TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Biographical Sketch
Scope and Content Note
Restrictions
Related Material
Administrative Information
Box and Folder Listing
Series
A: General Files c. 1877-1993
Series
B: Central Conference of American Rabbis. 1936-1975
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An Inventory of the
Bernard J. Bamberger Papers
Manuscript Collection No. 660
1909 - 1979
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Introduction
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Name: |
Bernard J. Bamberger Papers |
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Dates: |
1909-1979 |
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Abstract: |
Rabbi Bernard Bamberger (1904-1980), respected pastor and national
Jewish leader, served the Jewish people for 55 years. This collection contains
correspondence and manuscripts relating to his professional career as a
pulpit rabbi in New York City at Congregation Shaary Tefila, Reform movement
leader in the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and biblical scholar.
The collection spans 1909-1970 and consists primarily of correspondence. |
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Quantity: |
1.2 linear feet |
Biographical Sketch
Bernard Bamberger's rabbinate
was a rare one, in that he excelled simultaneously as a pastor for his
own congregation, and as a respected academic. After growing up in Baltimore,
Maryland (under the watchful eye of Rabbi William Rosenau) Bamberger graduated
with an A.B. from Johns Hopkins University in 1923. Rosenau vouched for
Bamberger's skills, and so Bamberger was able to spend his time at the
Hebrew Union College concentrating on advanced studies. He received ordination
there in 1926, and his Doctorate of Divinity (at the time, equivalent to
a Ph. D.) in 1929. Concurrent to his D.D. courses, he served as rabbi to
Temple Israel of Lafayette, Indiana. From 1929-1944, he served as rabbi
at Temple Beth Emeth in Albany, New York.
In 1944, Bamberger accepted a call
to serve as rabbi of Congregation Shaaray Tefila in New York City. During
his tenure there (1944-1970), he oversaw the congregation's historic move
from the West Side of Manhattan to the East Side.
Bamberger had many interests in
addition to his work as a congregational rabbi. He served and led the
Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) and translated the Bible
(formalized through his work with the Jewish Publication Society).
From the early 1940's, Bamberger
showed an interest in participating in the activities of the CCAR, the
nation's organization of Reform rabbis (which publishes material and
suggests guidelines for Reform Jews in America). During his early years,
he sat as a member of the CCAR's Liturgy Committee, eventually chairing
it. Following his term as chair, he was nominated to serve as vice president
of the entire Conference for the two year term running from 1957 to
1959. CCAR tradition dictates that the vice president becomes president
at the end of his/her time as VP. Thus, Bamberger served as CCAR president
from 1959-1961. He oversaw landmark CCAR decisions, such as the implementation
of the rabbinic placement system. Additionally, he used the president's
bully pulpit to preach on the civil rights movement of the early 1960s.
After his term as president ended, Bamberger remained active in the
politics of the Reform movement. He continued to serve as an advisor
to the Liturgy Committee, and was a part of the Conference's activities
(c. 1967-1973) in improving the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute
of Religion.
And yet, all this was not enough
to keep Bamberger intellectually satisfied. His intellectual interests
were encyclopedic, and his published works covered topics ranging from
Bible and Talmud to history and theology. Bamberger was also a part
of the Jewish Publication Society's inter-denominational Committee to
Translate the Bible from the committee's inception in 1949 through the
late 1970's. His contributions to the new JPS translation, a text that
has become an integral part of the religious and academic life of English
speakers in the contemporary Jewish world, will continue to have an
impact on future generations.
In addition to Bamberger's roles
in the CCAR and the JPS, he served as president of the Synagogue Council
of America (1950-1951) and of the World Union for Progressive Judaism (1970-1972).
Additionally, he was a member of the Society of Biblical Literature and
the Rabbinical Alumni Association of the Hebrew Union College. His books
include Proselytism in the Talmudic Period (1939, 1968), Fallen Angels
(1952), and The Bible: A Modern Jewish Approach (1956). He is also the
author of the commentary to the Book of Leviticus which appears in the
UAHC's The Torah: A Modern Commentary.
Bamberger passed away in 1980. He
was survived by his wife Ethel (Kraus), and his two sons Henry (also
a Reform rabbi) and David.
