Guide to the Fine Arts Department Records, Academic Departments and Schools, American Jewish University Archives (Institutional Records)
Prepared by Sivan Siman-Tov, American Jewish University
Ostrow Library and University Archives, American Jewish University
© June, 2014
Bel and Jack M. Ostrow Library
15600 Mulholland Dr.
Bel-Air. California 90077
310-440-1238
URL: http://library.aju.edu/
Archives URL: http://callimachus.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/p15008coll11
E-mail: library@aju.edu
E-mail: sivanst3@gmail.com
All rights reserved.
Fine Arts Department, Academic Departments and Schools, American Jewish University Archives (Institutional Records)
Collection number: CaLaAJUL1_8
American Jewish UniversityBel-Air, CA 90077
- Date Completed:
- 2014
- Encoded by:
- American Jewish University Archives
© 2014. All rights reserved.
Identifier/Call Number: CaLaAJUL1_8
Title: Fine Arts Department, Academic Departments and Schools, American Jewish University Archives (Institutional Records)
Date (inclusive): 1953-1960 inclusive
Collector:
American Jewish University;
University of Judaism;
Brandeis-Bardin Institute (Brandeis, Simi Valley, Calif.)
Repository:
University Archives and Ostrow Library, American Jewish University
15600 Mulholland Dr.
Bel-Air. California 90077
Extent:
1 Folder (Box 16)
Location: Physical files are housed at the Ostrow Library of the American Jewish University.
Abstract: The records in this series contain materials related to the Fine Arts Department and Committee, while it was under the School
of Education and the University Institute, and before it became the School of Fine Arts.
Language: Materials are in English and Hebrew
Administrative Information
This collection is open for research with permission from the Ostrow Library staff. Some materials may be restricted. Contact
the Archive (sivanst3@gmail.com) or the Library (library@aju.edu).
Additions to this collection may be transferred regularly.
Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission
of the copyright owners. In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of gift or purchase agreement,
donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially
exploited without permission of the copyright holder. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
[Identification of item], Fine Arts Department, Academic Departments and Schools, Guide to the American Jewish University
Archive, American Jewish University, Bel-Air, CA 90077.
Collected by various members of the American Jewish University.
The records in this series contain materials related to the Fine Arts Department and Committee, while it was under the School
of Education and the University Institute, and before it became the School of Fine Arts.
The American Jewish University Archive is a collection of documents, pamphlets, recordings, letters, publications, photographs,
scrapbooks, and ephemera that document the history of the University of Judaism and the Brandeis-Bardin Institute which merged
to become American Jewish University in 2007, depicting people, places and events at both campuses.
The collection is part of Series 5: Academic Departments and Schools.
It is organized in 4 sub-series.
- V. Academic Departments and Schools: 1947-2014
- 4. Fine Arts Department 1953-1960
- Subseries 1. Promotional Materials
- Subseries 2. Drama Department and the Theatre Arts Committee
- Subseries 3. The Music Department and Committee
- Subseries 4. News Clippings
- 4. Fine Arts Department 1953-1960
The
American Jewish University , with its Familian campus in Bel Air, California and Brandeis-Bardin campus in Simi Valley, California, is the outcome of
the 2007 union of Brandeis-Bardin Institute (BBI) and the University of Judaism (UJ).
In 1947, the University of Judaism was founded in Los Angeles, the vision of Dr. Mordecai Kaplan, the author of Judaism as
a Civilization, who advocated the creation of an educational institution incorporating diverse elements of Jewish civilization
and culture under one roof. To carry out his dream, he received the support of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York
and the Bureau of Jewish Education of Los Angeles.
Six years earlier, BCI was founded by Dr. Shlomo Bardin to safeguard against assimilation of young American Jews by making
“the great ethical heritage of Judaism” relevant to them. Brandeis Camp Institute was named to honor our nation’s first Jewish
Supreme Court Justice, Louis D. Brandeis, who was instrumental as the visionary and primary funder of Dr. Bardin’s initial
programmatic endeavor. BBI was located for brief periods of time in Amherst, NH, Winterdale, PA and Hendersonville, NC before
finding its home in 1947 in Simi Valley.
For more information, please see our history page at the following link:
http://aboutus.aju.edu/default.aspx?id=4742 .
