Access
and Provenance
A Finding Aid to the
Abraham Cronbach Papers
Manuscript
Collection No. 9
1902-1965. 4.2 Linear
ft.
| Access
and Provenance
|
A Finding Aid to theAbraham Cronbach PapersManuscript
Collection No. 9
|
The ABRAHAM CRONBACH PAPERS were donated to the American Jewish Archives in several accessions by Dr. Abraham and Rose Cronbach, 1949-1973. Literary rights have not been dedicated to the public. Any questions concerning literary or copyrights should be addressed to the Director of the American Jewish Archives. The original manuscript collection is available in the reading room of the American Jewish Archives, and is open to all researchers.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 
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Abraham Cronbach was born on February 16, 1882, the son of German immigrants,
Marcus and Hannah (Itzig) Cronbach. He grew up in Indianapolis. where his father was
a notions store retailer. In September 1898, Cronbach entered Hebrew Union College
where, in conjunction'with the University of Cincinnati,.he studied for his
bachelor's degree while training for the rabbinate. In 1902 he graduated from the
University of Cincinnati and four years later (in 1906) he was ordained as rabbi.
Cronbach began his rabbinical career at the Reform congregation of Temple Beth El
in South Bend. Indiana. Although he had assumed a pulpit immediately upon his
ordination, he maintained his interest in education and his ties with Hebrew Union
College. In 1910 he was called upon to give the eulogy for Ephraim Feldman, a
professor at the College. In 1911. he spent a year abroad studying at the University
of Cambridge (England) and the Hochschule (Lehranstaft) fuer die Wissenschaft des
Judentums. (Berlin) and in 1915 he received the Doctor of Divinity degree from Hebrew
Union College.
Rabbi Cronbach resigned his pulpit in South Bend in 1915 and for the next seven
years served in three different rabbinical capacities: from 1915 through 1917 he
worked with the Free Synagogue in New York City; from 1917 through 1919 he was rabbi
at the Akron (Ohio) Hebrew Congregation; and from 1919 through 1922 he served as
institutional chaplain for the Chicago Federation of Synagogues.
In December 1920, Cronbach delivered a series of lectures on-chaplaincy
procedures at Hebrew Union College ("The Ministry of the Jewish By-Ways." Hebrew Union
College Monthly, January - April, 1921). In 1922, Cronbach was appointed a professor
of social studies at Hebrew Union College, where he remained for the rest of his life.
As a professor at H.U.C. Cronbach participated in the civic activities of
Cincinnati as well as activities on the H.U.C. campus. He was an active member of the
Central Conference of American Rabbis and the Union of American Hebrew Congregations
and he participated in Cincinnati's Jewish Fellowship House and the Cincinnati Big
Brother's Association. In 1939, Cronbach became secretary to the Board of Editors of
the Hebrew Union College Annual.
As a result of World War I, Cronbach became an ardent pacifist and. throughout
his career, he-arduously worked for pacifist causes. In 1923, he helped found the
Peace Heroes Memorial Society. whose national headquarters was in Cincinnati. Dr.
Cronbach served as national secretary and, as such, was instrumental in establishing
Memorial Day services around the country in honor of the heroes of industry,
maternity, pacifism, etc. The services were an annual event in Cincinnati from 1923
through 1941.
In 1924, Cronbach sought to establish a specifically Jewish pacifist
organization. A "Pledge for Jewish Pacifists" was sent out and although
at least fifteen signed pledges were returned, including ones from Max Heller and
Jacob Weinstein, a formally structured organization never developed.
Rabbi Cronbach's pacifist activities increased with the threat and advent of World
War II. In 1935. he called for a conference between Nazis and Jews in Philadelphia
for the purpose of reconciliation. In that same year he worked with the American
Friends Service Committee to raise $5000 for an Austrian Relief Fund which was to aid
persecuted Austrians as well as German Jews and Nazis who had fled to Austria from
Hitler's Germany. Throughout the war, Cronbach supported conscientious objectors and,
in 1942, he helped found the Jewish Peace Fellowship, which he described as a
"religious organization of Jewish persons who believe war to be as futile as it is
fiendish." Immediately after the Allied victory. Cronbach addressed letters to Jewish
organizations (the American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Conference. and the
American Jewish Congress) asking that they not seek punishment of Nazi war criminals.
In 1952, Cronbach became a Sponsor of the Committee to Secure Justice in the
Rosenberg Case and for the next two years he worked diligently for the Committee.
