Division of Cultural History Judaica Collection
name: label: Donor
content: Cohen, Henry, Reverand
label: Donor
content: Ahlborn, Richard E., 1933-2015
label: Donor
content: Harris, Michael
label: Donor
content: Deinard, Ephraim
label: Donor
content: Adler, Cyrus, 1863-1940
label: Donor
content: Luchs, Leopold
label: Donor
content: Lipkowitz, Sylvia E.
label: Donor
content: Marks, Michael Neil
label: Donor
content: Marks, Cara Goldberg
label: Donor
content: Howland, S. S.
label: Donor
content: Hartogensis, Henry S.
label: Donor
content: Krauss, S., Father
label: Donor
content: Kantrowitz, J.H.
label: Donor
content: Neeman, Zipora
label: Donor
content: Sulzberger, Mayer, 1843-1923
label: Donor
content: Sulzberger, S.
place: label: Place
content: Russia
label: Place
content: Palestine
label: Place
content: Syria
label: Place
content: Slovakia
label: Place
content: Crimea
label: Place
content: France
label: Place
content: India
label: Place
content: Israel
label: Place
content: Germany
label: Place
content: Holland
label: Place
content: Italy
topic: label: Topic
content: Jewish funeral rites and ceremonies
label: Topic
content: Jewish mourning customs
label: Topic
content: Jewish art
label: Topic
content: Jewish art and symbolism
label: Topic
content: Jews -- Social life and customs
label: Topic
content: Judaism
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The collection was donated by the following donors:

J.H. Kantrowitz.,Purchase,1889; Mrs. S. Sulzberger, Gift; Leopold Luchs, Gift; Dr. Cyrus Adler ,Gift; Mayer Sulzberger, Purchase; Rev. Henry Cohen, Gift.,1897; William Wesley and Son, Purchase; Father S. Krauss, Gift.,1902; S.S. Howland, Bequest.,1902; Ephraim Deinard, Purchase.,1902; Mrs. Simon Kann,Gift.,1920;
Henry S. Hartogensis,Gift,1920; Ms. L. Lieberman,Gift,1924; Ephraim Deinard,Gift; Cara Goldberg Marks, Michael Neil Marks.,Gift; Michael Harris, Gift, 1982; Richard E. Ahlborn,Gift, 1986; Sylvia E. Lipkowitz, Gift, 1987; and 
Neeman, Zipora,Gift, 1988.
creator: label: Donor
content: Cohen, Henry, Reverand
label: Donor
content: Ahlborn, Richard E., 1933-2015
label: Donor
content: Harris, Michael
label: Donor
content: Deinard, Ephraim
label: Donor
content: Adler, Cyrus, 1863-1940
label: Donor
content: Luchs, Leopold
label: Donor
content: Lipkowitz, Sylvia E.
label: Donor
content: Marks, Michael Neil
label: Donor
content: Marks, Cara Goldberg
label: Donor
content: Howland, S. S.
label: Donor
content: Hartogensis, Henry S.
label: Donor
content: Krauss, S., Father
label: Donor
content: Kantrowitz, J.H.
label: Donor
content: Neeman, Zipora
label: Donor
content: Sulzberger, Mayer, 1843-1923
label: Donor
content: Sulzberger, S.
setName: label: See more items in
content: Division of Cultural History Judaica Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: An extensive collection of Judaica collected by the Division of Cultural History, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian.
bioghist: label: Historical Note
content: The Judaica Collection at the Smithsonian is the oldest of its type in the United States. The archival collection is comprised of various documents, prints, sukkah decorations, marriage contracts, and memorial candle labels from Europe and the Middle East. The bulk of the collection was transferred in the 1960's to the National Museum of History and Technology (later, the National Museum of American History). A portion of the collection (artifact-related) still resides in the National Museum of Natural History. For a detailed description of items found in the collection see Cohen Grossman, Grace and Richard Ahlborn.  "Judaica at the Smithsonian: Cultural Politics as Cultural Model." Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology, Number 52, 1997. 

The first Judaica collections were acquired by the Smithsonian specifically for the World's Columbian Exposition in 1890. The next large Judaica collection was acquired in 1902 with the purchase of a torah case and Sukkah ornaments from Ephraim Deinard, bibliophile, Hebrew author and independent book dealer. A native of Latvia, Deinard immigrated to the United States in 1888. By 1913, Deinard had amassed a large collection of Judaica from Europe and the Middle East. He eventually deposited, between 1920 and 1927, almost 600 objects to the Smithsonian. The collection remained on loan until 1955 when Deinard's heirs donated the collection. 
It was 10 years later with the opening of the National Museum of History and Technology (National Museum of American History), that there was a renewed interest in collecting Judaica objects. A small number of Judaica objects have been acquired since then. The archival collection is housed at the Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 22 Cubic feet (32 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1639-1980
custodhist: label: Custodial History
content: Collected from various donors by the Division of Cultural History (now Division of Cultural and Community Life). One donor, Ephraim Deinard, donated the vast majority of the collection, having acquired the documents during travels to the Near East, North Africa and Europe. Transferred to the Archives Center in 2008.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.1160
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Eulogies
label: Type
content: Etchings
label: Type
content: Lithographs
label: Type
content: Letters
label: Type
content: Ketubahs
label: Type
content: Greeting cards
label: Type
content: Prayers
label: Type
content: Photographs
label: Type
content: Petitions
label: Type
content: Manuscripts
label: Type
content: Posters
label: Type
content: Poems
label: Type
content: Proclamations
label: Type
content: Prints
label: Type
content: Sermons
label: Type
content: Sukkah decorations
label: Type
content: Wills
label: Type
content: Envelopes
label: Type
content: Betrothal contracts
label: Type
content: Calendars
label: Type
content: Receipts
label: Type
content: Amulets
label: Type
content: Divorce records
label: Type
content: Engravings
label: Type
content: Certificates
label: Type
content: Deeds
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Collection is unarranged.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection is unprocessed.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Eulogies
label: Genre/Form
content: Etchings
label: Genre/Form
content: Lithographs
label: Genre/Form
content: Letters
label: Genre/Form
content: Ketubahs
label: Genre/Form
content: Greeting cards
label: Genre/Form
content: Prayers
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 19th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Petitions
label: Genre/Form
content: Manuscripts
label: Genre/Form
content: Posters
label: Genre/Form
content: Poems
label: Genre/Form
content: Proclamations
label: Genre/Form
content: Prints
label: Genre/Form
content: Sermons
label: Genre/Form
content: Sukkah decorations
label: Genre/Form
content: Wills
label: Genre/Form
content: Envelopes
label: Genre/Form
content: Betrothal contracts
label: Genre/Form
content: Calendars
label: Genre/Form
content: Receipts
label: Genre/Form
content: Amulets
label: Genre/Form
content: Divorce records
label: Genre/Form
content: Engravings
label: Genre/Form
content: Certificates
label: Genre/Form
content: Deeds
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The collection is a compilation of gifts from numerous donors, of documents relating to Judaism in numerous countries and the United States. Documents include betrothal contracts, bills of divorcement, eulogies, memorial plaques, candle labels, Jewish calendars, sukkah decorations, certificates of ritual slaughter, prayers, poems, sermons, and other types of documents.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Cohen Grossman, Grace and Richard Ahlborn.  "Judaica at the Smithsonian: Cultural Politics as Cultural Model." Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology, Number 52, 1997. 

See: https://repository.si.edu/handle/10088/2452
separatedmaterial: label: Separated Materials
content: This collection has related artifacts in the Division of Home and Community Life (now Division of Cultural and Community Life).