| Repository: | Western Reserve Historical Society |
| Creator: | Ohio B'nai B'rith Youth Organization |
| Title: | Ohio B'nai B'rith Youth Organization Records, Series II |
| Dates: | 1938-1997 |
| Dates: | 1981-1990 |
| Extent: | 1.40 linear feet (3 containers) |
| Abstract: | The B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO), a youth service club, was introduced into Ohio in 1932, when a chapter was founded in Cleveland, Ohio. As more chapters were founded the state was organized into two regions, Greater Ohio and Southern Ohio-Kentucky. The collection consists of membership records, newspaper clippings, correspondence, reunion programs, scrapbooks, mounted photographs, and program descriptions. A small portion of the collection consists of records collected by Emanuel Stern, a BBYO founder in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. The material includes chapters in Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Elyria, Lorain, Mansfield, Toledo, Warren, and Youngstown. |
| MS Number | MS 4873 |
| Location: | closed stacks |
| Language: | The records are in English |
The Ohio B'nai B'rith Youth Organization is a youth service club that organizes fund raising for agencies such as Bellefaire, sponsors religious services and discussion groups with religious, social and political topics, and plans sporting events and a variety of other social activities for its members. The B'nai B'rith Youth Organization had its beginnings in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1932 when Emanuel Stern was asked by the national office to form a youth group in Cleveland. With the support of the Heights Lodge of the B'nai B'rith, and meeting at the Temple on the Heights, Stern organized this first group for boys and was given the title of Northeastern Ohio Council Deputy. This council, encompassing chapters in Cleveland, Canton, Elyria-Lorain, and Steubenville, later became the Greater Ohio Council or Region, which in turn was joined with Southern Ohio to form the Ohio B'nai B'rith Youth Organization.
The National B'nai B'rith Youth Organization was founded in 1925 by the B'nai B'rith (Sons of the Covenant), an adult Jewish service organization. Initially, only the AZA, for boys ages 14 to 19, was established. The initials AZA (in Hebrew Aleph Zadik Aleph) represent the B'nai B'rith motto "Ahavah, Zedacha, Achdoos" wich translates as Benevolence, Brotherly Love, Harmony. In 1927 the first B'nai B'rith Girls (BBG) chapters were formed for girls ages 13 to 18. The BBG did not gain official national status until 1940. In 1941 B'nai B'rith Young Adult chapters were started for Young Men and Young Women, ages 18 to 26. These groups make up the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization.
The national office of the organization is located in Washington, D. C. The United States is divided into seven districts which correspond to the B'nai B'rith (adult) districts. Within each of these districts are regions. District and regional directors oversee the activities in these areas which are organized and run by the youth themselves.
Operating out of Cleveland, the Ohio B'nai B'rith Youth Organization directs work in two of the regions in District 2. These two regions are the Greater Ohio (encompassing Northern Ohio) and the Southern Ohio/Kentucky. The district director during the major period of time covered by these records was Stan Harris. Directors of the Ohio BBYO for this period were Irving Lasky and Harold Kuperberg.
click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for B'nai B'rith
The Ohio B'nai B'rith Youth Organization Records, 1938-1997 (1981-1990), consist of membership records, newspaper clippings, correspondence, reunion programs, scrapbooks, mounted photographs, and program descriptions. A small portion of the collection consists of records collected by Emanuel Stern, a BBYO founder in the Cleveland, Ohio, area.
This collection will be of value to researchers studying the development of youth groups in general, and in the Northern Ohio Jewish community in particular. The material includes chapters in Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Elyria, Lorain, Mansfield, Toledo, Warren, and Youngstown. The membership cards, which contain family and educational information, will be of value to genealogists.
None.
