| Repository: | Western Reserve Historical Society |
| Creator: | Cohen, Armond E. |
| Title: | Armond E. Cohen Papers, Series II |
| Dates: | 1918-2003 |
| Extent: | 8.00 linear feet (10 containers) |
| Abstract: | Armond E. Cohen (1909-2007) was a Rabbi who served Park Synagogue, a large Conservative Jewish congregation in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. The collection consists of correspondence, minutes, memoranda, notes, programs, reports, sermon outlines, sermons and writings. The collection is of value to researchers studying rabbis, Conservative Judaism, and religious institutions between the 1930s and 1990s in Cleveland, Ohio, and the United States in general. Those interested in the activities of Rabbi Armond Cohen and the history of Park Synagogue in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, will find this collection useful. |
| MS Number | MS 5145 |
| Location: | closed stacks |
| Language: | The records are in English |
Rabbi Armond E. Cohen (1909-2007) was the Distinguished Service Rabbi of Park Synagogue (Anshe Emeth Beth Tefilo) in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where he had served since 1934. Born in Canton, Ohio, Cohen was orphaned as a consequence of the influenza pandemic of 1918. Sent to live with his grandparents in Cleveland, Cohen became a congregant of his grandparents' synagogue, Anshe Emeth Beth Tefilo. After graduation from Glenville High School, Cohen, with the significant aid of a scholarship from the sisterhood of his synagogue, studied at the Jewish Theological Seminary (Conservative) in New York City. Completing his studies in 1934 at the age of twenty-six, Cohen returned to Cleveland to become the rabbi of the Cleveland Jewish Center (Anshe Emeth Beth Tefilo).
Anshe Emeth Beth Tefilo Synagogue, following its membership, relocated in 1922 from East 37th Street and Woodland Avenue to a newly constructed building on East 105th Street and Grantwood Avenue. The building, with many facilities, including a swimming pool, was named the Cleveland Jewish Center.
In 1934 Cohen married Anne Lederman, a Cleveland childhood friend. They had three children, Rebecca (Mrs. Charles Long), Deborah (d. 1963), and Samuel, a resident of Israel since ca. 1980. It was during the period of Cohen's tenure following World War II that Cleveland's Jewish population shifted from Cleveland proper to its eastern suburbs. Under the leadership of Cohen, the congregation relocated to Cleveland Heights and constructed its present synagogue, Park Synagogue, designed by Erich Mendelsohn. The building and the spacious grounds around it have been cited numerous times in architectural writings. During this same period, Cohen led in the establishing of Park Hebrew School, Park Day Camp, Park Nursery School, and the Lillian Ratner Montessori School. Until its shift in affiliation from Orthodox to Conservative Judaism in the mid-1920s, Anshe Emeth was the largest Orthodox Jewish congregation in Cleveland. Into the 1970s Park Synagogue was the largest Conservative Jewish congregation in the United States. Park Synagogue East opened in Pepper Pike at Brainard and Shaker Boulevard in 2005. The Mendelsohn building in Cleveland Heights remains the main site of the congregation as of 2017.
Click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Park Synagogue
The Armond E. Cohen Papers, Series II, 1918-2003 and undated, consist of correspondence, minutes, memoranda, notes, programs, reports, sermon outlines, sermons and writings.
The collection is of value to researchers studying rabbis, the Jewish community, Conservative Judaism, and religious institutions between the 1930s and 1990s in Cleveland, Ohio, and the United States in general. Those interested in the activities of Rabbi Armond Cohen and the history of Park Synagogue in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, will find this collection useful.
None.
Related MaterialThe researcher should also consult MS 4763 Park Synagogue Records; PG 488 Park Synagogue Photographs; and MS 4957 Armond E. Cohen Papers.
Separated MaterialAll photographs have been removed to the WRHS photograph and print collection, and all audio-visual material has been removed to the WRHS audio-visual collections.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 5145 Armond E. Cohen Papers, Series II, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Gifts of Samuel J. Cohen in 2007 and Park Synagogue in 2012.
Processed by Stanley Lasky in 2012.
