Bernard Kligfeld Papers

Manuscript Collection No. 136

1915-1981. 7.6 Linear ft.

ACCESS AND PROVENANCE

The BERNARD KLIGFELD PAPERS were donated to the American Jewish
Archives by Bernard Kligfeld of Sun City, Arizona, in 1982 and 1983.

Property rights have been assigned to the American Jewish Archives. All 
literary rights to materials authored by Bernard Kligfeld are held by 
him. Literary rights to materials authored by others are held by the 
individual author or his/her heirs. Questions concerning rights should 
be addressed to the Director of the American Jewish Archives.

The BERNARD KLIGFELD PAPERS are open to all users. The original manuscript 
collection is available in the reading room of the American Jewish Archives.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH top

Rabbi Kligfeld was born May 7, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York, the son of
Morris Kligfeld. Before entering the rabbinate, Kligfeld was active
in Jewish youth movements. He was one of the founders, and for two years a 
director, of the Hebrew Arts Foundation. He was also student body president 
of both the Teachers Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary as well 
as the Jewish Institute of Religion. In 1936-1937, he spent a year of work 
and study in Palestine as an Avukah Palestine Fellow. From 1942-1945, he 
was director of Jewish education at the Educational Alliance of New York.

In 1945, he graduated from the Jewish Institute of Religion in New York 
City and was ordained a rabbi. For five years he served as associate 
rabbi at Temple Beth Sholom of Kansas City, Missouri. During this period, 
he co-founded the Kansas City Adult School of Jewish Studies; he also served
on the board of the Kansas City Urban League. From 1950-1981, Rabbi Kligfeld 
was the rabbi of Temple Emanu-El of Long Beach, New York.

In addition to his rabbinic and Bachelor of Arts degrees, he holds the
degree of Bachelor of Jewish Pedagogy from the Teachers Institute of the
Jewish Theological Seminary and a Master of Arts degree in Social Psychology
from the Teachers College of Columbia University. Rabbi Kligfeld also received
an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Hebrew Union College.

Past President of the Rabbinical Council of Long Beach, and Past President 
of the Nassau-Suffolk Association of Rabbis, he was Chairman and advisor to 
various Jewish groups on experimental education, child welfare agencies, 
films, and family life. He is a co-founder of both the Jewish Expression 
of Marriage Encounter Movement, and the Long Island Interfaith Council.

Kligfeld appeared on numerous television programs on behalf of the Anti-Defamation
League of B'nai B'rith, and he was a staff member of ADL at Christian youth camps.
He served as a board member of the Long Island Health and Hospital Planning Council 
of the United States. For many years he served as a member of the advisory committee 
for production of audio visual educational materials of the Union of American Hebrew
Congregations. He was a member of the National Council for Jewish Education; and he 
also served as chairman of the Committee on Child Guidance and Welfare of the
Commission on Synagogue Relations.

Rabbi Kligfeld contributed to numerous national publications, including the Journal 
of Religion and Mental Health and the C.C.A.R. Journal, and he was on various 
panels dealing with intermarriage, bereavement, sexuality, and rabbinical 
counseling. He was in the forefront of fostering an ongoing dialogue between the 
rabbi and the Jewish social worker.

Rabbi Kligfeld married Julia Golshevsky on November 22, 1939. They had three children,
Michael, Alisa L. (Blitz), and Adina Shlomit.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE top

The BERNARD KLIGFELD PAPERS (1915-1981) describe the career of Bernard
Kligfeld, rabbi and co-founder of the Jewish Expression of Marriage Encounter
and the Long Island Interfaith Council.  Kligfeld was an active participant in
the problems of intermarriage, bereavement, sexuality and rabbinical
counseling. The collection consists primarily of correspondence and
congregational material, but it also includes some personal items. The bulk of
the material in the collection spans the years 1940-1981. The Papers are
divided into two series: 

				A. CORRESPONDENCE
				B. CONGREGATIONAL MATERIALS.

The CORRESPONDENCE series (1915-1981) consists of six Hollinger boxes of
correspondence with friends, individuals and organization, as well as
newspaper clippings and photographs. The correspondence in this series is
arranged alphabetically by the name of the person or organization. Letters are
arranged chronologically within each folder. The majority of the
correspondence is in English, but some letters are in Yiddish or Hebrew.

The CONGREGATIONAL MATERIAL (1945-1981) consists of thirteen Hollinger
boxes of correspondence with congregants and marriage records, bereavement
cases, as well as miscellaneous items. The materials in this series are
arranged alphabetically by the name of the congregant or subject.

Note: Access to some of the more important topics and persons in this
collection may be made through the Subject Tracings at the end of this
inventory.