The Bel and Jack M. Ostrow Academic Library:
The Ostrow Library , is designed to meet the needs of the University's faculty and students, as well as scholars conducting research in all fields
of Jewish culture and civilization. Members of the general public are also invited to use the Library’s materials for personal
enrichment and enjoyment. With approximately 110,000 print volumes, the library's collections have grown consistently through
endowments, gifts of major private collections and an ongoing acquisition program.
The Burton Sperber Memorial Jewish Community Library of Los Angeles:
The Burton Sperber Jewish Community Library at American Jewish University now serves as the official Jewish Community Library of Los Angeles. This new library succeeds
the original Peter M. Kahn Jewish Community Library that was formerly housed at the Los Angeles Jewish Federation. Dedicated
by his family in memory of noted Los Angeles philanthropist and landscape developer Burton Sperber, this library welcomes
the entire Los Angeles Jewish community to enjoy its state-of-the-art facility including regularly scheduled programs for
children and families as well as author and other literary encounters.
The Lowy-Winkler Family Rare Book Center:
The Lowy-Winkler Family Rare Book Center , a gift of Peter and Janine Lowy, is home to the Maslan Bible Collection. This unusual assemblage of exceptional volumes
includes approximately 4,000 Bibles, some dating back almost to the inception of the printing press. This collection also
features bible translations representing most of the written languages of the world, as well as the Kalman-Friedman Collection
of Italian Judaica.
The
University Archives of the American Jewish University is a collection of documents, pamphlets, recordings, letters, publications, photographs,
scrapbooks, and ephemera that document the history of the University of Judaism and the Brandeis-Bardin Institute which merged
to become American Jewish University in 2007, depicting people, places and events at both campuses.
Photograph and Digital Archive:
- The American Jewish University Digital Archive includes photographs, scrapbooks, and ephemera that document the history of the University of Judaism and the Brandeis-Bardin Institute which merged to become American Jewish University in 2007, depicting people, places and events at both campuses. These photographs include great Jewish thinkers who founded AJU and were involved with its growth over the years. The creation of both institutions was made possible by philanthropists to whom we owe the building of University of Judaism and the Brandeis-Bardin Institute.
- The American Jewish University Audio-Visual Archive is a collection of audio-visual records of lectures, shows, and events taking place at or produced by the American Jewish University (formerly University of Judaism and Brandeis-Bardin Institute) over the years.
Louis Shub Documentation Center:
- The Louis Shub Documentation Center at the American Jewish University is a collection of thousands of articles from various newspapers and periodicals covering a range of subjects. Gathered by Dr. Shub, the former library director of the University of Judaism, the collection was used by students to research subjects such as Israeli and Jewish figures, Foreign Policy, Global Jewish Communities, Israel, the Middle East and many other issues and subjects. The importance of this collection is the juxtaposing of articles from major papers with those of small local papers both covering the same event. The finding aid to the collection can be viewed at: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c85h7jcf/
Note
(Library of Congress Subject Headings)
Personal and Corporate Names:
American Jewish University
Brandeis-Bardin Institute (Brandeis, Simi Valley, Calif.)
University of Judaism
Camp Ramah.
Women's League for Conservative Judaism
United Synagogue of America.
Jewish Theological Seminary of America.
National Women's League
University Women of the University of Judaism
Sinai Temple (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Shub, Louis
Lieber, David L.
Greenberg, Simon, 1901-
Wexler, Robert
Turner, Justin G.
Fligelman, Julius, 1895-1980
Heschel, Abraham Joshua, 1907-1972
Kohn, Jacob, 1881-1968
Swig, Benjamin Harrison, 1893-1980
Pressman, Jacob;
Kaplan, Mordecai Menahem, 1881-1983
Finkelstein, Louis, 1895-1991
Levine, Sid
Wise, Aaron M.
Vorspan, Max
Zemach, Benjamin
Helfman, Max
Warren, Earl, 1891-1974
Eisenshtat, Sidney, 1914-2005
Gindi, Elie M.
Bergman, Martin
Jospe, Erwin
Alexander, Hanan A., 1953-
Bradley, Tom, 1917-1998
Dorff, Elliot N.
Cohen, Gerson D. (Gerson David), 1924-
Dortort, David
Goodhill, Victor, 1911-
Gordis, David M.
Schulweis, Harold M.
