Guide to the Jewish Counter Culture Collection, 1954-2010 (bulk
1967-1972)
I-504
Processed by Christine McEvilly and Tammy Kiter
American Jewish Historical Society
Center for Jewish History
15 West 16th Street
New York, N.Y. 10011
Phone: (212) 294-6160
Fax: (212) 294-6161
Email: reference@ajhs.org
URL: http://www.ajhs.org
© 2018, American Jewish Historical Society, Boston, MA and New York, NY. All Rights Reserved.
Machine-readable finding aid created by Christine McEvilly as MS Word document, January 13, 2011. Finding aid was encoded by Marvin Rusinek on January 18, 2011. Description is in English.
February 2017 Additional description added and reprocessing by Nicole Greenhouse
Descriptive Summary | |
Title: | Jewish Counter Culture Collection |
---|---|
Dates: | 1954-2010 (bulk 1967-1972) |
Abstract: | This collection includes materials documenting the activities and publications of independent and activist American Jewish organizations. Sample news publications from a variety of independent presses are included, as are a variety of home-published newsletters and flyers. The collection addresses anti-war protests and U.S. draft avoidance; American Jewish activism on Israel; feminist involvement in Judaism; socialism and radicalism; and international affairs. Materials include newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, news clippings, articles, limited correspondence, speech notes, reports, and flyers. |
Languages: | The collection is in English. |
Quantity: | 3.6 linear feet (4 manuscript boxes, 1 oversized box) |
Identification: | I-504 |
Repository: | American Jewish Historical Society |
Location: | Located in AJHS New York, NY |
Historical Note 
Cover of Schmear the Queer, 2001 (Box 3, Folder 9)
Cover of Schmear the Queer, 2001 (Box 3, Folder 9)
The Jewish Counter Culture movement consisted of the struggles of Jewish individuals, the majority of whom were young people, not only to interpret and understand their past, but to evaluate and foster an appreciation for their future. During a tumultuous period in American history (1965-1975), student groups and community organizations banned together, found their voice, and produced publications that spoke volumes with regard to their beliefs, concerns, and commitment to paving the way for positive change. As these movements were inherently local in origin, the collection materials were created by many small contributing organizations. A number of the Collection's publications received articles from the Jewish Student Press Service, founded in 1970 in New York to provide articles to American Jewish campus periodicals. Many materials were created by Jewish students who brought their Jewish identity to the prevailing movement of campus protests and unrest. Independent organizations, generally devoted to local or liberal causes, also contributed much material.
Return to the Top of PageScope and Content Note
The Jewish Counter Culture Collection consists of materials which acted as an outlet for creativity and freedom of expression. They also are a tangible representation of history and anthropology. Among the wide range of topics covered in this collection are the following: religion, spirituality, racial inequality, feminism, the Vietnam War, politics, bureaucracy, poetry, music, artwork, and the desire to actively pursue freedom and justice. The publications also provided an opportunity for organizations to announce rallies, demonstrations, concerts, lectures, and even group travel plans. Often working with very small budgets and limited resources, these dedicated individuals created and distributed powerful tools with which to explore and expound upon issues that are just as relevant and controversial today as they were 40 years ago.
Along with many publications (including newspapers, pamphlets, and flyers), this collection also contains organizational notes, correspondence, articles, newspaper and magazine clippings, and other similar items related to social commentary, international law, and personal faith.
Return to the Top of PageArrangement
The collection is arranged into three series as follows:
- Series I: Publications, 1964-2007
- Series II: Ritual Materials, 1954-2002
- Series III: Organizations, 1967-2010
Access and Use
Access Restrictions
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.
