Alexander M. Schindler Papers

Manuscript Collection No. 630

1961-1996. 10.4 Linear ft.

ACCESS AND PROVENANCE

The Alexander M. Schindler Papers were donated to the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives by Alexander M. Schindler and the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, New York, N.Y., in 1998.

Property rights to the Schindler Papers are held by the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives. All literary rights to materials authored by Alexander M. Schindler are held by Rabbi Schindler and the Schindler heirs. Literary rights to materials authored by others are held by the individual author or his/her heirs. Questions concerning rights should be addressed to the Executive Director of the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives.

The Alexander M. Schindler Papers are open to all users. The original manuscript collection is available in the reading room of the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH top

Alexander Moshe Schindler was born in Munich, the son of Eliezer and Sali (Hoyda) Schindler. His family left Germany in 1932 to escape from the Nazis and, after brief stays in Italy and France, settled in the United States. Schindler attended the City College of New York but left school to fight in World War II. While in the service Schindler received the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.

After the war Schindler returned to school and studied for the rabbinate at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, where he was ordained in 1953. Following ordination Schindler served at Temple Emanuel in Worcester, Massachusetts while also heading the B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation at Clark University in Worcester as well as at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. From 1963-1967 Schindler served as director of education of the Commission of Jewish Education of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and the Central Conference of American Rabbis. In 1967 he was appointed vice-president of the UAHC and in June 1972 was selected to succeed Maurice N. Eisendrath as president. Schindler was inducted as president of the UAHC on November 12, 1973, remaining in this position until his retirement in 1996.

As president of the UAHC Schindler quickly became a leading voice in American Jewish life. He worked tirelessly advocating social justice, human rights, and liberal causes in both the Jewish and secular communities. A lifelong Zionist, Schindler worked closely with religious and political leaders as well as with members of the Israeli government on issues of peace, security, and Jewish rights in Israel and throughout the world.

Schindler served on numerous boards and committees throughout his career. From 1976-1978 Schindler served as chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the first time that a leader of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations held this position. In 1950 Schindler authored From Discrimination to Extermination, which examined anti-Jewish policies of the Nazi regime from 1933-1945. He was literary editor of the C.C.A.R. Journal and was also founding editor of Dimensions, a quarterly journal of Jewish thought.

In 1956 Schindler married Rhea Rosenblum. They had five children. Rabbi Schindler died on November 15, 2000.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE top

The ALEXANDER M. SCHINDLER PAPERS contain materials pertaining to the activities and concerns of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, as well as the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, from the 1960s to the 1990s. The collection consists primarily of correspondence, but also contains speeches and eulogies given by Schindler. The span dates for the collection are 1961- 1996 with the bulk of the material covering the years 1973-1995.

The materials in this collection contain contemporary perspective on many, if not most, of the key social and cultural issues facing American Jewry and American society from the 1960s to the 1990s. The collection reflects the involvement of the UAHC and the Conference of Presidents -- as well as that of Alexander M. Schindler -- in these causes and movements.

The collection is arranged into three series:

A. UNION OF AMERICAN HEBREW CONGREGATIONS

B. CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS OF MAJOR AMERICAN JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS

C. SPEECHES AND EULOGIES

SERIES A. UNION OF AMERICAN HEBREW CONGREGATIONS comprises the bulk of the collection, consisting of 19 hollinger boxes. This series contains an alphabetical listing of files pertaining to persons, issues, and organizations that Schindler and the UAHC dealt with during his presidency. Also included in this series are files pertaining to internal and organizational functions of the UAHC. A few materials in the series pre-date Schindler's term as president, going back to the tenure of Maurice N. Eisendrath.

SERIES B. CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS OF MAJOR AMERICAN JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS consists of 4 hollinger boxes. The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, as described in the Encyclopaedia Judaica, was organized in 1955 "out of a growing concern for unified action by major American Jewish organizations to help strengthen peace and stability in the Middle East." Today, the Conference has nearly 25 member organizations and has expanded its mission to increase communication and cooperative action for the Jewish people in Israel and the world over. Alexander Schindler served as chairman of the Conference from 1976- 1978. This series spans the years 1962-1996, but the bulk of the series contains files during Schindler's tenure as chairman.

