Access and Provenance

Biographical Sketch

Scope and Content Note

Box and Folder Listing

A Finding Aid to the

H. Leonard Poller Papers
Manuscript Collection No. 655 

1960-1994. 7.6 Linear ft.

ACCESS AND PROVENANCE

 The H. Leonard Poller Papers were received from Priscilla Poller of Larchmont, New York in August 2000. Priscilla Poller, by the act of donating the H. LEONARD POLLER PAPERS to the American Jewish Archives, assigned the property rights to the American Jewish Archives. All literary rights to material authored by H. Leonard Poller are held by the Poller heirs. All literary rights to material authored by others are retained by the individuals and their heirs. Questions concerning rights should be addressed to the Executive Director of the American Jewish Archives. The papers are available to researchers in the reading room of the Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH top

 H. Leonard Poller was born 5 November 1928 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Poller received his B.H.L., M.A, and then rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College- Jewish Institute of Religion in 1957. His graduate studies also included work at the Baltimore Hebrew College and the Bellevue / Montefiore Hospitals (for counseling). He went on to receive a honorary doctorate from HUC-JIR in 1982.

Poller's first pulpit following graduation was Temple Oheb Shalom in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1964 he became rabbi at Temple Beth Sholom, Montreal, Canada. At this point he developed a strong interest in the linking of U.S. and Canadian Jewish lay and rabbinic communities. Poller left Canada in 1962 to take a position at Larchmont Temple, in Larchmont, New York where he remained until his retirement in 1994. While at Larchmont he was active in several New York based Jewish and interfaith organizations and led protests against a Larchmont sponsored creche scene. Poller was extremely active in rabbinic professional organizations. He served on executive boards for the Central Conference of American Rabbis, New York Association of Reform Rabbis, Synagogue Council of America, United Jewish Appeal and the World Union for Progressive Judaism. Poller was deeply committed to the work of the Central Conference of American Rabbis- serving on the Executive Board, and as a chairman of both the Liturgy and Publications Committee. Under his direction a major revision of the Gates of Prayer and Gates of Repentance was completed, as well as the publication of numerous new services. Poller stressed the proprieties of Jewish worship and felt that prayer should be used to motivate good deeds and not a "feel-good" ceremony.

Poller married Priscilla Marks in 1957. They had three daughters - Judith, Sharon and Elyse. H. Leonard Poller died in Hillsdale, New York in 1998.

Related AJA Collections

Poller, H. Leonard. Nearprint Biographies File.

Poller, H. Leonard. Picture File.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE top

 The H. LEONARD POLLER PAPERS (1960-1994) describe the rabbinic and professional activities of H. Leonard Poller, who served at Temple Beth Shalom in Montreal Canada, and at Larchmont Temple in Larchmont, New York. Poller was active in the Central Conference of American Rabbis's liturgical issues. Also of interest is material relating to the Jonathan Pollard case. The papers are divided into four (4) series:

SERIES A. CORRESPONDENCE AND PROJECT FILES (1960-1994) consists of 5 boxes. Materials include correspondence (with reports and other attachments) with rabbis and community leaders along with research material collected for lectures or projects. The series is arranged alphabetically. Of special interest is correspondence and annotated newsclippings related to Jonathan Pollard and the Larchmont, New York creche incident.

SERIES B. LITURGICAL MATERIAL (1970-1994) consists of 3 boxes. Materials include minutes and correspondence relating to Pollar's interest in Reform Jewish liturgy and the appropriate CCAR committees. The series also contains correspondence and drafts of specific manuscripts published by the CCAR.

SERIES C. WRITINGS AND SERMONS (1960-1995) consists of 10 boxes. Sermons are filed first, arranged alphabetically. They are followed by speeches/articles. A partial index to the sermons from 1973-1988 are available at the front of the series.

SERIES D. CONGREGATIONAL MATERIALS (1961-1992) consists of 1 box. It contains materials relating to H. Leonard Poller's pulpits, arranged chronologically. Within each congregation, the materials are arranged in a single alphabetical series by topic.

BOX AND FOLDER LISTING top 

Box  Folder    Contents
SERIES A. CORRESPONDENCE AND PROJECT FILES. 1960-1994.
                        
1       1                       Albert Einstein Library. 1981-1990.
        2                       Allmond, Warren. 1970-1971.
        3                       Baskin, Bernard. 1962-1971.
        4                       Better, Cliff and Sandra. 1968-1969;
                                         n.d.
        5                       Bloomstone, Bernard. 1970-1971.
        6                       Blumberg, Herman. 1960-1989.
        7                       Bronstein, Herbert. 1970.
        8                       Buckley, James L. 1973-1975.
        9                       Central Conference of American Rabbis.
                                        [CCAR] Conventions. 1987-1989.
        10                      CCAR. Jews in Arab Lands Committee.
                                        1973-1974.
        11                      CCAR. Membership Manual. 1980.
        12                      Cornish, Howard L. 1961.
        13                      Creche Incident. Responses to Mayor.
                                        Larchmont, New York. 1975.
        14                      Creche Incident. Larchmont, New York.
                                        1975-1979.
        15                      Creche Incident. Larchmont, New York.
                                        1980.
        16                      Creche Incident. Newsclippings.
                                        Larchmont, New York. 1974-
                                        1977.
        17                      Davis, Daniel. 1961-1970.
        18                      Della Pergola, Luciano. 1966; n.d.

2       1                       Ethiopian Jews. 1982-1985.
        2                       Fordham University. Contemporary Jewish
                                        Thought Course 1978; n.d.
        3                       Fordham University. Rabbinic Thought
                                        Course. 1980-1982.
        4                       General correspondence. A-C.
        5                       General correspondence. D-Z.
        6                       Gerber, Janet. 1977.
        7                       Gesher Foundation. 1976.
        8                       Glueck, Nelson. 1960-1970.
        9                       Goodhart, Morris. 1962-1964.
        10                      Gottschalk, Alfred. 1973-1993.
        11                      Handguns. 1981-1994.
        12                      Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute
                                        of Religion. Jerusalem
                                        Campus. 1986.
        13                      HUC-JIR Task Force on Curriculum.
                                        1986-1987.
        14                      Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society.
                                        1976-1978.
        15                      Holocaust- television special. 1978.
        16                      Javits, Jacob. 1973-1977.
        17                      Kaplan, Louis. 1962-1965.
        18                      Kennedy, Timothy. 1963.

3       1                       Kibbutz Yahel. Israel. 1976-1983.
        2                       Kibbutz Yahel. Israel. 1984-1988.
        3                       Lawrence, Gunther and Leah. 1962-1964.
        4                       Lowey, Nita. 1993.
        5                       Mamaroneck-Harrison-Larchmont-Rye
                                        Clergy Association. Mahalary.
                                        1973-1985.
        6                       Mamaroneck High School. Hebrew course.
                                        1972-1975.
        7                       McCoy, Lowell G. 1964-1965.
        8                       Moynihan, Daniel. 1976-1977.
        9                       New York Association of Reform Rabbis.
                                        [NYARR] 1974-1985.
        10                      NYARR. 1986- June 1987.
        11                      NYARR. July 1987 - 1994.
        
4       1                       Orlinsky, Harry. 1960-1964.
        2                       Orlinsky, Walter S. 1961-1965.
        3                       Photographs. n.d.
        4                       Pollard, Jonathan. 1987 - May 1990.
        5                       Pollard, Jonathan. June 1990 - June
                                        1991.
        6                       Pollard, Jonathan. July - December
                                        1991.
        7                       Pollard, Jonathan. January - June 1992.
        8                       Pollard, Jonathan. July - December
                                        1992.
        9                       Pollard, Jonathan. 1993-1994.
        10                      Poller, Bertha. 1966.
        11                      Reid, Ogden. 1973-1974.
        12                      Rosenbaum, Phillip. Includes poetry.
                                        1963-1966.
        13                      Scheuer, Richard. 1982-1991.
        14                      Smith, Hedrick. 1976-1977.
        
5       1                       Spanish Embassy. 1986-1988.
        2                       Speaking engagements. 1973-1994.
        3                       Synagogue Council of America.
                                        1984-1988.
        4                       Synagogue Council of America.
                                        1989-1992.
        5                       Synagogue Council of America. 1993.
        6                       Torah Corps. 1973-1980.
        7                       Union of American Hebrew Congregations.
                                        1973-1982.
        8                       University Judaism courses. 1967-1979;
                                        n.d.
        9                       Wolfe, Harry. 1961-1967; n.d.
        10                      World Union for Progressive Judaism.
                                        1973-1980.
        11                      Zionist Organization of America.
                                        1982-1988.

SERIES B. LITURGICAL FILES. 1970-1994.

5       12                      AIDS service. 1989.
        13                      Birkat Hal'vanah.
        14                      Blessings of Gratitude. 1987-1990.
        15                      Beit Berl Liturgical Conference.
                                        Israel. 1988.
        16                      CCAR. Havurah Task Force. 1979-1983.

6       1                       CCAR. Liturgy Committee.                                        Correspondence; minutes.
                                        1984-1987.
        2                       CCAR. Liturgy Committee. 1988-1989.
        3                       CCAR. Liturgy Committee. 1990-1992.
        4                       CCAR. Liturgy Committee. 1993-1994.
        5                       CCAR. Publications Committee.
                                        1987-1991.
        6                       CCAR. Siddur Group. 1990-1992.
        7                       Chanukah Book. 1986-1990.
        8                       Children's Liturgy. 1986- June 1988.
        9                       Children's Liturgy. July 1988- 1990.
        10                      Children's Liturgy. 1992-1993.
        11                      Committee on Religious Life. 1988-1989.

7       1                       Ethiopian Jews Service. 1988.
        2                       Five Scrolls. 1985.
        3                       Gates of Healing. 1970-1985.
        4                       Gates of Healing. 1988-1991.
        5                       Gates of Prayer. 1972-1989.
        6                       Gates of Repentance. 1987-1988.
        7                       Gates of Shabbat. 1985-1988.
        8                       Gates of Shabbat. 1989.
        9                       Gates of Shabbat. 1990.
        10                      Gates of Wonder. 1989-1990.

8       1                       Haggadah for Children. 1985-1994.
        2                       Haggadah coloring book. 1991.
        3                       Interim Sabbath prayerbook. 1990.
        4                       Kristallnacht service. 1990.
        5                       Liturgical Conference. South Bend,
                                        Indiana. 1985.
        6                       Liturgy and sexist language. 1987-1989.
        7                       New Blessings on Performing Mitzvot.
                                        1991.
        8                       Quabbabat Shabbat. n.d.
        9                       Rabbi's Manual. Correspondence.
                                        1985-1994.
        10                      Rabbi's Manual. Manuscript.
        11                      Russian-Hebrew Haggadah. 1990.
        12                      Sha-arei HaDerech. Translators
                                        Prayerbook. 1988.
        13                      Shaari Musar. 1984.
        14                      Shoa Volume. 1987-1988.
        15                      U-venei Yerushalyim (Israel's 40th
                                        Anniversary) 1987.
        16                      Tu B'Shevat. 1987-1988.
        17                      Wedding Liturgy. 1990.

SERIES C. SERMONS AND WRITINGS. 1960-1994.

9       1                       Index to sermons. 1973-1988.
        2                       Numbered Sermons.
        3                       Sermons. A - Al.
        4                       Sermons. An - Arab.
        5                       Sermons. Arc-Az.
        6                       Sermons. Ba - Bl.
        7                       Sermons. Bo-Bz.
        8                       Sermons. Ca-Cd.
        9                       Sermons. Ce-Ch.

10      1                       Sermons. Cl-Cr.
        2                       Sermons. Confirmation.
        3                       Sermons. Consecration.
        4                       Sermons. Da - De.
        5                       Sermons. Di.
        6                       Sermons. Do- Dz.
        7                       Sermons. E.
        8                       Sermons. Fa - Fe.
        9                       Sermons. Fi- Fo.
        10                      Sermons. Fr - Fz.
        11                      Sermons. Ga - Gh.

11      1                       Sermons. Go
        2                       Sermons. Gr- Gy.
        3                       Sermons. Ha.
        4                       Sermons. Hannukah.
        5                       Sermons. He.
        6                       Sermons. Hi - Holocaust.
        7                       Sermons. Hon - Hope.
        8                       Sermons. How - Hy.
        9                       Sermons. I - Im.
        10                      Sermons. In.
        11                      Sermons. Is - Iz.

12      1                       Sermons. Ja- Jewish.
        2                       Sermons. Jews- Judaism.
        3                       Sermons. Jun - Ke.
        4                       Sermons. Ki - Kz.
        5                       Sermons. L - Li.
        6                       Sermons. Lo - Lz.
        7                       Sermons. Ma - Mar.
13      1                       Sermons. Mas - Mi.
        2                       Sermons. Mo.
        3                       Sermons. Mu - Mz.
        4                       Sermons. Na.
        5                       Sermons. Ne.
        6                       Sermons. Ni - Nz.
        7                       Sermons. Oa - Or.
        8                       Sermons. Ou - Oz.
        9                       Sermons. Pa - Pe.
        10                      Sermons. Pesach.

14      1                       Sermons. Ph - Po.
        2                       Sermons. Pr.
        3                       Sermons. Pu - Q.
        4                       Sermons. Purim.
        5                       Sermons. Rabbi
        6                       Sermons. Rac - Rec.
        7                       Sermons. Red - Reh.
        8                       Sermons. Rel-Res.
        9                       Sermons. Ret-Ri.
        10                      Sermons. Ro- Sc.
        11                      Sermons. Rosh Hashonah. 1966-1975.

15      1                       Sermons. Rosh Hashonah. 1976-1977.
        2                       Sermons. Rosh Hashonah. 1978-1980.
        3                       Sermons. Rosh Hashonah. 1981-1982.
        4                       Sermons. Rosh Hashonah. 1983-1987.
        5                       Sermons. Rosh Hashonah. 1988-1993.
        6                       Sermons. Se.
        7                       Sermons. Selihot.
        
16      1                       Sermons. Sh.
        2                       Sermons. Si - Sm.
        3                       Sermons. So - Sti.
        4                       Sermons. Str - Stu.
        5                       Sermons. Su - Sz.
        6                       Sermons. Sukkot.
        7                       Sermons. Ta.
        8                       Sermons. Te.
        9                       Sermons. Th.
        10                      Sermons. Ti- Tr.
        11                      Sermons. U.

17      1                       Sermons. V.
        2                       Sermons. Wa - We.
        3                       Sermons. Wha.
        4                       Sermons. Whe - Why.
        5                       Sermons. Wi - Wis.
        6                       Sermons. Wit - Wu.
        7                       Sermons. Y-Z.
        8                       Yom Ha'atma'ut.
        9                       Yom HaShoah.
        
18      1                       Yom Kippur. 1966-1972.
        2                       Yom Kippur. 1975-1976.
        3                       Yom Kippur. 1977-1979.
        4                       Yom Kippur. 1980-1982.
        5                       Yom Kippur. 1983-1993.
        6                       Untitled sermons; 1964-1986; n.d.
        7                       Speeches. 1976-1991.

SERIES D. CONGREGATIONAL FILES. 1961-1992.

19      1                       Congregation Oheb Shalom. Baltimore,
                                        Maryland.  Cemetery Committee.
                                        1963.
        2                       Congregation Oheb Shalom. Coordinating
                                        Committee. 1959-1965.
        3                       Temple Beth Shalom, Montreal, Canada.
                                        1962-1965.
        4                       Temple Beth Shalom. Executive Committee
                                        minutes. 1965-1968.
        5                       Temple Beth Shalom. Religious School.
                                        1961-1963.
        6                       Larchmont Temple. Larchmont, New York.
                                        30th Anniversary. 1978.
        7                       Larchmont Temple. American Jewish
                                        History course. 1990.
        8                       Larchmont Temple. Havurah. 1974-1985.
        9                       Larchmont Temple. Havurah. 1986-1988.
        10                      Larchmont Temple. Jewish Mysticism
                                        course. 1987-1988.
        11                      Larchmont Temple. Outreach program.
                                        1982-1990.
        12                      Larchmont Temple. Pastoral Aides
                                        program. 1980-1981.
        13                      Larchmont Temple. Pastoral Aides
                                        program. 1982-1987; n.d.
        14                      Larchmont Temple. Pesach Haggadah
                                        course. 1989.
        15                      Larchmont Temple. Sacred Cities course.
                                        1988.
        16                      Larchmont Temple. Sephardic Jewish
                                       Poets course. 1992.
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Copyright © 2001 Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives