International Association of Jewish Vocational Services Records

Manuscript Collection No. 774

1939-2009. 1.25 Linear ft.

ACCESS AND PROVENANCE
The International Association of Jewish Vocational Services Records were received from Genie Cohen, Executive Director, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in July 2009. Genie Cohen, by the act of donating the INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH VOCATIONAL SERVICES RECORDS to the American Jewish Archives, assigned all property rights to the American Jewish Archives. Literary rights to materials authored by the International Association of Jewish Vocational Services are dedicated to the public. Questions concerning rights should be addressed to the Executive Director of the American Jewish Archives. The papers are available to researchers in the reading room of the Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives.
ADMINISTRATIVE SKETCH top

In 1938, the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds invited a number of national Jewish organizations to a conference on occupational adjustment. Because of this conference, the Jewish Occupational Council (JOC) was organized to help other agencies carry out their vocational programs on a more effective basis.

When the agency opened up its doors in 1939, it dealt with the problems of mass unemployment and severe discrimination against Jews in employment. The advent of World War II placed the JOC in a position of assisting the Jewish vocational services (JVS) in mobilizing Jewish labor potential for war production. The United States War Manpower Commission delegated authority through the JOC to the local JVS to carry out various provisions of its employment stabilization program. At the same time, JOC provided the staff services for the Coordinating Committee of Jewish Organizations Dealing with Employment Discrimination in War Industries, which cleared complaints and acted as a liaison agent between Jewish organizations and governmental agencies. As the war ended, the JOC helped local Jewish communities adapt their services to the challenges of peacetime.

The influx of veterans seeking vocational guidance, job placement, and rehabilitation services during the post-war period placed great demands upon the JVS. The clearinghouse functions of the JOC were used to assist member agencies to share their knowledge and experience with aptitude tests and counseling techniques to meet the vocational needs of returning service members. At the same time, the large-scale immigration of displaced persons placed a great challenge upon the JVS.

The JOC continued is mission and expanded their services to include rehabilitation programs for handicapped workers and more educational programs In 1975, the JOC began a self-study resulting in a new constitution and bylaws and in 1976, the JOC changed their name to the National Association of Jewish Vocational Services to reflect the broader nature of their activities. When their scope of activities expanded to include Canada and Israel, the “National” was later changed to “International”.

-- Adapted from A Brief History of the Jewish Occupational Council and An Analysis of Recent Trends in the Jewish Vocational Service Fund and The Jewish Occupational Council, Box 1, File 3. INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH VOCATIONAL SERVICES RECORDS. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE top

The International Association of Jewish Vocational Services (IAJVS) is an organization founded in 1939 to provide occupational assistance to Jews. Originally designed for Jews in the United States, the program focused on returning World War II veterans and later on assisting Jews persecuted in other countries. The IAJVS also holds educational programs, rehabilitation services, and home and community based services.

The IAJVS records include their constitution and bylaws, minutes from the Board of Governors and Executive Committee, reports, conference programs, project files, and photographs. Minutes document administrative actions and oversight functions of the IAJVS. Project files include notes, correspondence, and reports on internships for Jews, work with emigres, and an aging workforce. Span dates for the collection are 1939-2009.
The records are divided into four (4) series:

Series A. Administration. 1939-2007.

Series B. Conferences. 1965-1968, 1998-2009.

Series C. Projects. 1975-1984.

Series D. Photographs. 1968-1980.

SERIES A. ADMINISTRATION. 1939-2007. The Administration series includes constitution and bylaws, historical accounts, minutes from the IAJVS founding in 1939 to 1989, some promotional materials, reports authored by the IAJVS and other administrative documents. Minutes reflect meetings of the Board of Governors, Executive Committee, and other committees and often include reports. See also Series C: Projects for reports. This series is arranged in alphabetical order by format.

SERIES B. CONFERENCES. 1965-1968, 1998-2009. The Conferences series includes programs from select annual conferences. Later conferences were held jointly with American Jewish Vocational Service Professionals. Conferences are arranged chronologically and identified by their title, if available.

SERIES C. PROJECTS. 1975-1984. The Projects series includes files on special projects the IAJVS was involved with or organized. The “Barriers to Employability for Handicapped People” project was a grant funded and spearheaded by another organization that the NAJVS Executive Director was involved with. The Project VOICE file includes transcriptions of interviews with emigres from Chicago. Project files are arranged alphabetically.

SERIES D. PHOTOGRAPHS. 1968-1980. The Photographs series includes snapshots taken at conferences and related social functions, “Executive Suite” seminar/symposia, and other events. On the back of many photographs, the event and sometimes persons are identified. Most photographs are black-and-white, but some are in color. Negatives accompany a few sets. Photographs are arranged alphabetically.
Related Archival Collections
The American Jewish Archives maintains a nearprint file on the International Association of Jewish Vocational Services. The nearprint special topics file is a vertical file compiled by the American Jewish Archives consisting of correspondence, newsclippings, publications and memorabilia relating to a specific organization or subject.

BOX AND FOLDER LISTING top
SERIES A. Administration. 1939-2007.
Box Folder	Contents
1	1	Certificates of incorporation. 1972-1976.
	2	Constitution and bylaws. 1948, 1956-1959.
	3	Histories. Circa 1960, 1988, undated.
	4	Minutes. 1939-1949.
	5	Minutes. 1940-1943. [bound volume]
	6	Minutes. 1950-1959. [removed from binding]
	7-8	Minutes. 1960-1969. [removed from binding]
2	1	Minutes. 1965, 1974-1981. [removed from binding]
	2	Minutes. 1970-1979. [removed from binding]
	3	Minutes. 1980-1989.
	4	Promotional materials. 2007, undated.
	5	Reference. Journal of Jewish Communal Service. Special issue on Jewish vocational services. 2007.
	6	Reports. Building Blocks: A Best Practices Report on a National Welfare-to-Work Program. 2002.
	7	Reports. Contributions of Jews to the American Economy. 1954.
	8	Reports. Miscellaneous. 1971, 1985-1987.
	9	Tax exemption certificates. 1944, 1971, 1977.

SERIES B. Conferences. 1965-1968, 1998-2009.

2	10	"Serving the Jewish Community in the 'Great Society': An Assessment of Current Vocational Trends". 1965.
	11	"Getting the JVS Where the Action Is". 1968, 2001.
	12	"Embracing the Future/Preparing for the 21st Century". 1998.
	13	Annual conference. 1999.
	14	"The Future is Ours". 2000.
3	1	"Our Working Future: Bringing Together Executive and Professional Staff from North America,
		 Israel, and Argentina". 2004.
	2	"The Maturing Workforce: Not Business as Usual". 2006.
	3	"Beyond Job Development: The Employer as Customer and Partner in Workforce Development". 2008.
	4	Annual conference. 2009.
 
SERIES C. Projects. 1975-1984.

3	5	"Barriers to Employability for Handicapped People: A Cross-Cultural Study of Sheltered Workshop
		 Participants in the United States and Israel". 1983-1984.
	6	"JOIN: Jewish Occupational Interns". 1974.
	7	"PSES: Program for Soviet Emigre Scholars". 1979-1980.
	8	"RETAIN: Re-Employment of The Aged in Industry". 1975.
	9	"VOICE: Vocational Outreach In Communities with Emigres". 1981.

SERIES D. Photographs. 1968-1980.

3	10	Conferences and Social. 1968-1972, 1977-1980, undated.
	11	Executive Suite seminars/symposia. 1969-1970, 197?.
	12	Miscellaneous. 1969-1972, undated.
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