SERIES C. SPEECHES AND EULOGIES consists of 3 hollinger boxes of speeches given by Rabbi Schindler for the years 1967-1996. The speeches are arranged chronologically and there is no index of titles or subjects.

BOX AND FOLDER LIST top
BOX  FOLDER

SERIES A. UNION OF AMERICAN HEBREW CONGREGATIONS

1    1    Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) 1988-1994
     2    American Conference of Cantors 1964-1995
     3    American Israel Public Affairs Committee 1981-1991
     4    American Jewish Archives 1986-1994
     5    American Jewish Committee 1978-1992
     6    American Jewish Congress 1984-1990
     7    American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (AJJDC) 1990-1994

2    1    AJJDC 1995-1996
     2    AJJDC [International Development Program] 1989-1990
     3    American Zionist Movement 1990-1995
     4    Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith (ADL) 1983-1994
     5    ADL [Jewish Foundation for Christian Rescuers] 1990-1995
     6    Apartheid 1985-1990
     7    Armenia Genocide 1989-1990
     8    Bitburg cemetery 1985
     9    Black-Jewish relations 1979-1988
     10   Camps [Misc.] 1982-1992

3    1    Center for Foreign Policy Development 1986
     2    Center for Learning and Leadership 1988-1989
     3    Civil rights [March on Washington] 1983
     4    Claims conference 1995
     5    Clergy and Laity Concerned 1985
     6    Clinton, Bill 1993-1995
     7    Communal schools 1967-1976
     8    Communications committee 1985-1993
     9    Council of Jewish Federations 1983;1992
     10   Council of Jewish Federations [Synagogue Federations] 1985-1995
     11   Cults, committee on 1983-1993

4    1    Day schools 1963-1976
     2    Disabled, committee on 1982-1988
     3    Drug and Alcohol Abuse, committee on 1990-1993
     4    East German mission 1989
     5    East-West accord 1984
     6    Environment 1992-1994
     7    Ethics committee 1988
     8    Gay rights 1973-1990
4    9    Gay rights 1991-1998
     10   Gay rights [Boy Scouts] 1992-1994
     
5    1    Gerontology 1973-1995
     2    Global Forum 1995-1996
     3    Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion [Gottschalk, Alfred] 
          1972-1993
     4    Holocaust 1981-1994
     5    Humanistic Judaism 1990-1994
     6    International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War 1988
     7    Interreligious Presidents Advisory Committee on Interreligious Affairs 
          1986-1995
     8    Israel 1992-1995
     9    Israel Camp [Budget] 1966-1983
     10   Israel Camp [Enrollment] 1967-1969
     
6    1    Israel Camp [Program/Publicity] 1967-1989
     2    Israel Camp [Staff] 1968-1983
     3    Israel Camp [Misc. correspondence] 1965-1970
     4    Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism 1988-1990
     5    Jewish Corps of Service 1986-1992
     6    Jewish Education committee 1989-1991
     7    Jewish Labor committee 1995
     8    Jewish National Fund 1981-1996
     9    Long Range Planning committee 1985-1988
     10   Management committee 1985-1994
     11   Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture 1988-1993
     12   Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture 1994

7    1    Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture [Committee on the Holocaust] 
          1975-1978
     2    Memorial resolutions n.d.
     3    Message of Israel 1967-1973
     4    Moral Majority/Radical Right 1980-1994
     5    Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience 1986-1995

8    1    National Association for Advancement of Colored People 1985-1992
     2    National Conference on Soviet Jewry 1975-1976
     3    National Council of the Churches of Christ 1981-1993
     4    National Association of Temple Administrators 1966-1992
     5    National Association of Temple Educators 1979-1995
     6    National Federation of Temple Brotherhoods (NFTB) 1977-1980
     7    NFTB 1981-1995
8    8    National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods/Women of Reform Judaism 
          (NFTS/WRJ) 1975-1980