Glass, Judith
Ray, Eric
Krems, Nathan
Ackerman, Walter I.
Kahn, Peter M., 1878- [from old catalog]
Gordis, Robert, 1908-
Wolfson, Ron
Cohen, Aryeh
Oppenheim, Lois Hecht
Schary, Dore
Zevit, Ziony
Familian, Isadore
Seewack, Benjamin
Ostrow, Jack
Ostrow, Bel
Easton, Harold
Subjects and Indexing Terms
General Subjects:
Judaism.
Zionism and Judaism.
Israel.
Education.
College presidents.
Jewish college presidents
Rabbis.
Philanthropists
Scholars.
Art.
Patrons of education
Board of directors--United States.
College administrators
Libraries.
Jewish artists
Jewish college teachers
Authors.
Faculty, University
Women.
Musicians
College campuses.
Box 16
Subseries: 5.4:
Fine Arts Department
1953-1960
Physical Description: 1 Folder
Physical Location:
Related Materials:
For materials on the
School of Fine Arts (1961-1972), see Box 16.
Physical Location:
Related Materials:
For materials on the
Fine Arts Program (1973-), see Box 15.
Physical Location:
Related Materials:
For materials on the
Museum, see Box 22.
Scope and Content Note
This subseries contains materials related to the Fine Arts Department and Committee, while it was under the
School of Education and the
University Institute,
and before it became the
School of Fine Arts.
Variant Names: Fine Arts Program; Fine Arts Committee.
Biography/Organization History
Historical Note:
From 1949, originally under the School of Education and the University Institute, the
Fine Arts Department/Program offered
courses in drama, dance, music, and annually presented public performances utilizing the creative talents of Jewish
artists and writers. It was fist headed by Benjamin Zemach, and Max Helfman joined in the early 60s and later became the Dean
of the School of Fine Arts.
At the Ardmore Campus and the Sunset Campus, Zemach directed a theater and dance company that put on many successful shows.
In 1953, for example, the University's
Production and the Concert of Jewish Music attracted a total audience of 3,000 people and was hailed by public and critic
alike. The
Fine Arts
Committee
(also known as the Museum and Art Committee by 1960) sponsored public presentations, the Art Gallery, the Museum, and more.
From 1958 it was chaired by Mrs. Rose (Maurice) Turner.
There was also a
Theatre Arts Committee (Chaired by Mrs. Samuel P. Shapiro, co-chair Mrs. Max Laemmle, and under
the guidance of Benjamin Zemach), and the
Music Committee (Founded in 1959, Chairman Mr. Edward Robbins and co-chair Mrs. Felix Selner). In 1961, this department became the
School of Fine Arts.
Box
16, folder 1
16, folder 1
1. Promotional Materials 1954-1960
Scope and Content Note
Includes a pamphlet for "Courses in Dance, Drama and Music" during the 1954-1955 semester. Also includes a report and description
on the Fine Arts Department and its Committees and programs by Samuel Dinin, 1960-02.
Box
16, folder 1
16, folder 1
2. Drama Department and the Theatre Arts Committee 1953-1960
Scope and Content Note
Includes promotional material for the "Three One-Act Plays", directed by Benjamin Zemach, Sets by Moi Solotaroff, and music
by Gershon Kingsley on 1953-01-18. The plays included "Pioneer From Peoria" by Alan Marcus, "The Grand Prize" by Sholem Aleichem,
and "Pity for the Blind" by Alan Marcus.
Other materials include news clippings on "Jewish Life as Mirrored in the Arts", Three Theatre Arts Productions by Benajmin
Zemach in 1960 and other productions.
Box
16, folder 1
16, folder 1
3. The Music Department and Committee 1960
Item: Ernest Bloch Music Festival Concerts Poster, Fine Arts Department, 1960 (a_cajoul001)
Physical Location:
Additional Location: (Poster in Oversized Materials)
Scope and Content Note
Includes materials on the Ernest Bloch Music Festival Concerts (1960) including news clippings and
a Poster. The fesitval included three Memorial Concerts under the musical direction of Maurice Goldman.
Box
16, folder 1
16, folder 1
4. News Clippings 1960
Scope and Content Note
Includes general news clippings regarding the Fine Arts Department, with titles such as
"UJ Expands Drama and Music Department Work" and more.