Series I: Park Synagogue 1921-2002 undated |
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Sub-series A: General Activities 1921-2002 undated |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1-2 | Administration, correspondence 1969-2001 | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Administration, memoranda 1961-2000 | |||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Administration, policy guidelines for music undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 | Art Festival, articles, committee list, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and program 1961-1996 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 6 | Beth Torah School, history and description ca. 1980s | |||||||||
| 1 | 7 | Board of Trustees, minutes (incomplete) 1960-1995 | |||||||||
| 1 | 8 | Brith Emeth, purchase agreement, correspondence, and pledge 1986-1987 | |||||||||
| 1 | 9-10 | Bulletins, and article index 1961-1986 1996-1997 | |||||||||
| 1 | 11 | Catering Committee, agreement, correspondence, memoranda, and minutes 1958-1974 | |||||||||
| 1 | 12 | Cemetery Committee, correspondence, minutes, and regulations 1957-1995 | |||||||||
| 1 | 13 | Choir, memoranda and member lists 1963-1988 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 14 | Cleveland Jewish News, drafts of articles 1990s | |||||||||
| 1 | 15 | Confirmation, class list 1921-1994 | |||||||||
| 1 | 16 | Confirmation, class reunion, correspondence, and programs (for classes of 1942-1943, 1945-1950) 1992-1993 1995 | |||||||||
| 1 | 17 | Contributors 1977 | |||||||||
| 1 | 18 | Educational Committee, correspondence, minutes, and proposal 1981-1990 | |||||||||
| 1 | 19 | Endowment Fund, correspondence, donor lists, financial statements, and minutes 1986-2002 | |||||||||
| 1 | 20 | Eulogies (Leonard Ratner, Abba Hillel Silver, Leo W. Diamond, Harry Klein) 1964 1975 1996 | |||||||||
| 1 | 21 | Executive Committee, correspondence and minutes 1962-1991 | |||||||||
| 1 | 22 | Gets (religious divorces) 1953-ca. 1992 | |||||||||
| 1 | 23 | Harry Ratner Memorial Tribute, Cleveland Jewish Community Federation, Board of Trustees 1961 | |||||||||
| 1 | 24 | Hebrew Literacy Campaign Implementation Guide, manual ca. 1979 | |||||||||
| 1 | 25-27 | High Holy Days, programs and sermons 1985-1997 | |||||||||
| 1 | 28 | Karp, Marvin L., President 1986-1990 | |||||||||
| 1 | 29 | King, Martin Luther, Jr., statement 1991 | |||||||||
| 1 | 30 | Loewenthal, Bernard M., President 1981-1987 | |||||||||
| 1 | 31 | Mendelsohn, Eric, articles 1954-1997 | |||||||||
| 1 | 32 | Mikveh addition, clippings, newspaper, and correspondence 1991 1997 | |||||||||
| 1 | 33 | Personnel Policy 1966-1985 | |||||||||
| 1 | 34 | Rabbi Armond E. Cohen Tribute Programs 1988 1994 1999 | |||||||||
| 1 | 35-37 | Religious School, curriculum 1969 | |||||||||
| 1 | 38 | Religious Services Advisory Committee, minutes 1960-1982 | |||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 2 | 1 | Rituals, exhibit, collections list, correspondence, and program 1986 | |||||||||
| 2 | 2 | Sandrow, Edward T., Rabbi 1952-1959 1971 | |||||||||
| 2 | 3 | Senior Rabbi executive responsibilities list ca. 1987 | |||||||||
| 2 | 4 | Sermons 1955-1998 | |||||||||
| 2 | 5 | Shabbat Service Program 1995 | |||||||||
| 2 | 6 | Sisterhood, Board members list, calendars, correspondence, programs, and scholarship program policy 1955-1987 | |||||||||
| 2 | 7 | Speeches 1973 1980 1996 undated | |||||||||
| 2 | 8 | Timetable for the Transition and change of rabbinic leadership of Park Synagogue (by Armond E. Cohen) 1980 | |||||||||
| 2 | 9 | Usage Committee Report 1987 | |||||||||
| 2 | 10 | Wedding lists 1949-1960 | |||||||||
| 2 | 11 | Women in minyan, articles and correspondence 1973 1976 | |||||||||
| 2 | 12 | Youth Activities Committee, correspondence, memoranda, minutes, and lists of youth 1957-1985 | |||||||||
Sub-series B: Sermon Notes 1930s-1980s |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 3 | 1 | Index, letter alphabetized and number identification 1930s-1980s | |||||||||
| 3 | 2 | Index, subject alphabetized, Aged-Philosophy and number identification 1930s-1980s | |||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 4 | 1 | Index, subject alphabetized, Politics-Zionism, and number identification 1930s-1980s | |||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 5 | 1 | Sermon notes, 1-14 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 2 | Sermon notes, 15-28 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 3 | Sermon notes, 29-36 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 4 | Sermon notes, 37-50 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 5 | Sermon notes, 51-58 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 6 | Sermon notes, 59-68 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 7 | Sermon notes, 69-75 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 8 | Sermon notes, 76-101 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 9 | Sermon notes, 102-118 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 10 | Sermon notes, 119-133 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 11 | Sermon notes, 134-159 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 12 | Sermon notes, 160-163 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 13 | Sermon notes, 164-179 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 14 | Sermon notes, 180-195 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 15 | Sermon notes, 196-208 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 16 | Sermon notes, 209-214 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 17 | Sermon notes, 215-218 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 18 | Sermon notes, 220-226 dates vary | |||||||||
| 5 | 19 | Sermon notes, 227-238 dates vary | |||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 6 | 1-2 | Sermon notes, 239 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 3 | Sermon notes, 239-247 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 4 | Sermon notes, 247 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 5 | Sermon notes, 250-254 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 6 | Sermon notes, 255-258 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 7 | Sermon notes, 259-271 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 8 | Sermon notes, 272 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 9 | Sermon notes, 273-287 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 10 | Sermon notes, 288-290 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 11 | Sermon notes, 291 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 12 | Sermon notes, 292-314 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 13 | Sermon notes, 315-321 and 323-329 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 14 | Sermon notes, 330-340 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 15 | Sermon notes, 341-350 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 16 | Sermon notes, 351-354 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 17 | Sermon notes, 355-364 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 18 | Sermon notes, 366-371 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 19 | Sermon notes, 372-375 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 20 | Sermon notes, 376 dates vary | |||||||||
| 6 | 21 | Sermon notes, 377-383 dates vary | |||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 7 | 1 | Sermon notes, 384-393 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 2 | Sermon notes, 394-399 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 3 | Sermon notes, 400-414 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 4 | Sermon notes, 415-425 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 5 | Sermon notes, 426-448 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 6 | Sermon notes, 449-467 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 7 | Sermon notes, 468-485 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 8 | Sermon notes, 486-496 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 9 | Sermon notes, 497, 499, and 501-522 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 10 | Sermon notes, 523-537 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 11 | Sermon notes, 538-555 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 12 | Sermon notes, 556-575 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 13 | Sermon notes, 576-583 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 14 | Sermon notes, 584-604 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 15 | Sermon notes, 605-627 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 16 | Sermon notes, 628-651 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 17 | Sermon notes, 652-669 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 18 | Sermon notes, 670-689 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 19 | Sermon notes, 690-698 dates vary | |||||||||
| 7 | 20 | Sermon notes, 699-705 dates vary | |||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 8 | 1 | Sermon notes, 706-721 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 2 | Sermon notes, 722-735 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 3 | Sermon notes, 735 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 4 | Sermon notes, 736-743 and 746-762 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 5 | Sermon notes, 763-779 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 6 | Sermon notes, 780-791 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 7 | Sermon notes, 792-804 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 8 | Sermon notes, 805-828 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 9 | Sermon notes, 829-830, 835, 838-841, 847-853, and 857-877 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 10 | Sermon notes, 878-895 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 11 | Sermon notes, 896-904 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 12 | Sermon notes, 905-922 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 13 | Sermon notes, 923-947 and 949-951 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 14 | Sermon notes, 952-985 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 15 | Sermon notes, 986-997 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 16 | Sermon notes, 998-1022 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 17 | Sermon notes, 1023-1038 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 18 | Sermon notes, 1039-1041 dates vary | |||||||||
| 8 | 19 | Sermon notes, 1042 dates vary | |||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 9 | 1 | Sermon notes, 1043-1054 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 2 | Sermon notes, 1055-1066 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 3 | Sermon notes, 1067-1080 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 4 | Sermon notes, 1081-1093 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 5 | Sermon notes, 1094-1100 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 6 | Sermon notes, 1101-1122 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 7 | Sermon notes, 1123-1145 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 8 | Sermon notes, 1146-1163 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 9 | Sermon notes, 1164-1188 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 10 | Sermon notes, 1189-1207 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 11 | Sermon notes, 1208-1223 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 12 | Sermon notes, 1224-1248 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 13 | Sermon notes, 1249-1269 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 14 | Sermon notes, 1270-1294 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 15 | Sermon notes, 1295-1310 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 16 | Sermon notes, 1311-1337 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 17 | Sermon notes, 1338-1361 dates vary | |||||||||
| 9 | 18 | Sermon notes, 1362-1389 dates vary | |||||||||
Series II: Personal 1931-2003 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 10 | 1 | Correspondence, general 1931-2001 | |||||||||
| 10 | 2 | Correspondence, United States government 1965-1980 | |||||||||
| 10 | 3 | Correspondence, Western Reserve Historical Society 1989-2003 | |||||||||
| 10 | 4 | Financial statements, Anna L. Cohen and Armond E. Cohen ca. 1980s | |||||||||
| 10 | 5 | List, Bar Mitzvah invitations, Samuel Cohen 1965 | |||||||||
| 10 | 6 | Newspaper clippings 1985-1999 | |||||||||
Series III: Professional 1918-1993 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 10 | 7 | American Federation of Religion and Psychiatry, Inc., Board of Governors, list 1968 | |||||||||
| 10 | 8 | Hebrew University, Board of Governors' list, correspondence, and reports 1971-1991 | |||||||||
| 10 | 9 | Jackson Heights Jewish Center Bulletin 1932-1934 | |||||||||
| 10 | 10 | Jewish Theological Seminary, address, correspondence, dedication program, and student roll book 1918-1993 | |||||||||
| 10 | 11 | Jewish Welfare Federation, Board of Trustees, minutes 1936 | |||||||||
| 10 | 12 | Philanthropy, Jewish, article by Armond Cohen in Opinion 1939 | |||||||||
| 10 | 13 | Reconstructionist Foundation, correspondence, journal and minutes 1957-1977 | |||||||||
| 10 | 14 | United Synagogue of America, codes and guidelines, correspondence, newsletter, and programs 1952-1988 | |||||||||
| 10 | 15 | Zionism, clippings, newspaper, conference proceedings, minutes, and pamphlets 1931-ca. 1971 | |||||||||