Table of Contents

Summary Information

Administrative Information

Collection Inventory

Series I: A-E

Series II: F-Fundraising, 1948-1970

Series III: Fundraising, 1975-2000s

Series IV: Fundraising/endowments -Z

Photographs:

Oral Histories:

Scrapbooks

Artifacts:

Oversized Materials

Hebrew Academy/ Yeshiva Yearbooks, 1948-2012

Summary Information

Repository

Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford

Title

Hartford Yeshiva/Hebrew Academy

ID

Education.0007.002.004a

Date [inclusive]

1940-2012

Extent

3.0 Cubic feet

Language

English

Biographical/Historical

Biographical/Historical note The Hartford Yeshiva, founded in 1940, was the second Jewish day school established in New England. The Yeshiva was created by members of the Orthodox community who felt that only a day school could provide the quantity and quality of education needed to perpetuate traditional Judaism. At the time, the school was one of relatively few in the country that offered girls a Jewish education equal to that offered to boys. In addition to a half day of Judaic studies, the school also provided an equal amount of time on secular education and was supervised by the Hartford Board of Education. At its founding, the school immediately became a center of controversy, according to Making a Life, Building a Community, as some of the more liberal Jewish leaders in Hartford felt that such a school perpetuated the ghetto segregation left behind in Europe and was "un-American." These critics supported the use of public schools, supplemented with after school classes in Judaism, in order to promote the acculturation of the community and foster assimilation. As materials in the collection demonstrate, the Yeshiva's response to this attitude was to institute a program of patriotism to foster "Americanism." Today the school continues this practice with student charity to non-Jewish (as well as Jewish) community organizations, an annual Election Fair with local political candidates, and various patriotic programs during the year. Although most of these early critics eventually were convinced of the school's desire to fit into modern American life, some members of the community continued to feel that an Orthodox day school was a retrograde idea, even though most of the students attending the school were not "traditional" Jews. The Yeshiva, known after the early 1970s as Hebrew Academy, has responded by focusing on the quality of its secular education, establishing a computer lab, programs for the "gifted and talented" students, and active competition in statewide and national science and mathematics competitions.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents note A large portion of this collection consists of materials describing various volunteer and fundraising efforts by the school, reflecting the constant need to supplement tuition

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford

333 Bloomfield Avenue
West Hartford, CT, 06117
860-727-6171
ekafer@jewishhartford.org

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Collection Inventory

Series I: A-E

About this Collection Dates undated

Anniversaries/13th Anniversary of school ("Bar Mitzvah Anniversary"), 1952 Dates undated

Anniversaries/25th Anniversary of school, 1964 Dates 1964

Anniversaries/40th Anniversary of school, 1979 Dates 1979

Anniversaries/50th Anniversary of school, 1989 Dates 1989

Anniversaries/ 62nd Anniversary of school, 2002 Location Note program flyer

Anniversaries/ 70th Anniversary of school, 2009

Annual Dinners

Auxiliary/Life Membership Programs, 1969-1976 Dates 1969-1976

Auxiliary/Miscellaneous Dates undated

Awards and Honors Given/Annual Scholarship Dinner Tribute Dates undated

Awards and Honors Received/U.S. Dept. of Education Award, 1990?1991 Dates undated

Awards and Honors/Miscellaneous Dates undated

Board of Directors/Members Dates undated

Board of Directors/Members/Gershman, Charles (founder) Scope and Contents One of the cofounders of the Yeshiva of Hartford Dates 1947-1980 Location Note Photocopies of newspaper articles about work with the Yeshiva Letter about event in his memory Brief family biography

Board of Directors/Planning Dates undated

Buildings/45 Pleasant Street, Hartford, 1942-1951 Dates 1942-1951

Buildings/121 Cornwall Street, Hartford, 1951-1974 Dates 1951-1974

Buildings/53 Gabb Road, Bloomfield, 1974-present Dates 1974-2012

Charitable Activities Dates undated

Correspondence/Letters to parents and friends Dates undated

Curriculum

Education/Adult Programs Dates undated

Education/After'school Programs Dates undated

Education/Pre'school Programs Dates undated

Education/School Programs Dates undated

Education/School Programs/Graduations Dates undated

Education/Special Programs and Holiday Observances Dates undated

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Series II: F-Fundraising, 1948-1970

Financial Information Dates undated

Fundraising/Ad Journals Dates undated

Fundraising/Ad Journals ("Yearbook"), 1948-1970 Dates 1948-1970

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Series III: Fundraising, 1975-2000s

Fundraising/Ad Journals ("Yearbook;" or “Scholarship Dinner”), 1971-2000s Dates 1971-2012

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Series IV: Fundraising/endowments -Z

Fundraising/Endowments and Grants Dates undated

Fundraising/Planning Dates undated

Fundraising/Projects A-D Dates undated

Fundraising/Projects E-Z Dates undated

Fundraising/Student Fundraising Projects Dates undated

Historical Highlights Dates undated

Interfaith Activities Dates undated

Letter Correspondence to Parents

Miscellaneous Dates undated

Newsletters/"The Advocate" Dates undated

Newsletters/"Chadashot" Dates undated

Newsletters/"Hakesher" Dates undated

Newsletters/"H.A. Link" Dates undated

Newsletters/ "Highlights" Dates 2001-2003

Newsletters/"Menu" (weekly news for parents) Dates undated

Newsletters/ "Update"

Newspaper clippings Dates undated

Open Houses and Recruitment Dates undated

Parent Handbook Dates undated

Publicity/Promotional Materials Dates undated

Publicity/Promotional Materials/Calendars, 1997- Dates 1997

Scholarships

School Calendars Dates 1993-1194

Social Events/Annual Purim Dinner, etc. Dates undated

Social Events/Miscellaneous/ and Special Dates undated

Staff Members Dates undated

Volunteers/Fathers' Club Dates undated

Volunteers/P.T.A. Dates undated

Volunteers/Women’s Organization Dates undated

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Photographs:

See: "Photographs/Education/Hartford Yeshiva?Hebrew Academy" Dates undated

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Oral Histories:

Gershman Memorial Convocation, Tape #213 (1980) Dates 1980

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Scrapbooks

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Artifacts:

Hat and two badges from "Israel at 50" program, 1998 Dates 1998

Trowel from cornerstone laying given to Herman Eisenberg, April 18, 1950 Dates 1950

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Oversized Materials

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Hebrew Academy/ Yeshiva Yearbooks, 1948-2012

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