Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1910-01-01-1975-12-31 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
Global extent: 124 files, all selected and described
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Alexander Mordechai Dushkin was born in Suwalki, Poland in 1890, and was taken to the United States in 1901. He studied at City College, the Jewish Theological Seminary and Columbia University in New York, where he wrote the first doctoral dissertation on a Jewish educational theme (“Jewish Education in New York City”). Dushkin married Julia Aronson in Jerusalem in 1921 and had two daughters, Kinnereth Genslar and Avima Lombard. He died in Jerusalem in 1976.
1910-1918 was associated with the Bureau of Jewish Education under Dr. Samson Benderly at the Kehillah in New York City, and in 1916 went to Europe as a secretary of the American Jewish Relief Committee. 1919-1921 served as inspector of Jewish schools in Palestine and taught at the Hebrew Teachers’ College in Jerusalem.
1921-1922 was appointed secretary of Keren Hayesod in the USA.
1923-1934 directed Chicago’s Board of Jewish Education and founded the city’s College of Jewish Studies.
1934-1939 organized the Hebrew University’s department of education and was principal of the experimental Hebrew University Secondary School.
1939-1949 served as executive director of the Jewish Education Committee in New York.
1949-1960 established and directed the Hebrew University’s School of Undergraduate Studies, taught education and education administration at the University and served as Education Consultant to Hadassah Women’s Organization in Israel.
From 1962 he headed the Department of Jewish Education in the Diaspora at the Hebrew University’s Institute of Contemporary Jewry.
Dushkin edited educational publications in the United States and Israel and wrote many monographs and articles on Jewish education. In 1968 he was awarded the Israel Prize.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
In addition to his professional activities, Dushkin was involved in many other aspects of Jewish life, such as the Reconstructionist movement in the USA, the David Yellin Teachers’ Seminary and the Neot Kedumim Biblical reserve in Israel. He maintained close friendships with many affluent American Jews, who often contributed funds to the various causes with which he was connected.
The papers reflect these activities and friendships.
Dushkin’s files are arranged in a loose chronological order. Most of the files contain private correspondence as well as letters on a variety of subjects, of which only the major ones have been mentioned in the file descriptions.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
The collection is closed.
System of arrangement
Loose chronological order.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Subject to the authorization of the Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People, Jerusalem
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Inventory available here : http://cahjp.nli.org.il/webfm_send/706
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Additional material on Dushkin at the CAHJP is to be found in the Magnes collection (P3).
Publication note
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
ISAD(G), Second Edition, Ottawa 2000.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
[The date of this catalogue could not be found]
Dil(ler)
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Inventory of Alexander Dushkin Papers (124 files, 1910-1975), held and arranged by the Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People (Jerusalem).