Morris David Waldman Papers

Manuscript Collection No. 23

1912-1963. 2.9 Linear ft.

ACCESS AND PROVENANCE

The MORRIS DAVID WALDMAN PAPERS were donated to the American Jewish Archives by Rabbi Waldman's nephew, Mr. Lester J. Waldman, in March, 1969. Property rights are assigned to the American Jewish Archives. All literary rights to material authored by Morris David Waldman are held by the Waldman heirs. Literary rights to materials authored by others are held by the individual author or his/her heirs. Questions about literary or copyrights should be addressed to the Director of the American Jewish Archives.

The MORRIS DAVID WALDMAN PAPERS are open to all users. The original manuscript collection is available in the reading room of the American Jewish Archives.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHtop

Morris David Waldman, the son of Benjamin and Esther (Schoenfeld) Waldman, was born in Bartfa, Hungary in 1879. He was brought to the United States at the age of four, and completed his education at New York University (1898), Jewish Theological Seminary (1895-1898) and the Columbia University Graduate School of Semitics and Philosophy (1898-1901).

Waldman began his career as a rabbi at Temple Anshe Emeth in New Brunswick, New Jersey (1900-1903), but he soon entered the field of social and welfare work. Among his creations were: the District Service Plan (introduced in Boston), by which the needs and problems of all members of a family were considered on a unitary basis; the "Double Barrelled Federation: (which he initiated in Detroit), a forerunner of all the welfare funds established by Jewish federations in community chest cities; a planned parenthood clinic in Detroit, conducted under the auspices of a Jewish federation for a non-sectarian clientele; and bureaus of Jewish education in Boston and Detroit which, for the first time, established the principle of community responsibility for Jewish education and community control and direction.

From 1906 to 1908 Waldman served in immigration work with the Industrial Removal Office and was director of the Galveston Movement. The latter was created to deflect East European immigrants from the East Coast of the United States to less populated areas.

From 1908 to 1917 he was managing director of the United Hebrew Charities of New York City. There he introduced many pioneering procedures which became the basis for later developments in the field of social work.

He served as vice-president of the New York State Conference of Charities and Correction (1912), and president of the New York City Conference of Charities (1915). He was influential in the establishment of the Federation for the support of Jewish Philanthropic Societies of New York City in 1917 and in 1919 he was made a trustee of the Federation's board. Waldman was also instrumental in the organizing of the Federations of Jewish Charities in Boston, Brooklyn, and Detroit.

In 1917 he served as an assistant director of the civilian department of the American Red Cross in Washington. Between 1921 and 1922, he organized relief for Central European Jewish communities, and was director of the medico-sanitary department of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Under his direction and initiative nurses' training programs and X-ray services were introduced into Jewish hospitals in Poland and neighboring countries. He was also responsible for the introduction of a comprehensive and widespread program of public health in Eastern and Southeastern Europe.

In 1928 Waldman became executive secretary to the American Jewish Committee, a position he held until 1945. His achievements were concerned with protecting the civil and religious rights of Jews throughout the world. His campaign to solve the problem of anti-Semitism and minority rights in general finally resulted in an International Bill of Rights being adopted as a part of the United Nations charter.

He was active in the non-Zionist section of the Jewish Agency for Palestine. He opposed Jewish nationalism, but after World War II he attempted to resolve the split between Zionist and non-Zionist factions in the American Jewish Committee. He later favored the establishment of the state of Israel.

In 1945, for reasons of health, Waldman retired from his professional position. He wrote two books, Not By Power (1953), an autobiography; and Sieg Heil (1962). He died at the age of 84 in 1963. Waldman was married to Rose Cypres in 1901 and they had three children: Mrs. Lynn W. Pearlstien, Mrs. Pearl Glaser, and Mrs. Helen Eliezer.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE top

The MORRIS DAVID WALDMAN PAPERS (1912-1963) describe the career activities of Morris David Waldman, a rabbi, social worker, and organization executive. The collection consists of correspondence, minutes, reports, notes, printed matter, and miscellaneous items dealing with the organizations with which he was involved between 1912 and 1963. The Papers have been organized into five series:

A. CORRESPONDENCE
B. ORGANIZATIONS
C. GENERAL
D. MANUSCRIPTS
E. MISCELLANEOUS

The CORRESPONDENCE series (1912-1963) consists of one and one-half Hollinger boxes of letters alphabetically arranged by the name of the correspondent. Letters are arranged chronologically within each folder. Among the important correspondents included in the series are Cyrus Adler, Jacob Billikopf, Jacob Blaustein, David A. Brown, Herbert Lehman, Louis Marshall, Joseph M. Proskauer, John Slawson, Cyrus L. Sulzberger, Maurice Wertheim, and Stephen S. Wise. Access to many of the important subjects and individuals may be made through the Box and Folder List and the Subject Tracings at the end of the inventory.

