Jewish Feminist Conference records and audiotapes

Finding aid created by GLBT Historical Society staff using RecordEXPRESS
GLBT Historical Society
989 Market Street, Lower Level
San Francisco, California 94103
(415) 777-5455
reference@glbthistory.org
http://www.glbthistory.org/
2024


Descriptive Summary

Title: Jewish Feminist Conference records and audiotapes
Dates: 1983
Collection Number: 1991-28
Creator/Collector: Jewish Feminist Conference
Extent: 1.5 linear feet
Repository: GLBT Historical Society
San Francisco, California 94103
Abstract: The Jewish Feminist Conference (JFC) records and audiotapes document the activities of the organizational committees and the responses of JFC participants. The records are divided into two series, Administrative and Workshop documents.
Language of Material: English

Access

The collection is open for research. Funding for processing this collection was provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been transferred to the GLBT Historical Society.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item]. Jewish Feminist Conference records and audiotapes. Collection Number: 1991-28. GLBT Historical Society

Biography/Administrative History

The 1983 Jewish Feminist Conference (JFC) was a women’s collaborative effort to strengthen the cultural, ethnic, and gender commonalities within the Jewish community and beyond. The organizers of the conference varied in ages and in socio-economic status but were united by a desire to address feminist issues in the Jewish community. The Conference was held on two separate weekends at Berkeley (California) High School. Part one (September 23-24, 1983) was open to Jewish women only and focused on Jewish-specific topics, with workshops on issues such as internal identification, the role of Jewish women in the community and beyond, the Holocaust, and the labor movement. JFC part two (October 30, 1983) was open to all women focusing on the sharing of culture and common attributes from women within the Jewish community and beyond. The activities included affinity groups, song and dance celebrations, and workshops on feminist issues. Part two of the conference provided a unique experience for both Jewish and non Jewish women because it acknowledged several issues that the organizers felt had not been addressed in past conferences. First, “the organizers strived to give special recognition to lesbian participation in women's issues that had not been acknowledged in the past.” Second, the JFC committee established an event which would be inclusive of women in all areas. Workshops and other activities were structured to focus on feminism within the Jewish community and to acknowledge that the liberation of Jewish women was contingent upon the success of the feminist movement in general.

Scope and Content of Collection

The Jewish Feminist Conference (JFC) records and audiotapes document the activities of the organizational committees and the responses of JFC participants. The records are divided into two series, Administrative and Workshop documents. The administrative records document the organizing and planning of the conference. Included in this series are the minutes of the JFC central planning committee, workshop committee minutes, correspondence, financial records and announcements. The series begins with the JFC statement of purpose and administrative agreement. A directory is provided of both JFC organizers and other essential contacts. There are also official JFC statements regarding the services provided, volunteer requests, and financial records. The Workshops series documents planning and the issues that would be discussed during the conference. This series begins with maps and services that were available during and around the conference. These are followed by proposals for varied workshops, activities, and forms of interests and screening. The remaining files contain questionnaires and documents that pertain to evaluations and special issues during the conference and workshops. These issues included participation, interest, needs, religious services, and Jewish history. GSSO Linked Terms: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GSSO_007701; http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GSSO_002229; http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GSSO_000381

Indexing Terms

Jewish people
Feminism
Lesbians

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