American Jewish Committee - Office of Jewish War Records (I-9)
This collection consists of the American Jewish Committee's project to document Jewish participation in the United States Armed Forces during World War I. The bulk of the material consists of questionnaires the AJC sent to servicemen to determine Jewish identity, which contain information on personal identification and details of military service. Responses to the questionnaire come from both Jews and non-Jews. In addition, the collection contains office papers concerning the project and a ledger of manuscripts documenting the distribution of records collected by the Office of Jewish War Records, as well as lists Jews who died or were given military honors.
Bernard C. Ehrenreich papers (P-26)
Correspondence, scrap-books, etc. relating to activities as rabbi in Montgomery, Alabama and Stockton, California. Includes also extensive correspondence from Jewish servicemen in World War I and II, Intercollegiate Menorah Association, Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity and Camp Kawaga and letters from Stephen S. Wise, Mordecai M. Kaplan and Leon J. Obermayer. Contains a collection of picture postal cards and original minute-book of the Central Bureau of the Federation of American Zionists of Greater New York.
Collection of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America (I-32)
This collection documents the establishment, accomplishments, activities, and political beliefs of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America from 1930 to 2003. The collection consists primarily of correspondence, publications, programs, reports, and newspaper clippings (including a scrapbook). Other types of material include speech transcripts, press releases, photographs, stamps, and a photo booklet. There is a small amount of news clippings written in Yiddish.
Jewish Legion collection (I-429)
The Jewish Legion, composed of Russian refugees, and recruits from the United States, Argentina, Canada, England, and Palestine, joined the British army and contributed to the independence of Palestine from Turkey during World War I.The collection consists of correspondence, memoirs, news clippings, photographs, souvenir journals and veterans newsletters pertaining to veteran soldiers who served in World War I as part of the first military Jewish unit in modern history.
Louis H. Tankin World War II memoirs (P-830)
Contains Tankin's article "Prisoner of War," published in the Maryland Medical Journal in November 1995 and a unpublished manuscript that provides a longer version of his memoirs. Tankin served as a battalion surgeon and was taken prisoner along with two of his men while trying to rescue wounded from over enemy lines.
MACHAL [Mitnadvei Hutz LaAretz] and Aliyah Bet Records (I-501)
The MACHAL, the acronym for “mitnadvei hutz laAretz” ("Volunteers from Abroad"), consisted of about 3500 men and women from over 40 countries from a variety of social and religious backgrounds who volunteered to fight for the establishment of Israel. This collection is unique in that it deals specifically with the experience of MACHAL and Aliyah Bet volunteers from Canada and the United States and others living in the United States. The collection consists of files on 500 volunteers, over 2000 original and reproduction photographs, numerous audio-visual material, books, manuscripts, and memoirs.
Martin Younker Correspondence (P-713)
Correspondence of Martin Younker with family and friends, primarily during his time as a U.S. Army serviceman (stationed in the U.S. and in Europe), 1941-1945.
National Jewish Welfare Board, Army-Navy Division records (I-180)
This collection consists primarily of minutes, surveys, reports, photographs, and correspondence of JWB personnel and U.S. military chaplains; directed towards or concerning Jewish men in the Armed Forces. The material in this collection covers such topics as: holiday arrangements (primarily the High Holy Days and Passover), food needs, religious services, furloughs, prayer books; budgeting and staffing; registration and marking of Jewish graves; anti-Semitism in the military; the general problems of Kashruth; communication between the men and their families; and general recreation and entertainment.
National Jewish Welfare Board Bureau of War Records (I-52)
The National Jewish Welfare Board and its affiliated member organizations established the Bureau of War Records for the purpose of collecting and compiling information about Jewish Americans who served in the United States Armed Forces during World War II. The collection includes approximately 85,000 individual service files and 320,000 surrogate index cards collected by the BWR and the Greater New York War Records Committee on behalf of Jewish soldiers and sailors who served in World War II. These index cards have been digitized and are available on Ancestry.com.
Ralph Lager World War II correspondence (P-820)
First Lieutenant Ralph Lager served as a replacement officer in Italy in the 133rd Infantry Regiment 34th Division between May 1944 and April 1945. Five days before Berlin surrendered he was injured by enemy rifle fire and had his left leg amputated. He was transferred to Walter Reed Hospital, where he stayed for one and half years. Lager's correspondence to his family begins with his training in Camp Gordon, GA and Camp Campbell, KY; continues with his service in Italy; and ends with his admission into an Italian hospital.
Uriah P. Levy Papers [Digitized] (P-43)
The Collection of Uriah P. Levy encompasses Levy’s military life, involvement in the effort to end flogging, encounters with prejudice and courts martial. While the collection centers widely upon Levy’s experiences, struggles, and achievements in his military life, it does contain other documents about his properties, personal life, and legacy. This collection is important to researchers interested in the experience of Jews in the United States military and flogging in the armed forces.