Cronbach carried on an active letter-writing campaign, urging others to help secure
clemency-for the Rosenbergs and, on June 16, 1953, he met with President Eisenhower to
beseech him to pardon the Rosenbergs. When this attempt failed, Cronbach addressed
those at the Rosenberg's funeral (June 21), asking them not to lose heart at their
defeat. Cronbach continued to work with the Committee throughout 1956 to secure
justice for Martin Sobell and to bring out the complete truth in the Rosenberg trial.
Professor Cronbach retired from active teaching in 1950, becoming Emeritus Professor
of Social Studies at Hebrew Union College. Thereafter he devoted much of his time to
writing, and he published several books (Realities of Religion, Stories of Bible
Stories, Reform Movement in Judai@m) and numerous articles ("Patriotism of Peace,"
"Jewish Pioneering in American Social Work," "Judaism and Humanism").
Cronbach married Rose Hentil on October 7, 1917. They adopted a daughter, Marion, in
1923. Abraham Cronbach died on April 2, 1965 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
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The ABRAHAM CRONBACH PAPERS. 1902 - 1965, trace the career of the Hebrew Union
College Social Studies Professor, Rabbi Abraham Cronbach. The collection contains
correspondence, manuscripts, reports, minutes, nearprint, and miscellaneous items
relating to Cronbach's publications, his rabbinical career, his activities at
the-Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, and his involvement with various Jewish and
pacifist societies and organizations. The collection is divided into three series:
A. CORRESPONDENCE
1. General
2. Personal
B. MANUSCRIPTS AND PUBLICATIONS
C. MISCELLANEOUS.
Series A. CORRESPONDENCE consists of six Hollinger boxes, divided into two
subseries: 1. General and 2. Personal. The General subseries (1907 - 1965) is
alphabetically arranged by correspondent or subject of correspondence, with a
chronological sub-arrangement. The subseries contains correspondence along with
reports, minutes and subject-related nearprint, relating to Cronbach's rabbinate and
professorial career and his activities with Jewish and pacifistic organizations.
Among the significant correspondents in this subseries are: Mary Antin, Clarence
Darrow, John Dewey, Ismar Elbogen, Nelson Glueck, Emil G. Hirsch, Cordell-Hull- Carl
G. Jung, Horace M Kallen, KaufmannKohler, Lily H. Montagu, Julian Mor;enstern,
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Murray Seasongood and Stephen S. Wise. Of special interest are
the "Rosenberg/Sobell espionage cases" files, which trace the fight for their
clemency. These files also contain the responses to Cronbach's numerous letters
urging others to join in the fight. The Subject Tracings in conjunction with the Box
and Folder List serve as a selective guide to the correspondents and subjects within
this subseries.
The PERSONAL subseries (1902 - 1965) is chronologically arranged. The subseries
contains letters to Cronbach from his family, congratulatory letters and telegrams on
Cronbach's 75th and 80th birthdays, and miscellaneous items.
Series B. MANUSCRIPTS AND PUBLICATIONS(1913 - 1963) consists of the manuscript,
typescript and published copies of many of Cronbach's writings such as theses,
addresses, essays and sermons. The series is composed of three Hollinger boxes and is
chronologically arranged.
Series C. MISCELLANEOUS (1911 - 1957) contains two folders of material from
H.U.C. doctoral students (scrapbook and rabbinic thesis) and six folders of pamphlets,
magazines, articles and newsclippings of special interest to Crohbach.
BOX AND FOLDER LISTING
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Box Folder Contents
SERIES A. CORRESPONDENCE
Subseries 1: General
1 1 A, General. 1924-1964.
