financial, 1920

Extent: 1 inch

Correspondence, reports on activities and procedures of War Orphans Bureau, miscellaneous on financial adoptions, remittances, fund-raising, publicity. Proposed accounting procedures. List [Names of children in correspondence]

Child Care, Administration-Financial, 1920

Record Group 3-2: Cultural and Religious Aid

File 90.1: Cultural and Religious Aid, 1921

Extent: 1 inch

Correspondence on religious, cultural, educational needs; allocations, appeals for funds. List [Names of some rabbis who received funds]

Cultural and Religious Aid, 1921

File 90.2: Cultural and Religious Aid, 1919-1920

Extent: 0.50 inch

Correspondence on religious, cultural, educational needs; appeals, specific percentages for cultural work, allocations made by constituent agencies. List [Names of some rabbis who received funds]

Cultural and Religious Aid, 1919-1920

Record Group 3-3: Emigration and Immigration

File 91: Emigration and Immigration, 1919-1921

Extent: 0.50 inch

Correspondence on emigration, migration plans, relations with Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), aid, sentiments on emigration.

Emigration and Immigration, 1919-1921

Record Group 3-4: Medical-Sanitary Relief

File 92: Medical-Sanitary Relief, 1920-1921

Extent: 0.50 inch

Reports from Dr. Harry Plotz on medical and sanitary needs, assignments and activities of medical staff. JDC Information Service Letter (March 1, 1921) on medical activities. List [Names of medical personnel in reports, correspondence]

Medical-Sanitary Relief, 1920-1921

File 93: Medical-Sanitary Relief, Medical Unit Overseas, 1920-1921

Extent: 0.75 inch

Financial, accounting and administrative correspondence concerning the overseas medical unit, including staff assignments, expenditures, logistics. Press release (January 19, 1921) on medical unit’s departure for Eastern Europe. List [Names of medical personnel in reports, correspondence]

Medical-Sanitary Relief, Medical Unit Overseas, 1920-1921

Record Group 3-5: Pogroms and Persecution

File 94.1: Pogroms and Persecution

Extent: 0.25 inch

Limited correspondence, bulletins/reports of the Comite des Delegations Juives Aupres de la Conference de la Paix (on aid to Jews after the Paris Peace Conference).

Pogroms and Persecution

File 94.2: Pogroms and Persecution, Printed Materials

Extent: 0.75 inch

Reports (bound) of pogroms: “Poland, Gallicia [sic] and the Persecution of the Jews at Lemberg” (English) by Max Blokzyl; “Der Lemberger Judenpogrom, November 1918-Janner 1919″ by Josef Bendow (German); and Evidence of Pogroms in Poland and Ukrainia” (English), collection of documents, eyewitness accounts and proceedings in Polish parliament.

 Pogroms and Persecution, Printed Materials

Record Group 3-6: Reconstruction

File 95.1: Reconstruction, General, 1918-1919

Extent: 0.15 inch

Miscellaneous correspondence, memos on needs, plans for reconstruction.

Reconstruction, General, 1918-1919

File 95.2: Reconstruction, General, February-August 1920

Extent: 1.25 inch

Miscellaneous correspondence, memos on needs, plans for reconstruction in Eastern Europe and Palestine, extent to which JDC can undertake projects, limited access to certain locations.

Reconstruction, General, February-August 1920

File 95.3: Reconstruction, Bramson Report, 1920

Extent: 0.33 inch

Leonty Bramson detailed report on limits of relief, need for reconstruction, education and vocational training, tools, machinery. Report for discussion in June-July 1920 by United Committee of the Central Jewish Organizations in Aid of Victims of the War and the Pogroms, EKOPO, Petrograd.

Reconstruction, Bramson Report, 1920

File 96.1: Reconstruction, General, September-December 1920

Extent: 0.33 inch

Correspondence, memos on reconstruction in Eastern Europe; on needs, plans for reconstruction, cooperation with Jewish Colonization Association (ICA). List [Names of people associated with reconstruction work in various locations]

Reconstruction, General, September-December 1920

File 96.2: Reconstruction, General, January 1921

Extent: 0.20 inch

Correspondence on reconstruction in Eastern Europe and Palestine.

Reconstruction, General, January 1921

File 97.1: Reconstruction, General, February-March 1921

Extent: 0.75 inch

Miscellaneous correspondence, cables on reconstruction in Eastern Europe and Palestine, including letters on how to organize reconstruction offices, activities; lay leadership roles, arrangements with foreign organizations engaged in similar work in Europe. Minutes of meetings.

Reconstruction, General, February-March 1921

File 97.2: Reconstruction, General, April-June 1921

Extent: 1.5 inch

Correspondence, reports, memos, cables on reconstruction in Eastern Europe and Palestine. Memo (transmitted May 26, 1921) on Sir Herbert Samuel’s proposal on establishment of Palestine Mortgage Bank, to replace the Turkish regime’s State Agricultural Bank. Miscellaneous on accounting, administrative procedures. List [Names of personnel, lay leadership in various reports, minutes]

Reconstruction, General, April-June 1921

File 98.1: Reconstruction, Conference, April 1921

Extent:  0.50 inch

Report (Yiddish, English) on first Jewish reconstruction conference in Poland (April 12-14, 1921). Reviews preparatory questions about functional reconstruction activities; summarizes speeches, discussion. List [Names of those attending conference]

Reconstruction, Conference, April 1921

File 98.2: Reconstruction, Tools and Machinery, 1920-1921

Extent:  0.25 inch

Miscellaneous correspondence, cables on tools, machinery, related supplies; cooperation with ORT for distribution.