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of Contents
Scope and Content Note
Rabbi
Bernard Bamberger served the Jewish community for over 50 years, as a congregational
rabbi, a Bible translator, and as President of several of the largest and
most influential Jewish organizations in the United States. The BERNARD
BAMBERGER PAPERS includes minutes, correspondence, manuscripts, and publicity,
dating between 1909 and 1979.
These
records are organized into two (2) series as follows:
A. GENERAL
FILES
B. CENTRAL
CONFERENCE OF AMERICAN RABBIS RECORDS
SERIES
A. GENERAL FILES (1909-1979) consists of one Hollinger box of material,
arranged by subject matter. Most of the documentation appears in the form
of correspondence. This series contains all material in the BERNARD BAMBERGER
PAPERS which is unrelated to the Central Conference of American Rabbis.
The material is arranged alphabetically by subject designation.
SERIES
B. CENTRAL CONFERENCE OF AMERICAN RABBIS (1936-1975) contains two Hollinger
boxes of material. These papers deal with the subjects that Bamberger was
most active in, or most interested in - namely, the work of the Liturgy
Committee, and a Special Committee that was formed by the Conference to
deal with the perceived flaws of the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute
of Religion during the late 1960's and early 1970's. Material is arranged
alphabetically by subject designation. In cases where there are multiple
folders attributed to a single subject, material is arranged chronologically.
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of Contents
Restrictions
Restrictions on Access
The
records are open to all users and are available in the reading room of
the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives.
Return to the Table of
Contents
Related Material
Bamberger,
Bernard J. Lecture. "Changing Image of the Prophet in Jewish Thought."
TR-353
Bamberger,
Bernard J. Nearprint Biographies File.
Bamberger,
Bernard J. Picture File.
Central
Conference of American Rabbis Records. MSS Collection No. 34.
Hebrew
Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Interviews by Michael Meyer
in connection with the Centennial of the College-Institute. 1972-1974.
RESTRICTED. TR-1202-1207 and Small Collections.
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Administrative Information
Citations
Footnotes
and bibliographic references should refer to the Bernard J. Bamberger Papers
and the American Jewish Archives.
Provenance
The
records were donated by Henry Bamberger, Utica, New York in May and June
2000. All records donated prior to July 2001 have been arranged and described
in this inventory.
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Contents
Box and Folder Listing
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Series A: General
Files c. 1877-1993
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| Box |
Folder |
| 1 |
1 |
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Albany, New
York. Jewish community. 1940. |
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2 |
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American
Jewish Committee/ Jewish Welfare Board. 1948 |
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3 |
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Bamberger,
Bernard. Military service at John Hopkins University. 1921. |
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4 |
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Congregation
Shaary Tefila. New York, N.Y. Anniversary dinner dance. 1964. |
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5 |
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Congregation
Shaary Tefila. New York, N.Y. Correspondence. 1944 |
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6 |
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Congregation
Shaary Tefila. New York, N.Y. Move/merger files. 1959. |
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7 |
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Congregation
Shaary Tefila. New York, N.Y.Move.Publicity. 1959. |
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8 |
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Cronbach,
Abraham. 1926-1955. |
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9 |
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Jewish Publication
Society. Articles on Bible translation. 1975-1979. |
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10 |
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Jewish Publication
Society. Correspondence; meeting notes. 1949-1972. |
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11 |
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Jewish Publication
Society.Public relations. 1963-1965. |
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12 |
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Jewish Publication
Society. Translation notes n.d. |
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13 |
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Levin, Benjamin
Szold. 1955-1957. |
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14 |
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Manuscripts;
writings. 1909-1957. |
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15 |
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Manuscripts;
writings (academic). n.d. |
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16 |
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Manuscripts;
writings (homiletics) n.d. |
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17 |
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Marcus, Jacob
Rader. 1947-1961. |
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18 |
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McIntosh,
Mavis.Beacon Press. 1951-1959. |
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19 |
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Miscellaneous
correspondence. 1927-1965. |
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20 |
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Montagu,
Lily. World Union for Progressive Judaism. 1958-1961. |
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21 |
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Morgenstern,
Julian. 1934-1965. |
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22 |
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Political
personalities. 1934-1965. |
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23 |
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Pulpit searches.
1934-1950. |
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24 |
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Responsa.
1967. |
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25 |
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Scholars
correspondence. Includes: Lauterbach, Jacob; Elbogan, Ismar; Solveithcik;
Rosenau, William; Heschel, Abraham J.) 1935-1964. |
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26 |
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Union of
American Hebrew Congregations.Correspondence. Financial independence of
Hebrew Union College. 1962 |
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27 |
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Union of
American Hebrew Congregations.Torah commentary. 1970. |
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Series B: Central
Conference of American Rabbis. 1936-1975
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| Box |
Folder |
| 2 |
1 |
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Acceditation.
National Association of Temple Administrators. 1960. |
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2 |
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Admission
to the Central Conference of American Rabbis. 1961. |
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Association
for a Progressive Reform Judaism. Intermarriage. 1973-1975. |
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Book of Essays.
Hebrew Union College 70th anniversary. 1945-1949. |
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Columbus
Platform. Schulman draft. 1936-1937. |
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Committee
descriptions. 1959. |
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Controversial
daily services at conventions. 1961. |
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Controversial
establishment of Religious Action Center. 1961. |
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Freedom Riders;
Martin Luther King Jr. 1961. |
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10 |
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Future of
the Rabbinate and Curriculum/ Administration of HUC-JIR. 1940-1967 |
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Future of
the Rabbinate and Curriculum/ Administration of HUC-JIR. 1968 |
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12 |
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Future of
the Rabbinate and Curriculum/ Administration of HUC-JIR. 1969. |
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Future of
the Rabbinate and Curriculum/ Administration of HUC-JIR. 1972. |
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14 |
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Future of
the Rabbinate and Curriculum/ Administration of HUC-JIR. 1973. |
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15 |
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Future of
the Rabbinate and Curriculum/ Administration of HUC-JIR. 1974. |
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Future of
the Rabbinate and Curriculum/ Administration of HUC-JIR. n.d. |
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General correspondence;
meetings. 1940-1942. |
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General correspondence;
meetings. 1953-1958. |
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19 |
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General correspondence;
meetings. 1959-1960. |
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20 |
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General correspondence;
meetings. 1961. |
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21 |
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General correspondence;
meetings. 1963. |
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22 |
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General correspondence;
meetings. 1968-1969. |
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Folder |
| 3 |
1 |
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Hebrew pronunciation
(Ashkenazaic to Sephardic shift). 1964 |
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2 |
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Hebrew Union
College. 1948-1953. |
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3 |
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Jewish day
schools. 1962-1963. |
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4 |
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Litergy Committee.
Correspondence; meetings. 1950. |
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5 |
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Litergy Committee.
Correspondence; meetings. 1951. |
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6 |
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Litergy Committee.
Correspondence; meetings. 1952. |
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7 |
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Litergy Committee.
Correspondence; meetings. 1953. |
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8 |
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Litergy Committee.
Correspondence; meetings. 1954. |
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9 |
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Litergy Committee.
Correspondence; meetings. 1955. |
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10 |
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Litergy Committee.
Correspondence; meetings. 1956. |
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11 |
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Litergy Committee.
Correspondence; meetings. 1957. |
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12 |
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Litergy Committee.
Correspondence; meetings. 1958. |
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13 |
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Litergy Committee.
Correspondence; meetings. 1959-1960. |
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14 |
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Litergy Committee.
Correspondence; meetings. 1961. |
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15 |
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Litergy Committee.
Correspondence; meetings. 1967. |
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16 |
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Litergy Committee.
Correspondence; meetings. n.d. |
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17 |
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Missionary
work. 1950-1960. |
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18 |
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New York
State Civil War Centennial Commission episode. 1961. |
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19 |
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Partnership
with Union of American Hebrew Congregations. 1960. |
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20 |
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Presidency;
public appearences. 1958-1961. |
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21 |
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Regionalization.
1960. |
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22 |
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Role of cantors.
1961. |
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23 |
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Special committee
on rabbinic placement. 1960-1963. |
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24 |
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United States
Census; Bureau of Statistics. 1960. |
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