2 Abrahams, Israel. 1911-1915.
3 Adler, Felix. 1916-1929.
4 Akron, Ohio - Akron Hebrew Congregation. 1917-1919.
5 American Council for Judaism. 1943-1965.
6 American Friends Service Committee. 1932-1947.
7 Antin,-Mary. 1915-1916; 1937-1945.
8 Arnold, Thurman W. 1934-1938.
9 B, General. 1917-1965.
10 Bergmann, Hugo. 1927-1933
11 Brotz, Howard M. 1947; n.d.
12 C, General. 1917-1963.
13 Central Conference of American Rabbis. 1922-1942.
14 Central Conference of American Rabbis 1944-1965.
15 Chicago Federation of Synagogues. Corr; Reports. 1920-1922.
16 Cincinnati, Ohio. General. 1936-1964.
17 Cincinnati, Ohio - Jewish Community House. 1924-1927.
18 Clinchy, Everett. 1934-1936.
19 Cronbach, Abraham "Autobiography" 1956; 1959-1960.
20 Cronbach, Joseph J. 1938.
21 Cronbach, Rose 1916-1918.
22 D, General. 1924-1952.
23 Darrow, Clarence. 1931, March 1.
24 Dewey, John. 1933; 1941; 1951.
1 E, General. 1916-1964.
2 Elbogen, Ismar. 1922-1924; 1940-1942.
3 Ellis, Anna. 1940-1941.
4 Ethical codes. 1944-1952; n.d.
5 F, General. 1917-1965.
6 Feibelman, Julian B. 1935-1943.
7 Feldman, Ephraim. 1903-1910.
8 Fichman, David. 1917; 1924.
9 Folkman, Jerome D. 1944-1946.
10 Friedland, N. 1929-1941.
11 G, General. 1917-1964.
12 Gelfman, Harold L. 1945-1950.
13 Gradwohl, Bernard S. 1944-1946.
14 Greenebaum, Simon. 1907; 1909.
15 Grossfield, Avery J. 1940-1950.
16 Grossmann, Louis. 1917; 1919.
17 H, General. 1917-1965.
18 Hebrew Union College Annual. 1943-1962.
19 Helder, Jacob. 1931-1932; 1948.
20 Holmes, John Haynes. 1922-1960.
21 I, General. 1931-1945.
22 Israel, Edward L. 1926-1933.
23 J, General. 1917-1940.
24 Jewish Peace Fellowship. Corr; Nearprint. 1942-1964.
25 Jewish Peace Fellowship - Cincinnati Chapter. Corr;
Minutes; Lists. 1942-1965.
26 K, General. 1917-1964.
27 Kallen, Horace M. 1927-1939, 1957.
1 L, General. 1908-1964.
2 Lipman, Eugene J. 1945-1957.
3 M, General 1917-1965.
4 Mayer, Eli. 1917-1918.
5 The Monorah Journal. 1959-1961.
6 Monroe, Louisiana - Congregation B'nai Israel. 1917.
7 Morgenstern, Julian. 1922-1'957.
8 N-0, General. 1924-1961.
9 P-Q, General. 1917-1950.
10 Peace Heroes Memorial Society. 1921-1937.
11 Peace Heroes Memorial Society. 1938-1942.
12 Peace Heroes Memorial Society. 1946-1948; n.d.
13 Peace Heroes Memorial Society - Executive Committee.
Minutes. 1926-1942.
14 Peace Heroes Memorial Society, Memorial Day service in Cincinnati. Programs; Addresses.
1924-1941.
15 Peace Heroes Memorial Society. Nearprint [indexed].
1922-1930; n.d.
16-17 Peace Heroes Memorial Society. Nearprint. 1924-1948.
18 Peace Heroes Memorial Society. Newsclippings. 1924-1949.
4 1 Peace Heroes Memorial Society. "Peace Heroes." Lists.
1928-1948.
2 Peace Heroes Memorial Society. "Service of Remembrance for
Heroes of Social Construction" [booklets]
3 Penney, Marjorie. 1943-1948.
4 Pledge,for Jewish Pacifists. Corr; Signed Pledges;
Newsclippings. 1924.
5 Psychoanalysis and Religion (1926). 1926-1927.
6 R, General. 1919-1965.
7 Realities of Religion. (Twayne Publishers,lnc. 1957). 1951@ 57.
8 Reform Movement in Judaism (American Council for Judaism, 1963). 1961-1965.
9 Rosenberg/Sobell espionage cases. 1951-1952 Oct.
10 Rosenberg/Sobell espionage cases. 1952 Nov. - Dec.; ca. 1952.
5 1 Rosenberg/Sobell espionage cases. 1953 Jan. - May.
2 Rosenberg/Sobell espionage cases. 1953 June.
3 Rosenberg/Sobell espionage cases. 1953 July-Dec; ca. 1953.
4 Rosenberg/Sobell espionage cases. 1954-1956.
5-6 Rosenberg/Sobell espionage cases. Nearprint. 1951-1957; n.d.
7 Rosenberg/Sobell espionage cases Newspapers and
Newsclippings. 1953-1956.
8 Rosenthal, Jacob. 1917; 1933.
9 Roth, Cecil. 1930-1942.
10 Rubinow, Isaac Max. 1931-1935.
11 S, General. 1917-1964.
12 Schappes, Morris U. 1945-1948.
13 Schultz, Benjamin. 1934; 1947-1948.
14 Sion, Rahmin. 1930-1932.
15 Stolz, Joseph. 1917-1919; 1935.
16 Stories Made of Bible Stories (Twayne Publishers, Inc.
1961). 1959-1961.