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
Related Material
Jewish Counter Culture Collection is one individual collection within the Counter Culture collections located at the American Jewish Historical Society (AJHS). Other counter culture collections at AJHS include the Arthur Ocean Waskow Papers (P-152), Leonard Fein Papers (P-582), Shira Eve Epstein Papers (P-776), Riv-Ellen Prell Papers (P-795), Ruth Abusch-Magder Papers (P-841), Virginia Levitt Snitow Papers (P-876), Goldie Milgram Papers (P-876), Jack Jacobs Papers (P-1020), Gerald Serotta Papers (P-1023), Jack Nusan Porter Papers (P-1024), Arthur J. Lelyveld Papers (P-1030), Jews for Urban Justice (Washington, D.C.) Records (I-159), Jewish Peace Fellowship Records (I-189), Jewish Student Press Service Records (I-248), Breira Records (I-250), American Jewish Alternatives to Zionism (New York, New York) Records (I-326), North American Jewish Students Appeal Records (I-338), Jewish Labor Committee Records (I-377), New Jewish Agenda Records (I-393), Vermont Chapter of the New Jewish Agenda Records (I-449), Trees and Life for Vietnam Records (I-542), Lights in Action Records (I-560), Brit Tzedek v'Shalom/Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace Records (I-587), and portions of the Jewish Student Organizations Collection (I-61).
Return to the Top of PagePreferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known);
Jewish Counter Culture
Collection;
I-504; box number; folder number; American Jewish Historical Society, New York, NY, and Boston, MA.
Acquisition Information
Materials in this collection were donated by a number of different donors from the early 2000s to 2016. Donors were identified on the folder-level based on existing description and accession records. Not all donors were able to be identified. Donors include Lori Lefkovitz, Robert Saks, Frances Goldman, Jane Rothstein, Shelly Tenenbaum, Riv-Ellen Prell, Deborah G. Roher, Suzi Wizowaty, Sharon Girard, Zalmo Bloombecker, Laurence Edwards, Isa Aron, David G. Roskies, Steve Shaw, and Toby Sonneman.
Return to the Top of PageProcessing Information
In 2011 the collection was processed by Christine McEvilly and Tammy Kiter. Prior to 2017, the collection was broken into five series:
- Series I: General Publications
- Series II: Collection of Feminist Haggadot and Ritual Material on Women's Issues
- Series III: Jewish Student Organizations
- Series IV: Jewish Schools
- Series V: Miscellaneous Materials
In 2017, donors, when possible, were identified on the folder-level and the collection was intellectually rearranged. The original Series IV was incorporated into Series III: Organizations. Materials in the original Series V was incorporated into all three new series.
Return to the Top of PageAccess Points
Click on a subject to search that term in the Center's catalog.Individuals:
Organizations:
- 92nd Street Y (New York, N.Y.)
- Aquarian Minyan (Berkeley, Calif.)
- Breira (Organization)
- B’nai B’rith
- Fabrangen (Washington, D.C.)
- Hammer & Steel (Organization)
- Jewish Liberation Information Service (Israel)
- Jewish Liberation Project (New York, N.Y)
- Jewish Peace Fellowship (U.S.)
- Jewish Student Press Service
- Jews for Urban Justice (Washington, D.C.)
- Lights in Action
- New Jewish Agenda (Organization)
- North American Jewish Students Appeal
- Romani-Jewish Alliance
- Sunrise Cooperative Farm Community
Subjects:
Places:
Document types:
Container List
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Series I: Publications, 1964-2007 | ||||
The Series is in English. | ||||
Arrangement:Arrangement is alphabetical. | ||||
Scope and Content:This series includes newsprint, journals, pamphlets, and magazines on current events that affected the Jewish community, the views of Jews from different political and cultural traditions, and the activities of general Jewish organizations. The publications are produced by activist groups, university student Jewish organizations, and for-profit presses. Most publications were intended for a wide audience beyond the members of the publishing organization. The series also contains clippings from mainstream secular or Jewish publications that focus on issues pertinent to the Jewish American Left. | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
2 | 1 | Ba-Golah in Exile (Skokie, IL) | undated | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