BOX AND FOLDER LISTING top

SERIES A. CORRESPONDENCE

Note: The CORRESPONDENCE SERIES is arranged alphabetically by the name of the
person or organization. Selective access to additional topics and individuals
in this series may be made through the Subject Tracings at the end of this
inventory. Please be aware that a subject or individual's name may appear in
the collection more often than indicated in the Subject Tracings.

Box  Folder    Contents

1    1         A, General
     2         American Council for Judaism 1963
     3         American Jewish Congress 1968-1973
     4         Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith
                    1956-1969
     5         Association of Reform Rabbis 1950-1971
     6         Ba-Bi, General
     7         Bl-Bu, General
     8         Baumgard, Herbert M. 1973-1974
     9         Berman, Louis 1969-1970
     10        Blumberg, Herman J. 1973
     11        Brighton, Mass.-Temple B'nai Moshe 1944
     12        Brill, Mordecai 1970
     13        Brilliant, Nathan 1943-1945
     14        C, General
     15        Camp Seabreeze 1966-1967
     16        Carey, Hugh 1977-1981
     17        Cejwin Camps 1940-1943
     18        Central Conference of American Rabbis
                    1950-1978
     19        Central Jewish Institute 1938-1942
     20        Columbia University 1950-1963
     21        Columbia University (Reports Cards) 1941-1963
     22        Commission on Jewish Education 1954-1976
     23        Commission on Jewish Education (Goals of
                    Education)
     24        Commission on Jewish Education (Statement
                    Goals Questionnaire)
     25        Commission on Synagogue Relations 1970-1971
     26        Connecticut Council of Churches 1964
     27        Cutter, William 1974-1975
     28        D, General
     29        E, General
     30        Educational Alliance 1940-1945
     31        F, General
     32        G, Generla
     33        Gittelsohn, Roland B. 1940-1970
     34        Glueck, Nelson 1950-1953
     35        Granison, Abram M. 1948-1951
     36        H, General

2    1         Hachen, David S. 1973-1974
     2         Hadas, Gershon 1945-1946
     3         Hebrew Union College 1950-1971
     4         Hoch Psychiatric Hospital 1976-1977
     5         I, General
     6         Images Gallery 1978
     7         J, General
     8         Jacobson, Eddie 1950-1951
     9         Jewish Chautauqua Society 1962-1980
     10        Jewish Institute of Religion 1942-1950
     11        Jewish Marriage Encounter (Articles)
     12        Jewish Marriage Encounter (Board Meetings)
                    1974-1981
     13        Jewish Marriage Encounter (Board Meetings)
                    1979-1981
     14        Jewish Marriage Encounter (Enrollment Lists)
     15        Jewish Marriage Encounter (Material)
     16        Jewish Marriage Encounter (Photographs)
     17        Ka-Ke, General
     18        Ki-Ku, General
     19        Kansas City, Mo.-School of Jewish Studies 1947-
                    1954

3    1         Kansas City, Mo.-Temple Sholom 1945-1948
     2         Kansas City, Mo.-Temple Sholom (Correspondence)
     3         Kremer, Arthur 1977-1981
     4         La-Li, General
     5         Lo, General
     6         League of Jewish Youth n.d.
     7         Lehrman, Nathaniel 1961-1962
     8         Lent, Norman 1975-1976
     9         Liturgy
     10        Long Beach, N.Y. 1962-1976
     11        Long Beach, N.Y.-Temple Emanu-El 1955-1980
     12        Long Beach, N.Y.-Temple Emanu-El (Correspondence,
                    A-L)
     13        Long Beach, N.Y.-Temple Emanu-El (Correspondence,
                    M-Z)
     14        Long Beach, N.Y.-Temple Emanu-El (Services)
                    1950-1966, n.d.
     15        Long Island Catholic 1971-1981
     16        Long Island Interfaith Council 1968-1973
     17        Long Island Interfaith Council (Meetings)
                    January, 1968-March 1971
     18        Long Island Interfaith Council (Meetings)
                    April, 1971-February, 1977
     19        Long Island Interfaith Council (Meeting Announcements)
     20        Long Island Interfaith Council (Membership Lists)
     21        Long Island Interfaith Council (Statements)
     22        M, General

4    1         Marriage Encounter Letters, A-L
     2         Marriage Encounter Letters, M-Z
     3         Marriage Encounter Letters, Miscellaneous
     4         Mobile Geriatric Outreach Team 1976-1978
     5         Moynihan, Daniel P. 1978-1981
     6         Na, General
     7         Ne-Ny, General
     8         Nassau-Suffolk Association of Rabbis 1962-1971
     9         Nassau-Suffolk Comprehensive Health Planning
                    Council 1975-1976
     10        Nassau-Suffolk Health Systems Agency 1976-1981
     11        Nassau-Suffolk Health Systems Agency (Meeting
                    Summarys) 1976-1979
     12        Nassau-Suffolk Health Systems Agency (Memorandums)
                    1976-1979
     13        National Federation of Temple Brotherhoods 1951-1973
     14        Newman, Louis 1950-1951
     15        New York Adult Education Council (Sixth Adult Education
                    Seminar in Israel) 1968
     16        New York Federation of Reform Synagogues 1950-1974

5    1         New York Health Coordinating Council 1977-1981
     2         Notes: Jewish Topics
     3         Notes: Non-Jewish Topics
     4         O, General
     5         Otto, Herbert 1974-1975
     6         P, General
     7         Perlman, Samuel 1971-1972
     8         Personal Data 1915-1976
     9         Photographs
     10        R, General
     11        Rabbinical Placement Committee 1954-1981
     12        Rubin, Gail 1978

6    1         Sa-Sh, General
     2         Si-Sy, General
     3         Saperstein, Harold I. 1950-1975
     4         Segal, Abraham 1973-1977
     5         SIECUS 1965-1978
     6         Spiro, Jack 1969-1973
     7         Syme, Daniel 1975
     8         T, General
     9         U, General
     10        Union of American Hebrew Congregations
                    1957-1973
     11        United Synagogue of America 1949
     12        V, General
     13        W, General
     14        Williams, Clayton 1969-1973
     15        Wise, Stephen S. 1946-1951
     16        Woodside, N.Y.-Station WWRL 1951-1958
     17        Y, General
     18        Yeshiva University 1977
     19        Z, General
     20        Clippings

SERIES B. CONGREGATIONAL MATERIAL

Note:     The CONGREGATIONAL MATERIAL is arranged alphabetically by the name of
the congregants of Temple Emanu-El, Long Beach, New York. This material also
consists of marriage records and bereavement cases.

7    1         A-Ama
     2         Ame-Arn
     3         Ass-Ax
     4         B-Bee
     5         Bei-Bern

8    1         Berr-Bol
     2         Bou-Byk
     3         C-Car
     4         Ce-Ci
     5         Cl-Cohen, N.   
     6         Cohen, P.-Coo
     7         D-Dav
     8         De-Do

9    1         E
     2         Fa-Fe
     3         Fi-Fu
     4         G-Gol

10   1         Goo-Gra
     2         Gre-Greene
     3         Greenes-Gu
     4         H-Hal
     5         Han-Hel
     6         Hels-Hir
     7         Hit-Hou

11   1         Hu-Hy
     2         I
     3         J-Kah
     4         Kam-Kav
     5         Ke-Ki
     6         Kla-Kli

12   1         Kn-Kos
     2         Kow-Kri
     3         Krol-Kros
     4         Kru-La
     5         Leb-Levin

13   1         Levit-Lew
     2         Li-Lo
     3         Lu-Mas
     4         Mat-Mil
     5         Min-Nac

14   1         Nad-Ox
     2         Pa-Plat
     3         Platz-Pr
     4         Ra-Ri

15   1         Ro-Ros
     2         Rosi-Rut
     3         Sa-Schn

16   1         Scho-Schu
     2         Schw-See
     3         Seg-Sha
     4         She-Sil
     5         Sim-Sl

17   1         Sm-Sol
     2         Som-Stei
     3         Ster-Swe
     4         T
     5         U-Web
     
18   1         Wei-Weissb
     2         Wel-Wyt
     3         Yar-Zuc

19   1         Bereavement Cases
     2         Marriage Records
     3         Marriage Records
     4         Marriage Records

SUBJECT TRACINGS top

Note: The following list of subjects is a selective index to the BERNARD
KLIGFELD PAPERS. It is selective in that it only attempts to draw attention to
the more significant items in the collection. It does not attempt to list
every subject or individual nor does it try to list all places that a listed
subject or individual appears in the collection. When used in conjunction with
the Box and Folder List, the Subject Tracings should help the researcher
locate topics. References are to boxes and folders: e.G., 3/20 means Box 3,
Folder 20.

Central Conference of American Rabbis 1/22; 5/11

Education 1/22, 30; 2/19; 4/15

Gottschalk, Alfred 1/32

Hebrew Union College 1/34; 2/3; 5/11

Jewish-Christian Relations 3/16

Jewish Institute of Religion 6/15

Lowenstein, Allard 13/2

Marriage Encounter 2/10, 11, 12; 4/1

Stern, Malcolm H. 5/11

Union of American Hebrew Congregations 1/22; 5/11

United Synagogue Commission on Jewish Education 3/22

Zionism 1/2; 4/5

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