Related MaterialResearchers should also consult MS 3830 Ohio B'nai B'rith Youth Organization Records.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 4873 Ohio B'nai B'rith Youth Organization Records, Series II, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Ohio B'nai B'rith Organization, 1989 and 1991; Bernard Weisz, 1989; and Emanuel Stern, 1983 and 1998
Processed by Evy Rosenblum in 2001
Series I: Chapters 1968-1990 undated |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Akron, Achim and Hillel Chapters, membership cards 1981-1989 | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Akron, Portage Trail and Reba Chapters, membership cards 1981-1988 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Akron, Reba Chapter, membership cards 1981-1988 | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Akron, unassigned to chapter, membership cards 1986-1990 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Canton, David Ben Gurion Chapter, membership cards 1981-1987 | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 | Canton, Vivian Brown Chapter, membership cards 1981-1986 | |||||||||
| 1 | 6 | Cleveland, Aviva Chapter, membership cards 1981-1987 | |||||||||
| 1 | 7 | Cleveland, Chai Chapter, membership cards and newsletter 1987-1990 | |||||||||
| 1 | 7 | Cleveland, Chai Chapter, scrapbooks, photographs, programs, and drawings, (originals stored in Container 2, Folders 26 and 27, Oversize Material) 1968-1974 | |||||||||
| 1 | 8 | Cleveland, David Berger chapter, membership cards 1981-1989 | |||||||||
| 1 | 9 | Cleveland, Deborah Chapter, membership cards 1981-1983 | |||||||||
| 1 | 10 | Cleveland, Genesis Chapter, membership cards 1981-1986 | |||||||||
| 1 | 11 | Cleveland, Gideon Chapter, membership cards 1981-1989 | |||||||||
| 1 | 12 | Cleveland, Hatikvah Chapter, membership cards 1981-1987 | |||||||||
| 1 | 13 | Cleveland, Havarim Chapter, membership cards 1981-1987 | |||||||||
| 1 | 13 | Cleveland, Rachel Chapter, scrapbook, photographs, programs, and drawings, (original stored in Container 2, Folder 28, Oversize Material) 1970-1974 | |||||||||
| 1 | 14-15 | Cleveland, Samson Chapter, membership cards 1981-1985 | |||||||||
| 1 | 15 | Cleveland, Shira Chapter, membership cards 1985 | |||||||||
| 1 | 16 | Cleveland, Star Chapter, membership cards 1981-1989 | |||||||||
| 1 | 17 | Cleveland, unassigned to chapter, membership cards 1987-1989 | |||||||||
| 1 | 17 | Cleveland, Zion Chadash Chapter, membership cards undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 18 | Lorain/Elyria, Mishpocatt Chapter, membership cards 1981-1985 | |||||||||
| 1 | 19 | Mansfield, Atz-Chaim Chapter, membership cards 1981-1988 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 19 | Toledo, B'not Shalom Chapter, membership records 1981-1985 | |||||||||
| 1 | 20 | Toledo, Brown-Smillin Chapter, membership cards 1984-1986 | |||||||||
| 1 | 20 | Toledo, Brown, Smillin, Newfeld Chapter, membership cards 1983-1987 | |||||||||
| 1 | 20 | Toledo, unassigned to chapter, membership cards 1981-1990 | |||||||||
| 1 | 21 | Warren, Ahovah Chapter, membership cards 1981-1982 | |||||||||
| 1 | 21 | Youngstown, unassigned to chapter, membership cards 1984-1989 | |||||||||
| 1 | 22 | Youngstown, Dodi Li Chapter, membership cards 1981-1987 | |||||||||
| 1 | 23 | Youngstown, Sigmund Nisenson Chapter, membership cards 1981-1987 | |||||||||
| 1 | 24 | Youth Council, Ohio Northern region, scrapbook, (original stored in Container 3, Folder 29, oversize materials) 1970-1971 | |||||||||
| 1 | 24 | Youth Council, Ohio Northern Region, life membership book, scrapbook, photographs and text, (original stored in Container 3, Folder 30, oversize materials) 1980-1981 | |||||||||
| 1 | 24 | Youth Council, Ohio Northern Region, mounted poster, Hiram House campout, (original stored in Container 3, Folder 31, oversize materials) 1975 | |||||||||
Series II: Emanuel Stern 1938-1997 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 25 | Correspondence, programs, speeches, and newspaper articles 1938-1997 | |||||||||