Reconstruction, Tools and Machinery, 1920-1921

Record Group 3-7: Refugees

File 99.1: Refugees, 1919-1920

Extent: 0.33 inch

Correspondence, cables, reports on refugees. JDC Information Service Letter (October 15, 1920) on refugees, dispatch of JDC staff to various countries, cooperation with Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS).

Refugees, 1919-1920

File 99.2: Refugees, 1921

Extent: 0.66 inch

Correspondence, cables, reports on refugees, primarily Bernhard Kahn reports, budgets for aid to refugees, in various stages of flight, including emigrants and returnees.

Refugees, 1921

Record Group 3-8: Personal Service

File 100: Personal services

Extent: 0.20 inch

Formerly named “Relatives and Friends.” Memos, correspondence on personal services, including location services for individuals. Press release (September 1919) on intent to publish lists of relatives in Eastern Europe looking for their breadwinners in the U.S. List [Names of people aided]

Personal services

File 100a: Personal services, Lists

Extent: 3 inches

Formerly named “Relatives and Friends.” Lists (English, Yiddish) of relatives and friends requesting affidavits and transportation funds for individuals in Eastern Europe; arranged alphabetically by town.

Personal services, Lists

Record Group 3-9: Relief Supplies

File 101.1: Relief Supplies, General, 1920-1921

Extent: 1.5 inch

Correspondence, memos, cables on purchase, shipments of supplies; miscellaneous on financing, receipt, distribution of commodities, inventories.

Relief Supplies, General, 1920-1921

File 101.2: Relief Supplies, General, 1919

Extent:0.75 inch

Correspondence, memos, cables on purchase, shipments of supplies; miscellaneous on financing, receipt, distribution of commodities, inventories.

Relief Supplies, General, 1919

File 102: Relief Supplies, Clothing, 1919-1921

Extent:0.33 inch

Correspondence, memos, cables on purchase, shipments of clothing; on impracticality of shipping used clothing. JDC Information Service Letter (September 30, 1920) with guidelines on supplying clothing.

Relief Supplies, Clothing, 1919-1921

File 103: Relief Supplies, Food Packages, 1919-1921

Extent: 1 inch

Correspondence, memos, cables on purchase, shipments of food, primarily in cooperation with American Relief Administration. Queries on sending food parcels to individuals in Eastern Europe. Press release (May 5, 1920) on how to purchase food parcels for individuals in Poland, through bank-issued “food drafts” (sample of food draft in file). List [Names of people who received packages, in lists or in correspondence]

Relief Supplies, Food Packages, 1919-1921

File 104: Relief Supplies, Kosher Food, 1919-1920

Extent:0.75 inch

Memos, cables on appeals, purchase, shipments of kosher food. Artifact: Stencil for marking objects/packages as kosher.

Relief Supplies, Kosher Food, 1919-1920

File 105: Relief Supplies, Food, Matzot, 1919-1921

Extent:1 inch

Correspondence, memos, cables on appeals for, purchase, shipments of flour for matzot. Miscellaneous on remittances, distributions financed by Landsmanschaft Flour Fund.

Relief Supplies, Food, Matzot, 1919-1921

Record Group 3-10: Shipments

File 106.1: Shipments, Ships: A-G

Extent: 0.66 inch

Correspondence, memos, cables on purchase, shipments of relief supplies, organized by ships’ names.

Shipments, Ships: A-G

File 106.2: Shipments, Ships: H-L

Extent: 0.66 inch

Correspondence, memos, cables on purchase, shipments of relief supplies, organized by ships’ names.

Shipments, Ships: H-L

File 107.1: Shipments, Ships: M-O

Extent: 0.50 inch

Correspondence, memos, cables on purchase, shipments of relief supplies, organized by ships’ names.

Shipments, Ships: M-O

File 107.2: Shipments, Ships: P-T

Extent:0.80 inch

Correspondence, memos, cables on purchase, shipments of relief supplies, organized by ships’ names.

Shipments, Ships: P-T

File 108.1: Shipments, Ships: U-V

Extent: 0.20 inch

Correspondence, memos, cables on purchase, shipments of relief supplies, organized by ships’ names.

Shipments, Ships: U-V

File 108.2: Shipments, Ships: W

Extent: 1 inch

Correspondence, memos, cables on purchase, shipments of relief supplies, organized by ships’ names. Miscellaneous on financial and logistical arrangements, cooperation with U.S. government through a relief program, sent via SS Westward-Ho.

Shipments, Ships: W

Finding aid prepared by Eleanor Mlotek and revised by Marilyn Henry with the assistance of a grant from Marshall M. Weinberg in her honor.

In 2014, this collection was re-microfilmed for preservation purposes with a grant from the New York State Program for the Conservation and Preservation of Library Research Materials.

Digitization of this collection was made possible with funding from the Polonsky Foundation.

Archives of The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Inc.

Email: [email protected]