1 | 1 | Bas-Kol (Brooklyn, NY) | 1970 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
5 | 17 | Clippings on American Jewish Feminism | 1974-1989 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
4 | 14 | Clippings on Female Rabbis | 1993-1995 | ![]() |
Donated by Lori Lefkovitz | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
5 | 3 | Clippings on International Affairs and the Middle East | undated, 1966-1969 | ![]() |
Donated by Robert Saks | ||||
5 | 4 | Clippings on International Affairs and the Middle East | undated, 1964-1985 | ![]() |
Donated by Robert Saks | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
4 | 13 | Clippings on Women of the Wall | 1988-1990 | ![]() |
Donated by Lori Lefkovitz | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
1 | 1 | Coexistence (London) | 1970 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
2 | 2 | Confrontation (Coral Gables, FL) | 1971 | ![]() |
2 | 3 | Congress: A Journal of Opinion and Jewish Affairs (New York, NY) | 1966-1967 | ![]() |
2 | 3a | Conservative Judaism (New York, NY) | 1974 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
1 | 1 | Dawn (New York, NY) | 1970 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
2 | 4 | Dissent (New York, NY) | 1967 | ![]() |
2 | 5 | The Electric Jew (New York, NY) | 1969 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
1 | 1 | Elul (London) | 1971-1972 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
2 | 6 | Encounter (London) | 1968 | ![]() |
2 | 7 | Encounters in the Month of Elul (Philadelphia, PA) | 1971-1973 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
1 | 1 | Exodus II (Little Neck, NY) | undated | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
2 | 8 | Fabrangen (Washington D.C.) | 2007 | ![]() |
Donated by Frances Goldman | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
1 | 1 | Fourth World (Ontario) | 1971 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
2 | 9 | Friends of Jewish Students North American Jewish Students Appeal (New York, NY) | 1972 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
5 | 13 | "The Future of Jewish Peoplehood: A Report from the Project on American Jewish Institutions of the Public Resource Center" | 1977 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
1 | 2 | Golem (Jerusalem) | 1970 | ![]() |
1 | 2 | Hamagen (New York, NY) | 1972 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
2 | 10 | Heeb: The New Jew Review (New York, NY) | 2002 | ![]() |
Donated by Jane Rothstein | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
1 | 2 | Hevra (Montreal) | 1972 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
2 | 11 | InterChange (Breira of New York, NY) | 1976-1977 | ![]() |
2 | 12 | Israel and the New Left (Tel Aviv) | undated, 1970 | ![]() |
2 | 12a | Israel Horizons (New York, NY) | 1984 | ![]() |
2 | 13 | Jewish Currents (New York, NY) | 1967-1968 | ![]() |
2 | 14 | Jewish Socialist Critique (Berkeley, CA) | 1979-1980 | ![]() |
Donated by Shelly Tenenbaum | ||||
2 | 15 | Jewish Student Press Digest (New York, NY) | 1972 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
5 | 6 | “Jews, Judaism, and the New Left”—Speech and Article by Robert Saks | 1967-1968 | ![]() |
Donated by Robert Saks | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
2 | 16 | JTA Daily News Bulletin (New York, NY) | 1969 | ![]() |
2 | 17 | Levels Magazine (Syracuse, NY) | 1968 | ![]() |
2 | 18 | Liberation (New York, NY) | 1967 | ![]() |
2 | 19 | Lillit (Jerusalem) | 1971 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
1 | 2 | Masada (Toronto) | 1970-1972 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
2 | 20 | Menorah (Washington D.C.) | undated | ![]() |
Donated by Riv-Ellen Prell | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
3 | 1 | The Minority of One (New York, NY) | 1967 | ![]() |
3 | 2 | Muslim News International (Pakistan) | 1969 | ![]() |
3 | 3 | New Left Review (London) | 1967 | ![]() |
3 | 4 | New Politics (New York, NY) | 1967 | ![]() |
3 | 5 | New University Thought (Detroit, MI) | 1968 | ![]() |
3 | 6 | News Views: United Synagogue Youth of the United Synagogue of America (New York, NY) | 1967 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
1 | 3 | OR (Toronto) | 1970-1971 | ![]() |
1 | 3 | Other Stand (Montreal) | 1969-1971 | ![]() |