The ORGANIZATIONS series (1917-1949) consists of three and one-half Hollinger boxes of correspondence, minutes, and reports arranged alphabetically by name of organization. The Phoenix Community Relations Council and the Joint Defense Appeal material belonged to Jay S. Pearlstien, Waldman's son-in-law. As it was already a part of the MORRIS DAVID WALDMAN PAPERS, it was retained. The material on the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (1921-1922) comprises the bulk of the Waldman material in this series. Access to the more important subjects and individuals may be made through the Subject Tracings at the end of the inventory.

The GENERAL series (1917-1963) consists of one box of correspondence, newsclippings, pamphlets, articles, notes, speeches, and reports. The series is biographical in nature and contains a variety of items either written by or about Morris David Waldman. There is also one folder of material relating to Latin America.

The MANUSCRIPTS series (1960-1962) consists of correspondence and copies of manuscripts of items authored by Morris David Waldman, primarily his book Sieg Heil.

The MISCELLANEOUS series consists of one folder of items of secondary importance or of unidentifiable manuscript material.

Two large folders of Photographs previously a part of the Waldman Papers have been removed and placed in the "Picture File". The photographs were of friends, organizational activities, and his trip to Latin America.

BOX AND FOLDER LISTING top

Box  Folder    Contents

SERIES A. CORRESPONDENCE

Note:     The CORRESPONDENCE series is arranged alphabetically by the name of the
correspondent. Unless otherwise indicated, folders contain correspondence.
Access to additional topics and individuals in this series may be made through
the Subject Tracings at the end of this inventory.

1    1         Adler, Cyrus 1927-1939.
     2         B, General.
     3         Billikopf, Jacob 1918-1950.
     4         Blaustein, Jacob 1943-1957.
     5         Bressler, David M. 1917-1937.
     6         Brown, David A. 1927; 1952-1954.
     7         Butzel, Henry M. 1924.
     8         C, General.
     9         Cardozo, Benjamin N. 1932; 1935.
     10        D, General.
     11        Davidson, Israel 1924-1930.
     12        E, F, General.
     13        Fine, Morris 1948-1955.
     14        G, General.
     15        Gottschalk, Max 1938-1963.
     16        Grodinsky, Julius 1930.
     17        H, I, J, General.
     18        K, General.
     19        Karpf, Maurice 1931-1952.
     20        Klein, Henry 1929-1933.
     21        L, General.
     22        Landau, Jacob 1930-1942.
     23        Laski, Neville 1933-1957.
     24        Lehman, Herbert 1926-1958.
     25        Leidesdorf, Samuel D. 1937-1953.
     26        M, General.
     27        Marcus, Jacob R. 1951 May-July.
     28        Marshall, Louis 1928-1929.
     29        N, O, General.
     30        P, General.
     31        Proskauer, Joseph M. 1933; 1941-1957.
     32        R, General.
     33        Rosenberg, James N. 1936-1942.
     34        Rosenman, Samuel I. 1938-1952.

2    1         S, General.
     2         Saltzstein, Harry C. 1952-1963.
     3         Schiff, Mortimer L. 1925 July-August.
     4         Silverberg, Mendel 1940 May-June.
     5         Slawson, John 1940-1962.
     6         Sloss, M.C. 1946; 1953.
     7         Stroock, Sol M. 1934-1954.
     8         Stern, Horace 1943-1946.
     9         Sulzberger, Cyrus L. 1925-1932.
     10        T, General.
     11        Teller, Chester and Eva Magnes Teller 1949-1954.
     12        W, General.
     13        Wallach, Sidney 1936-1942.
     14        Wertheim, Maurice 1940-1950.
     15        Wineman, Henry 1924; 1945; 1948.
     16        Wise, Stephen S. 1942-1947.
     17        Z, General.
     18        Unidentified.

