Records of the Congragation Ahavath Achim B'Nai Israel (Irvington, NJ)
Dates
- Majority of material found within 1920-1986
Scope and Content Note
The records of congregation Ahavath Achim B'nai Israel, date from 1920 to 1986, with the bulk of them later than 1950, and gaps throughout the entire span of years. Since Ahavat Achim B'nai Israel represents the 1982 merger of Ahavath Achim B'nai Cholim and B'nai Israel, three distinct groups of records comprise this' collection. Thus it is necessary to say which group's records show which gaps:
The records of congregation of Ahavath Achim B'nai Cholim (founded 1931) form the bulk of this collection, but lack minutes for years 1946-1978 and most other types of series until about the early 1950's. It was communicated to a member of the Special Collections and Archives staff that these missing records had been discarded some time ago. As for the records of Temple B'nai Israel (founded 1922), the collection lacks the full congregation's minutes and membership lists until 1971. There are no B'nai Israel materials available for years 1937-1942 and only newsletters document the period 1942-1971. There are also no Hebrew School materials in the B'nai Israel group. And as for the merged congregation Ahavath Achim B'nai Israel (merged in 1982), the collection lacks minutes, newsletters and most other series types -- indeed only a smattering of Ahavath Achim B'nai Israel's records are represented, these having been retained by the Congregation.
Constitutions, one possibly the original of 1922 and another probably drafted later than 1942 are available for congregation B'nai Israel. There is no constitution available for Ahavath Achim B'nai Cholim or Ahavath Achim B 'nai Israel.
Financial information is minimal for all three groups. The minutes of Ahavath Achim B'nai Cholim contain some for the congregation as a whole for years minutes happen to be available, and income and expenses spread sheets are available for years 1969-1970. As for B'nai Israel, early GENERAL FILES contain some financial information, as do minutes for later years, but there is no ongoing ledger available. There is no financial information available concerning congregation Ahavath Achim B'nai Israel. Here and there one can glean in newsletters of Ahavath Achim B'nai Cholim or B'nai Israel mention of an increase in membership fees or school tuition, but of course no intimate details of income or expenses.
The Sisterhood of Ahavath Achim B'nai Cholim's minutes appear to be complete for years 1951-1980, whereas B'nai Israel's Sisterhood, founded in 1922 as the "Auxiliary", lacks minutes until 1971. Membership lists of both sisterhoods are but few, with one undated one for Ahavath Achim B'nai Cholim and a few for B'nai Israel dated later than 1971.
Extent
2.85 Cubic Feet (8 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Records, 1982-1986, together with records, 1920-1982, of its two predecessor congregations. Records of B'nai Israel: constitutions, ca. 1922 and ca. 1940s; general files, 1920-1937; newsletters, 1942-1981; rabbi's annual reports, 1948-1970; minutes, 1971-1975, of the board of trustees; photographs, undated; newspaper clippings, 1948, 1962 and undated; and minutes, 1971-1972, and membership lists, 1971-1972, of the Sisterhood. Records of Ahavath Achim Bikur Cholim: congregation minutes, 1934-1956 and 1979-1981; newsletters, 1952-1953 and 1962-1980 with gaps; dinner-dance programs, 1953, 1957-1958 and 1960-1981; membership and mailing lists, undated; accounts, 1969-1970; Rabbi's correspondence, 1968-1970; Aliyah book, ca. 1930; memorial tablets book, ca. 1940; books of remembrance, 1961-1967 and 1969-1981; minutes, 1951-1980, dues records, 1942-1945, and membership lists, undated, of the Sisterhood; and student lists, 1952/53-1976/77 and undated, commencement programs, 1973-1978, and Chanukah plays of the Hebrew school. Records of Ahavath Achim B'nai Israel: books of remembrance, 1982-1983, and related accounts, 1980-1983, together with dinner dance programs, 1982/83 and 1986.
Arrangement Note
The Ahavath Achim B'nai Israel collection consists of three groups: Ahavath Achim Bikur Cholim, B'nai Israel and Ahavath Achim B'nai Israel, and was received with these groups clearly distinct from each other. The only records that were shifted from one group to another during processing were BOOKS OF REMEMBRANCE ACCOUNTS from Ahavath Achim Bikur Cholim to Ahavath Achim B'nai Israel on the principle that they contained Ahavath Achim B'nai Israel information.
While putting Ahavath Achim Bikur Cholim newsletters in chronological order, certain incongruous items, such as letters of recommendation by the rabbi or bulletins printed by other temples, were set aside. The letters then came to form RABBI'S CORRESPONDENCE, and the extraneous bulletins were segregated to files outside of this collection. Also found among) Ahavath Achim Bikur Cholim newsletters was a "Diary-Directory" whose format was so similar to that of DINNER-DANCE PROGRAMS that it was included in that series.
An Ahavath Achim Bikur Cholim Sisterhood membership list, found in Sisterhood minutes, was segregated to form a series of its own. The same occurred with B'nai Israel Sisterhood's membership lists. The early, possibly original 1922 constitution of B'nai Israel was found among GENERAL FILES, and the later post-1942 constitution was discovered among B'nai Israel's Board of Trustee minutes. Both were brought together to form the series CONSTITUTIONS.
B'nai Israel NEWSCLIPPINGS were photocopied from fragile originals among the GENERAL FILES, and formed their own series. Approximately five documents among GENERAL FILES were also photocopied due to their poor condition, and replaced by photocopies. All originals were discarded.
When received by Rutgers, these records filled four record center cartons. During processing approximately a quarter cubic foot of material was removed. This material consisted almost entirely of duplicate copies of newsletters, or of newsletters generated by congregations not represented in this collection.
- Title
- Records of the Congregation Ahavath Achim B'Nai Israel (Irvington, NJ) MC 737
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Author
- Mitchell Greenberg
- Date
- June 1987
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
- Sponsor
- Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University received an operating support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State.
Part of the New Brunswick Special Collections Repository