1 | 4 | The Other Way (New York, NY) | 1971 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
3 | 7 | Ramparts (San Francisco, CA) | 1967 | ![]() |
3 | 8 | The Rise and Fall of the Sunrise Commune (Rockville, MD) | 1979 | ![]() |
3 | 9 | Schmear the Queer (New York, NY) | 2001 | ![]() |
Donated by Jane Rothstein | ||||
3 | 10 | Shalom Dialogues (London and Berlin) | 1970 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
1 | 4 | Shirayim (Ottawa) | undated | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
3 | 10a | Sh'ma (Port Washington, NY) | 1974-1987 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
1 | 4 | The South End (Detroit, MI) | 1972 | ![]() |
1 | 4 | Survival (Melbourne) | undated, 1970 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
3 | 11 | Tadmit Newsletter (Tel-Aviv) | 1970 | ![]() |
3 | 12 | The Voice of ATID: The College Age Organization, United Synagogue of America (New York, NY) | 1967 | ![]() |
Series II: Ritual Materials, 1954-2002 | ||||
The Series is in English. | ||||
Arrangement:Arrangement is alphabetical. | ||||
Scope and Content:This series mostly contains materials related to Jewish holidays and life-cycle events. The series is made-up of Haggadot, prayers, and prayer service proceedings. The majority of the Haggadot are designed to be gender neutral and pro-feminist. | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
3 | 15 | "Before There Was a Before"—Arthur, David, and Shoshana Waskow | 1976 | ![]() |
3 | 14 | "Blessing the Birth of a Daughter"—Toby Fishbein Reifman and Ezrat Nashim | 1976 | ![]() |
Donated by Deborah G. Roher | ||||
3 | 16 | "Call them Builders: A Resource Booklet about Jewish Attitudes and Practices on Birth and Family Life"—Sandy Eisenberg Sasson | 1977 | ![]() |
Donated by Suzi Wizowaty | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
4 | 8 | Community Seder of Kadima, WA—Flyer and Introductory Remarks | 1991 | ![]() |
Donated by Suzi Wizowaty | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
3 | 18 | "Commentary on the Ten Commandments and the Book of Ruth for the Decade of Women" for Shavuot—Task Force on Equality of Women in Judaism | 1978 | ![]() |
Donated by Suzi Wizowaty | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
4 | 10 | "A Jewish Feminist Haggadah"—Vermont New Jewish Agenda | late 1980s | ![]() |
Donated by Suzi Wizowaty | ||||
4 | 6 | "A Liberation Seder for the Goddard Community" | 1986 | ![]() |
Donated by Suzi Wizowaty | ||||
4 | 2 | Passover Haggadah—Women’s Institute for Continuing Jewish Education | 1980 | ![]() |
Donated by Suzi Wizowaty | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
5 | 10 | Passover Haggadah and Songbook—San Francisco Kindershule | 1954, 1985 | ![]() |
Donated by Sharon Girard | ||||
5 | 9 | Passover Haggadot—Boston Committee to Challenge Anti-Semitism, Jewish Liberation Project, Jewish Socialist Community Oberlin College | 1971-2002 | ![]() |
Donated by Shelly Tenenbaum | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
3 | 20 | Passover Haggadot—Chadeish Yameinu | 2000-2001 | ![]() |
Donated by Zalmo Bloombecker | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
4 | 5 | Lesbian Feminist Passover—Articles | 1985-1986 | ![]() |
Donated by Suzi Wizowaty | ||||
4 | 3 | "A New Haggadah: A Jewish Lesbian Seder"—Judith Stein | 1984 | ![]() |
Donated by Suzi Wizowaty | ||||
4 | 11 | "Shabbos Morning Davenin'"—Aquarian Minyan of Berkeley, CA | undated | ![]() |
Donated by Suzi Wizowaty | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
3 | 13 | "Siddur Nashim: A Sabbath Prayer Book for Women"—Naomi Janowitz and Maggie Wenig | 1976 | ![]() |
Donated by Suzi Wizowaty | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
4 | 12 | "The Stolen Legacy, A Women’s Haggadah"—E.M. Broner and Naomi Nimrod | undated | ![]() |
Donated by Suzi Wizowaty | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
3 | 17 | Tu b’Shevat Seders | 1977-1978, 1984, 1987 | ![]() |
Donated by Suzi Wizowaty | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
4 | 1 | Yom Kippur Service—Upstairs Minyan | 1979 | ![]() |
Donated by Suzi Wizowaty | ||||
4 | 4 | "A Women’s Haggadah"—Miriam's Timbrel, Oberlin College | 1984 | ![]() |
Donated by Suzi Wizowaty | ||||
4 | 9 | "Women’s Seder"—Sponsored by Jewish Community Center Without Walls and Jewish Family Services, agencies of the Durham-Chapel Hill Jewish Federation | 1999 | ![]() |
Series III: Organizations, 1967-2010 | ||||
The Series is in English. | ||||
Arrangement:Arrangement is alphabetical. | ||||
Scope and Content:This series includes material on a wide variety of Jewish and liberal student organizations. Materials include flyers, correspondence, reports, newsletters, and ephemera. Topics include national organizations, liberal publications, the U.S. draft, Jewish welfare and charity, university-student relations, opposition to the Vietnam War, international affairs, events in the Middle East, reports and speeches on leftist culture. There are also newsletters, pamphlets, clippings, and articles relating to feminist and women's issues. The series also includes press cuttings, newsletters, internal reports and drafts, narrative accounts and correspondence from Jewish institutions dedicated to studying and teaching Jewish laws and traditions. | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
5 | 5 | Al-Fatah Palestine National Liberation Movement; Baltimore Hebrew Congregation; Southern Christian Leadership Conference; Midstream; Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors; Jewish Peace Fellowship; National Interreligious Service Board for Conscientious Objectors; Jewish Activist League; Indo-Israel Friendship League; American Jewish Congress; Radical Education Project; Jewish Liberation Project; National Jewish Organizing Project Board; Young People's Socialist League; Hammer & Steel; American Student Movement (Anti-Imperialist); Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine; Student Mobilization Committee; City College Christian Association; Michigan Association of Jewish College Students; House of Love and Prayer; Jews for Urban Justice; Jewish Organizing Project | undated, 1967-1980 | ![]() |
Donated by Robert Saks | ||||
5 | 11 | American Jewish Committee Information Service | 1967 | ![]() |
Donated by Robert Saks | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
4 | 16 | B’nai B’rith Hillel—Correspondence and Records on Breira | 1976-1979 | ![]() |
Donated by Laurence Edwards | ||||
4 | 19 | Community for a Jewish Federation—Student Revolt | 1969 | ![]() |
Donated by Steve Shaw | ||||
4 | 17 | Florida Union of Jewish Students; Students for a Democratic Society; National Student Mobilization Committee; Young Americans for Freedom; City College of New York Stop National Student Association Committee; City College Chapter of Young People's Socialist League; Jewish Peace Fellowship; National Interreligious Service Board for Conscientious Objectors; Concerned Jewish Students; Community for a Jewish Federation; Fabrangen; Institute for Policy Studies; House of Love and Prayer; Network; Kibbutz Micah; Jewish Liberation Project; Lights in Action; National Jewish Organizing Project; Trees for Vietnam; Jewish Activist League | 1967-1980 | ![]() |
Donated by Robert Saks | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
5 | 1 | Havurah Schools Alternative Community | undated, 1976-1979 | ![]() |
Donated by Isa Aron | ||||
5 | 2 | Havurat Shalom House of Study, Somerville, MA | undated, 1970s | ![]() |
Donated by David G. Roskies | ||||
5 | 16 | Havurat Shalom House of Study, Somerville, MA—Position Paper | undated | ![]() |
Donated by David G. Roskies | ||||
5 | 12 | Jewish Liberation Information Service | 1971 | ![]() |
5 | 15 | Jewish Peace Fellowship—Pamphlets on Conscientious Objection | 2009, 2010 | ![]() |
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
4 | 15 | Jewish Student Press Service—articles and correspondence (including a list of publications) | 1969-1971 | ![]() |
Donated by Robert Saks | ||||
4 | 18 | The New Left—Handwritten Notes | 1969 | ![]() |
Donated by Robert Saks | ||||
4 | 7 | Passover Peace Coalition | 1989 | ![]() |
Donated by Suzi Wizowaty | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
5 | 8 | The Radius Institute | undated, 1970-1994 | ![]() |
Donated by Steve Shaw | ||||
5 | 7 | The Radius Institute and the 92nd Street Y | undated, 1980-1986 | ![]() |
Donated by Steve Shaw | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
3 | 19 | Romani-Jewish Alliance | 1991-1995 | ![]() |
Donated by Toby Sonneman | ||||
Box | Folder | Title | Date | Request |
5 | 14 | Tzedek Tzedek | 1976-1978 | ![]() |
Donated by Deborah G. Roher |