SERIES B. ORGANIZATIONS

Note: The ORGANIZATIONS series is arranged alphabetically by the name of the
organization. Unless otherwise indicated, folders contain correspondence.
Access to additional topics and individuals in this series may be made through
the Subject Tracings at the end of this inventory.

     19        American Council for Judaism 1942-1944.
     20        American Jewish Committee 1935-1942 [correspondence,
                    reports, and minutes.
     21        American Jewish Committee 1944-1962.
     22        American Jewish Conference 1943
                    [correspondence, reports, and minutes.

3    1         American Jewish Conference 1944 January-March
                    [correspondence and minutes].
     2         American Jewish Conference 1944 April-July
                    [correspondence and minutes].
     3         American Red Cross 1917-1918; 1938.
     4         American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee 1921 Sept-Dec.
     5         American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee 1921-1922
                    [correspondence and minutes].
     6         American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee 1922 July-Sept.
     7         American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee 1921 December
                    [minutes].

4    1         American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee 1921-1922
                    [reports and minutes].
     2         American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee 1922 [minutes].
     3         American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee 1922
                    [Progress reports].
     4         American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee 1922 May
                    [Progress report-Poland].
     5         American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee 1922 June
                    [Progress report-Poland].
     6         American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee 1922-1948
                    [Poland].
     7         Joint Defense Appeal 1945-1946.
     8         Joint Defense Appeal 1947 January-September.

5    1         Joint Defense Appeal 1947 October-1948 December.
     2         Joint Defense Appeal 1947 January 4-6 [minutes].
     3         Joint Defense Appeal 1947 January 4-6 [minutes].
     4         Joint Defense Appeal 1947 January 4-6 [minutes].
     5         National Council of Women of the United States 1940-1947.
     6         Phoenix Community Relations Council 1941-1949
                    [correspondence, reports, and minutes].
     7         Phoenix Community Relations Council 1945-1948 [nearprint].

SERIES C. GENERAL

6    1         Waldman, Morris D.--Biographical 1921; 1954; 1963
                    [Includes letters from various individuals and
                    organizations sent to the family at the time of
                    his death in 1963 at age 84].
     2         Waldman, Morris D.--Nearprint 1917-1942.
     3-4       Waldman, Morris D.--Speeches and Reports 1930-1949.
     5         Latin America 1944-1952.

SERIES D. MANUSCRIPTS

     6         "Sieg Heil"--Correspondence 1960-1962.
     7         "Sieg Heil".

7    1         "Sieg Heil".
     2         "Sieg Heil".
     3-6       Miscellaneous.

SERIES E. MISCELLANEOUS

     7         Miscellaneous.

SUBJECT TRACINGS top

Note: The following list of subjects is a selective guide to many of the topics found in the MORRIS DAVID WALDMAN PAPERS. 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. 3/2 means Box 3, Folder 2.


American Jewish Committee 1/1; 1/4; 1/31; 2/5.
Anti-Semitism 1/28; 2/21; 2/22.
Anti-Zionism 2/20.
Charities 2/1.
Fund-raising 1/3; 1/6; 2/7; 2/23; 3/1, 2; 4/7, 8; 5/1, 4; 5/6, 7; 6/3 ,4.
Hitler, Adolf 2/13; 6/6, 7; 7/1, 2.
Immigration 1/10.
Israel 2/21, 22.
Jewish Community 1/2.
Labor 2/23; 3/1, 2.
Latin America 2/21, 22.
Lazaron, Morris 2/20.
Mikolajczyk, Stanislaw 1/26.
Nazism 1/1; 2/7.
Palestine 1/4; 1/33; 1/34; 2/8; 2/13; 2/21, 22; 2/23; 3/1, 2.
Poland 3/4, 5, 6, 7; 4/1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Refugees 1/33.
Relief 1/3; 3/4, 5, 6, 7; 4/1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Rosenwald, Julius 1/3.
Sanger, Margaret 2/1.
Welfare Activities 5/6, 7.
Women's Rights 5/5.
Zionism 1/4; 1/19; 1/31; 1/33; 2/5; 2/13; 2/15; 2/21, 22; 2/23; 3/1, 2.

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