9    1    NFTS/WRJ 1981-1995
     2    National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council (NJCRAC) 1981-
          1995
     3    NJCRAC [Financial] 1962-1991
     4    National Jewish Welfare Board 1964
     5    National Political Action Committee (NatPAC) 1983-1984
     6    Nazis in the United States 1982-1987
     7    New York Board of Rabbis 1961-1978
     8    North American Commission on Jewish Identity and Continuity 1994-1995
     9    North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry 1980-1989
     10   Nuclear Arms freeze 1982-1988

10   1    Outreach 1980-1990
     2    Outreach 1992-1994
     3    Outreach 1995-1996
     4    Outreach [Canadian council] 1979-1990
     5    Outreach [Children] 1982-1985
     6    Outreach [Commission] 1980-1992
     7    Outreach [Detroit/Northeast Lakes] 1979-1981
     8    Outreach [Facilitators/Special meetings] 1979-1983
     9    Outreach [Foreign countries] 1979-1985
     10   Outreach [Great Lakes/Chicago] 1979-1991
     11   Outreach [Intermarriage] 1985-1994

11   1    Outreach [Mid-Atlantic council] 1979-1990
     2    Outreach [Midwest council] 1979-1993
     3    Outreach [Missionizing] 1993-1994
     4    Outreach [New Jersey/Hudson Valley] 1979-1989
     5    Outreach [New York Federation] 1979-1994
     6    Outreach [Northeast council] 1979-1990
     7    Outreach [Northern California/Pacific Northwest] 1979-1990
     8    Outreach [Pacific Southwest] 1979-1993
     9    Outreach [Philadelphia/Pennsylvania federation] 1979-1990
     10   Outreach [Policy] 1993
     11   Outreach [Response] 1978-1989

12   1    Outreach [Southeast/South Florida] 1979-1983
     2    Outreach [Southwest council] 1979-1986
     3    Parkes Library 1963-1964
     4    Patrilineal committee 1982-1994
12   5    Polish project [Art and artifacts] 1982-1983
     6    Pollard, Jonathan 1990-1994
     7    Project Nishma 1988-1989

13   1    Rabbinical Pension Board 1990-1996
     2    Reform communities in Israel 1984-1995
     3    Reform/Conservative/Orthodox 1985-1992
     4    Religion in American life 1974-1990
     5    Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights 1981-1990
     6    Research Task Force 1979-1988

14   1    Shalom Center 1986-1991
     2    Soviet Jewry 1978-1986
     3    Soviet Jewry 1987-1994
     4    Soviet Union [Judaica Library] 1984-1988
     5    Synagogue Council of America 1964-1995

15   1    Task Force on Religious Commitment 1983-1986
     2    Task Force on the Unaffiliated 1989-1993
     3    Task Force on Youth Suicide [Yad Tikvah] 1984-1995
     4    Terrorism 1986
     5    Transcontinental Music 1976-1994
     6    United Israel Appeal 1979-1994
     7    United Jewish Appeal 1983-1996
     8    United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA)
          1977-1980

16   1    UNA-USA 1983-1985
     2    UNA-USA 1986-1989
     3    UNA-USA 1990-1993
     4    United States Interreligious Committee for Peace 1974
     5    Vatican Judaica Art Exhibit 1987

17   1    Waldheim, Kurt [Subject] 1986
     2    Wallenberg, Raoul - International Society 1991
     3    Warsaw Ghetto Resistance Organization 1976-1993
     4    World Conference on Religion and Peace 1984-1995
     5    World Federation of Polish Jews 1976-1988
     6    World Jewish Congress 1971-1996
     7    World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) 1974-1984
     8    WUPJ 1985-1986
     9    WUPJ 1987-1990

18   1    WUPJ 1991-1996
     2    WUPJ [Friedman, Herbert] 1973-1976
     3    WUPJ [Israel] 1967-1982
     4    WUPJ [Jerusalem Center] 1973-1977
     5    WUPJ [Jerusalem Center - Foundations] 1971-1975

19   1    WUPJ [Jerusalem Center - Joint building committee] 1972-1982
     2    WUPJ [Jerusalem Center - Moshe Safdie] 1973-1974
     3    WUPJ [Rights in Israel] 1963-1971
     4    WUPJ [Youth hostel] 1981-1982
     5    World Zionist Organization 1984-1991
     6    Zionist Organization of America 1974-1995
     7    Misc. organizations [Correspondence] 1981-1992
     8    Misc. organizations [Correspondence] 1993-1996

