Overview
The Harvard Menorah Society for the Study and Advancement of Jewish Culture and Ideals was founded in 1906 by approximately twenty Jewish students, led by undergraduate Henry Hurwitz (Class of 1908). The organization’s mission was “the study and promotion of Hebraic ideals” and Judaism’s humanistic values. The records, dating from 1906 to 1928, contain administrative documents, membership lists and certificates, president's reports, secretary's reports, and financial records. The collection also contains materials from the group’s committees, as well as general information, programs, publications, addresses given to the Society, and correspondence, including of Aaron Horvitz (Harvard College Class of 1910), who served as the Society’s president from 1911 to 1913.
Dates
- Creation: 1906-1928 and [undated]
Creator
- Harvard Menorah Society (Cambridge, Mass.) (Organization)
Researcher Access
The Records of the Harvard Menorah Society are open for research.
Extent
2.3 cubic feet (16 folders, 4 document boxes, 3 half-document boxes, 1 volume, 1 accordion folder, 1 flat box)The Records of the Harvard Menorah Society, dating from 1906 to 1928, contain administrative documents, including the organization’s constitution, meeting minutes and records, and membership lists and certificates. There are also reports of the president and secretary, as well as financial records, including the treasurer’s files, an account book, and a check book. The collection contains materials from the group’s committees, including banquet committee reports and programs and a secretary’s report. The records also include general information, programs, invitations, publications, addresses given to the Society, and correspondence, including letters of Aaron Horvitz (Harvard College Class of 1910), who served as the Society’s president from 1911 to 1913.
Historical note on the Harvard Menorah Society
The Harvard Menorah Society for the Study and Advancement of Jewish Culture and Ideals was founded in 1906 by approximately twenty Jewish students, led by undergraduate Henry Hurwitz (Class of 1908). The organization’s mission was “the study and promotion of Hebraic ideals” and Judaism’s humanistic values. The group advocated for Harvard to recognize Hebrew studies within the curriculum, encouraged Jewish students to learn more about their heritage, and sought to combat discrimination.
Soon after the Society’s founding and using Harvard as a model, similar groups began forming on campuses across the United States, including at Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania. In 1913, the Intercollegiate Menorah Association (IMA) was formed with help from Hurwitz, who became the group’s chancellor. The national association eventually reached eighty chapters, but was mostly defunct by the 1930s.
Arrangement
The records are arranged in twenty-three series:
- General folder (HUD 3568)
- Programs, 1907-1932 (HUD 3568.2)
- The menorah movement, 1914 (HUD 3568.214)
- Constitution (HUD 3568.500)
- Minutes, 1906-1915 (HUD 3568.505)
- Correspondence, 1906-1928 (HUD 3568.510)
- Correspondence of Aaron Horvitz, President, 1910-1913 (HUD 3568.515)
- Correspondence and records of production of "Job", 1916 (HUD 3568.520)
- Banquet committee reports and papers, 1913-1920 (HUD 3568.606)
- Membership committee report, 1923-1924 (HUD 3568.654)
- Program committee report, 1923-1924 (HUD 3568.671.6)
- Membership lists, 1911-1927 (HUD 3568.754)
- Membership certificates, 1921-1922 (HUD 3568.754.1 PF)
- President's notes on program for year's work, 1915-1916 (HUD 3568.771)
- President's reports, 1908-1922 (HUD 3568.771.5)
- Record of the meetings, 1906-1916 (HUD 3568.775)
- Reports to the Intercollegiate Association, 1915-1921 (HUD 3568.776)
- Secretary's report, 1911-1917 (HUD 3568.780)
- Treasurer's files, 1906-1927 (HUD 3568.787)
- Account book, 1916-1919 (HUD 3568.787.2)
- Check book, 1919-1921 (HUD 3568.787.4)
- Plate [of Harvard Charter] used to print membership cards (HUD 3568.895.2)
- Addresses delivered to the Harvard Menorah Society (HUD 3568.900)
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Records of the Harvard Menorah Society were acquired in several accessions. Specific acquisition information, when available, is noted at the series level:
- Gift of Milton Paisner, March 25, 1988; Accession 11359
- Transferred from the Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, May 26, 1988; Accession 11409
- Gift of Lewis H. Weinstein, October 16, 1987; Accession 11249
- Transferred from Widener Library's Judaica Division, August 1, 1986; Accession 10808
Bibliography for Historical note on the Harvard Menorah Society
Inventory Update
This document last updated 2022 April 14.
Processing Information
This finding aid was created by Olivia Mandica-Hart in May 2021. Information in this finding aid was assembled from legacy paper inventories and container management data. The collection was not re-examined by the archivist.
Creator
- Harvard Menorah Society (Cambridge, Mass.) (Organization)
- Title
- Harvard Menorah Society (Cambridge, Mass.). Records of the Harvard Menorah Society, 1906-1928 and [undated] : an inventory
- Status
- completed
- Author
- Harvard University Archives
- Date
- May 11, 2021
- Description rules
- dacs
- Language of description
- und
- EAD ID
- hua45021
Repository Details
Part of the Harvard University Archives Repository
Holding nearly four centuries of materials, the Harvard University Archives is the principal repository for the institutional records of Harvard University and the personal archives of Harvard faculty, as well as collections related to students, alumni, Harvard-affiliates and other associated topics. The collections document the intellectual, cultural, administrative and social life of Harvard and the influence of the University as it emerged across the globe.
Pusey Library
Harvard Yard
Cambridge MA 02138 USA
(617) 495-2461
archives_reference@harvard.edu