17 Sunrise Co-Operative Farm. Corr; Sunrise News. 1934-193'c-
18 T, General. 1924-1964.
6 1 U-V, General. 1938-1964.
2 W, General. 1917-1965.
3 Wasserman, Jesse H. 1917.
4 Weinstock, Abraham. 1948,
5 Weitz, Martin M. Corr; Essays. 1933-1937.
6 Wise,-Stephen S. 1915-1917; 1937; 1945.
7 Wolf, Sidney. 1944-1959.
8 Y-Z, General. 1917-1963.
9 Anonymous, unsigned or indecipherable signatures. 1913-1946.
Subseries 2: Personal
10 1902-1917.
11 1957. "Stories about Abraham Cronbach on the Occasion of His Seventy-Fifth Birthday."
12 1962. Congratulatory letters, telegrams and addresses
on his eightieth birthday.
7 1 Miscellaneous. Certificates; resolutions; records.
1902-1965.
SERIES B. MANUSCRIPTS AND PUBLICATIONS
2 1903."Fasting on the Day of Atonement."
3 1909."The Problem of Evil."
4-7 1913. "Socialism from a Jewish Point of View."
8 1914-1922.
8 1 1923-1924.
2 1926-1927.
3 1928-1929.
4 1930.
5 1931-1939.
6 1936-1939.
7 1940-1948.
8 1952-1953.
9 1956. "Jewish Pioneering in American Social Work."
9 1 1956. "Jewish Pioneering in American Social Work."
Bibliographic citation sources, Nos. 5-29.
2 1956. "Jewish Pioneering in American Social Work."
Bibliographic citation sources, No. 31.
3 1956. "Jewish Pioneering in American Social Work."
Bibliographic citation sources, Nos. 32-73.
4 1956. "Jewish Pioneering in American Social Work."
Bibliographic citation sources, Nos. 100-163.
5 1960-1963.
6 1961. Stories Made of Bible Stories.
7 Not dated.
8 Not dated.
10 1 Not dated
2 Prayers. 1926-1960, n.d.
SERIES C. MISCELLANEOUS
3 Davis, Maurice. "The History of the Jewish Center Move-
ment in America" [Rabbinic thesis]. 1949.
4 Parker, Benjamin. Scrapbook. 1932-1936.
5-9 Nearprint. 1911-1964; n.d.
10 Newsclippings. 1929-1958.
SUBJECT TRACINGS
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Note: The following list represents a selective guide to the significant
subjects and correspondents within the ABRAHAM CRONBACH PAPERS. References are to boxes and
folders, e.g. 2/7 = Box 2, Folder 7. This list should be used in conjunction with the
Box and Folder List of this inventory.
American Council for Judaism 4/8
Austrian Relief,Fund 1/6
Bamberger, Bernard J. 1/9.
Baron, Salo W. 1/9.
Bernstein, Philip S. 1/9.
Billikopf, Jacob 1/9.
Bjerre, Poul 1/9.
Black, Hugo 1/9.
Brann, Marcus 1/9.
Brill, Abraham Arden 1/9.
Central Conference of American Rabbis - Social Justice Committee
1/13,14; 2/22.
Cincinnati, Ohio - Robert Krohn Livingston Memorial Camp 3/1.
Cohen, Morris R. 1/12.
Conference between Nazis and Jews (1935) 1/18; 2/6
Conscientious objectors 1/6; 2/24
Douglas, William 0. 1/22.
Fram, Leon 2,/5.
Glueck, Nelson 2/11.
Hirsch, Emil Gustav 2/17.
Holmes, John Haynes 3/10,12.
Hull, Cordell 2117.
Hurwitz, Henry 3/5.
Jacobson Temple organ, obtaining for HUC 2/10.
Jung, Carl G. 2/23.
Kohler, Kaufmann 2/26.
Leopold, Nathan F., Jr. 3/1.
Mark, Alexander 3/3.
Montagu, Lily H. 3/3.
National Conference of Christians and Jews 1/18.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Fellowship House 4/3.
Philipson, David 3/9.
Pickett, Clarence E. 1/6.
Reform Judaism 2/13; 3/9.
Roosevelt, Franklin D. 4/6.
School of Jewish Studies (New York, New York) 5/12,13.
Schultz, Benjamin 4/9,10.
Seasongood, Murray 5/11.
Silver, Abba Hillel 4/9; 5/11.
South Bend, Indiana - Temple Beth El 2/14.
Union of American Hebrew Congregations 1/13; 6/1.
Wolsey, Louis 6/2.
Zielonka, David L. 6/8.
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