United Order True Sisters Records

Manuscript Collection No. 638

1864 - 1979, 7.5 linear ft.

ACCESS AND PROVENANCE
The United Order True Sisters Records were donated to the American Jewish Archives by Mrs. Rita Lipkin, President of the United Order in August, 1999. All papers donated prior to November, 1999 have been arranged and described in this inventory.
The United Order True Sisters, by the act of donating the United Order True Sisters Records to the American Jewish Archives, assigned the property rights to the American Jewish Archives. All literary rights to material authored by individuals are held by that individual or by their heirs. Questions concerning rights should be addressed to the Director of the American Jewish Archives.
The United Order True Sisters Records 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.
INSTITUTIONAL SKETCH top
The Unaghingiger Orden Treue Schwestern or the United Order True Sisters (UOTS) was founded in 1846 by a dozen women led by Henrietta Bruckmann, wife of New York physician Dr. Phillip Bruckmann. In order to strengthen the credibility of the group, Henrietta sought the support of her husband as well as Temple Emanu-El Associate Rabbi, the Rev. Dr. Leo Merzbacher, and Dr. James Mitchels, an early B'nai B'rith leader. The original members of the order all belonged to Temple Emanu-El. They were of German Jewish ancestry and formed this secret order devoted to charity.
The UOTS followed the typical organization of the time period, with written constitutions and by-laws adopted by the membership. Their objectives were "to unite its members in sisterly affection and esteem" in addition to charitable work. Their male advisors helped them to develop the first installation ceremony. Rituals and degrees were also formalized and published. In 1883, the publication of the newsletter The Echo began. This publication gave information about the different activities of the chapters, the charity recipients and the details of ritualized ceremonies.
The organization has retained the Jewish, if not German part of their identity. In 1892, the first English speaking chapter was formed. In 1918, the last chapter meeting in German was conducted. Their chief charitable concerns have to do with cancer and cancer treatment centers.
Growth in the number of chapters continues, although the overall membership has declined since 1945. The first chapter was the Immanuel Lodge #1 (named because its membership consisted of members of the Emanu-El Congregation), and in 1851 the UOTS created the national Grand Lodge. Immanel was the first chapter to sign the Grand Lodge Charter. Philadelphia also opened a lodge in 1851 and in 1874, Johanna Lodge No.9 became the first midwestern chapter, located in Chicago, Illinois. In the early 1960s, the United Order formalized its commitment to expansion by creating a National Expansion Chairman for membership. As recently as 1978, a new chapter was formed in Suffolk County, New York.
Bibliography/ Related AJA Collections.
For additional information, check the United Order of True Sisters website
Musnitsky, Randi. "Four Jewish Women's Organizations/ Their Early Development: National Council of Jewish Women, Hadassah, Young Women's Hebrew Association, United Orders of True Sisters." Term Paper submitted to Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati, Ohio. May 1981. SC-8601
United Order True Sisters. Nearprint File.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE top
The United Order True Sisters Records describe the governance and activities of the fraternal organization between 1876-1976. The collection contains executive minutes, convention records, programs, publications, ritual books, financial records and photographs. The records are divided into six (6) series:

A.CONSTITUTIONS

B. ANNUAL MEETING OF THE GRAND LODGE/ NATIONAL CONVENTION PROGRAMS AND MINUTES

C. FINANCIAL RECORDS

D. PUBLICATIONS

E. RITUAL/PRAYER MATERIALS

F. PROGRAMS AND PHOTOGRAPHS

SERIES A. CONSTITUTIONS (Undated) consists of one folder which contains a handwritten copy of the first constitution and the roll-call vote accepting it. It was later used as a membership book with listing of members, chapters and some addresses.
SERIES B. ANNUAL MEETING OF THE GRAND LODGE/ NATIONAL CONVENTION PROGRAMS AND MINUTES (1864-1979) consists of 6 Hollinger boxes of the minutes of the meetings of the Grand Lodge (national organization). Minutes prior to 1894 are in German. There is a break in the series between 1922 and 1940. After this time, the material contains the programs and addresses of the National Convention in addition to the minutes of the Grand Lodge.
SERIES C. FINANCIAL RECORDS (1927-1951) consists of a Board of Subscribers Book which contains information concerning financial donors to the national headquarters of the UOTS known as "the clubhouse."
SERIES D. PUBLICATIONS (1884-1975)consists of 2 oversize and 2 legal size Hollinger boxes. It consists of the run of The Echo, the official newsletter of the United Order. Publication varies from monthly to three times yearly. Reports of the meeting of the Grand Lodge in an abbreviated fashion are included.
SERIES E. RITUAL BOOKS/ PRAYERS (1895-1953) consists of one Hollinger box. It contains ritual books, manual of degrees, prayers for the death of a sister and lodge installation services. Earlier material is in both German and English.
SERIES F. PROGRAMS/PHOTOGRAPHS (1939-1971) contains 3 folders and 1 oversize Hollinger box. It contains anniversary programs and photographs. Of special interest is a scrapbook of photographs from the 1945 convention.
BOX AND FOLDER LISTINGtop
Box    Folder    Contents
SERIES A. CONSTITUTIONS. Undated.
1     1         Constitution. Undated. Membership Rolls with various dates (1855-1894).

SERIES B. ANNUAL MEETING OF THE GRAND LODGE/ NATIONAL CONVENTIONS. 1864-1979.
1     2         Grand Lodge Meeting Minutes. 1864 - 1876. In German.
      3         Minutes. 1876- January 1880.
      4         Minutes. March 1876 - January 1880.
      5         Minutes. December 1880 - December 1885.
      6         Minutes. December 1885 - December 1896.
2     1         Minutes. January 1907 - January 1916.
      2         Minutes. February 1916 - March 1922.
      3         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1940.
      4         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1941.
      5         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1942.
      6         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1943.
      7         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1946.
      8         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1947.
      9         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1948.
      10        Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1949.
3     1         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1950.
      2         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1951.
      3         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1952.
      4         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1953.
      5         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1953.
      6         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1954.
      7         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1955.
      8         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1956.
      9         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1957.
4     1         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1958.
      2         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1959.
      3         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1960.
      4         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1961.
      5         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1962.
      6         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1963.
      7         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1964.
      8         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1965.
5     1         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1966.
      2         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1967.
      3         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1968.
      4         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1969.
      5         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1970.
      6         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1971.
      7         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1972.
6     1         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1973.
      2         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1975.
      3         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1977.
      4         Meeting Program and Convention Minutes. 1979.

SERIES C. FINANCIAL RECORDS (1927-1951)
X-404 1         Board of Subscribers Books. 1927-1951. Names, Addresses and Amounts

SERIES D. PUBLICATIONS (1884-1975)
      2         Echo. 1884 - 1905. (Prior to 1896 in German).
X-405 1         Echo. 1906 - 1914.
      2         Echo. 1915 - 1919.
      3         Echo. 1920 - 1924.
7     1         Echo. 1931 - 1933.
      2         Echo. 1934 - 1936.
      3         Echo. November 1941- December 1943.
      4         Echo. January 1944 - December. 1945.
      5         Echo. January 1946 - December 1947.
      6         Echo. January 1948 - December 1949.
      7         Echo. January 1950 - December 1951.
8     1         Echo. January 1952 - November 1953.
      2         Echo. January 1954 - October 1957.
      3         Echo. January 1958 - October 1961.
      4         Echo. December 1961 - October 1963.
      5         Echo. January 1964 - October 1965.
      6         Echo. January 1964 - October 1967.
      7         Echo. December 1967 - October 1969.
      8         Echo. January 1970 - November 1971.
      9         Echo. January 1972 - November 1973.
      10        Echo. January 1974 - November 1975.

SERIES E. RITUAL BOOKS/ PRAYERS
9     1         Manual of Degrees. 1895.
      2         Ritual Book. 1901. German.
      3         Ritual Book/ Manual of Degrees. 1913.
      4         Ritual Book. 1947.
      5         Ritual Book. 1953.
      6         Prayers for the Death of a Sister. Undated. German and English.
      7         Installation of Lodge Service. Undated.

SERIES F. PROGRAMS/PHOTOGRAPHS. 1939-1971.
      8         True Sisters Day at World Fair Program. 1939.
      9         Anniversary Programs. 1931-1971.
      10        Photos of 115^th Anniversary Activity. Ca. 1960.
X-406 1         Scrapbook of photos. Mostly from 1945 Grand Lodge Meeting and
                Convention.

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