SERIES B. CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS OF MAJOR AMERICAN JEWISH 
          ORGANIZATIONS

20   1    General 1978-1996
     2    Advisory committee 1976-1978
     3    American Jewish Research Institute 1979
     4    Arab boycott 1962-1978
     5    Arms control 1977
     6    Austria 1976-1978
     7    Belgrade conference 1978
     8    Brown, General George S. 1976
     9    Budget and finance 1964-1993
     10   Carter, Jimmy [White House] 1976-1977
     11   Discretionary fund 1976
     12   Dissent 1977-1978
     13   Editorials 1976
     
21   1    Egypt [Arms sales] 1976-1978
     2    France 1976-1978
     3    Germany 1977-1978
     4    Hellman, Yehuda 1986-1994
     5    Holocaust 1978
     6    Israel 1968-1970
     7    Israel 1976
     8    Israel 1977-1994
     9    Israel [Comprehensive Communications Plan] 1978

22   1    Israel [Comprehensive Communications Plan] 1978
22   2    Israel [Government Investment Authority] 1978
     3    Israel [30th anniversary] 1978
     4    Membership 1963-1978
     5    Mexico 1976-1977
     6    National Security 1977
     7    New York Times Magazine 1978
     8    Personnel search 1976
     9    Poland 1976-1977
     10   Public relations 1967-1995
     11   Romania 1976-1978
     12   Sisco, Joseph 1976
     13   South America 1978

23   1    State Department 1977-1979
     2    Structure and Scope committee 1962-1978
     3    Task Force on Energy 1976-1979
     4    Task Force Proposals 1976
     5    United Nations Task Force 1976-1977
     6    United Nations [PLO] 1976-1990
     7    World Organization of Jews from Arab Countries 1977-1978
     8    World Sephardi Federation 1977-1978

SERIES C. SPEECHES AND EULOGIES

     9    Eulogies [delivered by AMS] 

24   1    1967-1974
     2    1976-1978
     3    1979-1980
     4    1981-1983
     5    1984-1985
     6    1986
     7    1987
     8    1988

25   1    1989
     2    1990
     3    1991
     4    1992
     5    1993



26   1    1994
     2    1995
     3    1996
     4    Sermons, A-R.
     5    Sermons, S-Z, untitled.
	
SUBJECT TRACINGS top

Note: The following list of subjects is a selective index to topics and individuals in the ALEXANDER M. SCHINDLER PAPERS. This index is selective in that it only attempts to draw attention to the more significant items in the collection. It does not attempt to list every subject or individual nor does it try to indicate all places that a listed subject or individual appears in the collection. When used in conjunction with the Box and Folder List, the Subject Tracings should help the researcher locate topics. References are to boxes and folders: e.g., 3/20 means Box 3, Folder 20.
Abortion 13/5
AIDS 1/1
Apartheid 2/6
Arab-Jewish relations 20/4; 21/1; 23/7
Arms control 4/5; 5/6; 9/10; 20/5; 21/1

Black-Jewish relations 2/9; 3/3; 8/1

Cults 3/11

Eastern Europe 2/7; 4/5; 12/5; 22/9, 11
Energy 23/3

Falashas 9/9

Gay/Lesbian rights 4/8-10
Genocide 2/7; 5/6
Gottschalk, Alfred 5/3

Holocaust 5/4; 7/1; 9/6; 17/1, 3; 21/5

Intermarriage 10/11
Israel 1/3; 6/1; 13/2; 19/3; 21/6

Jewish-Christian relations 5/7; 8/3; 11/3; 16/4

Patrilineal descent 12/4
Polish Jewry 12/5; 17/5; 22/9

Reagan, Ronald 2/8

Sephardim 23/8
Soviet Jewry 8/2; 14/2-4

United Nations 5/8; 15/8; 23/5, 6

Women 8/8; 9/1
Youth suicide 15/3

Zionism 2/3; 19/5-6
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Copyright © 1999 Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives