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New Jewish Agenda Records

 Collection
Identifier: I-393

Scope and Content Note

The collection consists of general membership correspondence, event fliers, meeting minutes and memoranda, an organizational history, position papers, press releases, a list of chapter representatives, discussion bulletins and a bibliography of the Jewish community's lesbian and gay liberation movement.

Dates

  • Creation: 1979-1990

Creator

Language of Materials

The collection is in English.

Access Restrictions

[If you have any exceptions to the AJHS-approved access restrictions text, use the "alt_note" code in the accessrestrict element {see preceding code} to override the stylesheet. Example text: "The collection is open to all researchers by permission of the Director of Library and Archives of the American Jewish Historical Society, except items that are restricted due to their fragility and one folder (Box X, Folder X, "Folder Title") restricted due to privacy concerns."]

Use Restrictions

Information concerning the literary rights may be obtained from the Director of Library and Archives of the American Jewish Historical Society. Users must apply in writing for permission to quote, reproduce or otherwise publish manuscript materials found in this collection. For more information contact:

American Jewish Historical Society, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY, 10011

email: reference@ajhs.org

Historical Note

The New Jewish Agenda Organizing Committee was founded at a meeting at the home of Gerry Serotta in 1979. The organization was formally established at a founding conference of over 700 progressive Jews in Washington D.C. in December 1980. The organization was made up of Jews from a variety of religious and secular backgrounds committed to fostering a progressive voice in the organized Jewish community. Many founding members were veterans of the Jewish student movement, the Breira organization, the Havurah movement, Chicago's Chutzpah, Seattle's Kadima and Boston's Committee to Challenge Anti-semitism. Its official platform was adopted on November 28, 1982 at a delegates conference in New York City. The platform called for a support network of Jewish communal life in the United States; a commitment to feminism, including support of women in the workforce and reproductive rights; equal rights for gays and lesbians; support for Jews with disabilities; fighting against anti-Semitism and racism; support of the labor movement, affirmative action, nuclear disarmament, and civil liberties; advocating for renewable energy sources; and the building of relations between Jews in the United States and the international Jewish community. NJA dissolved in 1992.

Extent

.5 Linear Feet (1 manuscript box)

Abstract

This collection contains documents from the New Jewish Agenda, a progressive Jewish grassroots organization active in the 1980s. The collection contains newsletters, chapter materials, clippings, event flyers, correspondence, meeting minutes, and other membership materials.

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically.

Physical Location

Located in AJHS New York, NY

Processing Information

In 2016, a container list and top level description was added to the finding aid. The old call number associated with this collection is MS-NAT.N40.

Title
Guide to the New Jewish Agenda Records, 1979-1990 I-393
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by Nicole Greenhouse
Date
© 2017
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Description is in English.

Revision Statements

  • 2016: Container list and top-level description was added.

Repository Details

Part of the American Jewish Historical Society Repository

Contact:
15 West 16th Street
New York NY 10011 United States