TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Biographical Sketch
Scope and Content Note
Arrangement Note
Conditions of Access and Use
Administrative Information
Search Terms
Box Folder Listing
Series A. CCAR Committee on the Chaplaincy. 1963-1975.
Series B. CCAR Committee on Homosexuality in the Rabbinate. 1977-1990.
Series C. CCAR Committee on Human Sexuality. 1977-2000.
Series D. Miscellaneous. 1979-1993.
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Manuscript Collection No. 725
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Repository: |
The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish
Archives
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Creator: |
Salkowitz, Selig, b.
1929
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Title: |
Selig Salkowitz Papers |
Dates: |
1963-2000 |
Quantity: |
2.4 linear ft. (6 Hollinger boxes) |
Abstract: |
Contains minutes, correspondence, reports, nearprint, and
working papers associated with Salkowitz's service on committees of the Central
Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), including the Committee on the Chaplaincy, the
Committee on Homosexuality in the Rabbinate, and the Committee on Human
Sexuality.
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Collection Number: |
MS-725 |
Language: |
Collection material in English. |
Selig Salkowitz was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1929. He received his undergraduate
degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1950. He attended Hebrew Union College where
he received a Bachelor of Hebrew Letters degree in 1952 and a Master of Hebrew Letters
degree in 1954. Salkowitz later earned a Doctorate of Divinity at the New York
Theological Seminary in 1970. In addition, he did independent study at the Oxford Center
for Postgraduate Hebrew Studies, and obtained a Certificate in Pastoral Counseling from
the Post Graduate Center for Mental Health in New York City.
Rabbi Salkowitz served as a Navy chaplain from 1954-1974, doing active duty in the
Mariana Islands from 1954-1956, and reserve duty in the U.S. from 1956-1974. He also
served on the Central Conference of American Rabbis' Chaplaincy Committee as well as on
the National Jewish Welfare Board's Commission on Jewish Chaplaincy.
Salkowitz's other committee work for the CCAR included chairing the important Committee
on Homosexuality in the Rabbinate (1986-1990) and co-chairing the Committee on Human
Sexuality (1993-2000). Both of these committees explored questions of the place of gays
and lesbians in the Reform movement, debating both inclusion in the rabbinate and
whether to officiate and recognize marriages between same-sex couples. At the
recommendation of the Committee on Homosexuality in the Rabbinate, the CCAR adopted a
resolution in 1990 allowing openly gay and lesbian rabbis in the Reform rabbinate. In
2000, the CCAR adopted a resolution in support of rabbis who chose to officiate at
same-sex ceremonies.
During his career as a pulpit rabbi, Dr. Salkowitz served Temple Beth El in Providence,
Rhode Island (1956-1958), Temple Avoda, Fair Lawn, New Jersey (1958-1988) and Union
Temple of Brooklyn, New York (1988-1992). He was also interim rabbi at Temple Israel of
Stockton, California (1992-1993).
The Selig Salkowitz Papers (1963-2000) consist of minutes, correspondence, reports,
nearprint, and working papers associated with Salkowitz's service on several important
committees of the CCAR, including the Committee on the Chaplaincy, the Committee on
Homosexuality in the Rabbinate, and the Committee on Human Sexuality.
This collection is arranged in four (4) series:
- Series A. CCAR Committee on the Chaplaincy. 1963-1975.
- Series B. CCAR Committee on Homosexuality in the Rabbinate. 1977-1990.
- Series C. CCAR Committee on Human Sexuality. 1977-2000.
- Series D. Miscellaneous. 1979-1993.
Terms of Access
The collection is restricted to the Executive Director of the American Jewish
Archives.
Terms of Reproduction and Use
Copyright restrictions may apply. Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce, with exceptions for fair
use, may be obtained through the American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Please address queries to the Executive Director of the American Jewish Archives. For
more information, see the American Jewish Archives copyright information webpage.
Footnotes and bibliographic references should refer to the Selig Salkowitz Papers and
the American Jewish Archives. A suggestion for at least the first citation is as
follows:
[Description], [Date], Selig Salkowitz Papers, MS-725, Box [#], Folder [#]. American
Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
The Selig Salkowitz Papers were received from Rabbi Selig Salkowitz, Fair Lawn, New Jersey, in
2001. Additional materials were donated by Rabbi Salkowitz in 2008.
Processed by Dorothy Smith, 2006, 2008. Additional processing by Kevin Proffitt,
2013.
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Series A. CCAR Committee on the Chaplaincy. 1963-1975. [2 Hollinger boxes] |
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Scope and Content Note: Includes materials documenting Rabbi Salkowitz's service
in the Navy as a Jewish chaplain from 1963-1974. Records include general
correspondence, correspondence with chaplains, reports, minutes of the CCAR
Chaplaincy Committee, minutes of the National Jewish Welfare Board's Commission on
Jewish Chaplaincy, surveys, and working papers. Salkowitz was involved with
recruitment of Jewish chaplains during the Vietnam War. These records reflect some
of the struggles and conflicts experienced by the Reform rabbinate during that
time.
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Restriction Note: The collection is restricted to the Executive Director of the American Jewish
Archives.
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Box |
Folder |
1 |
1 |
Correspondence, reports, minutes. 1963-1967. |
1 |
2 |
Correspondence, reports, minutes. 1968-1969. |
1 |
3 |
Correspondence, reports, minutes. 1970. |
1 |
4 |
Correspondence, reports, minutes. 1971. |
1 |
5 |
Correspondence, reports, minutes. 1972-1973. |
Box |
Folder |
2 |
1 |
Correspondence, reports, minutes. 1974-1975. |
2 |
2 |
Responses to CCAR Chaplaincy Committee surveys. 1971. |
2 |
3 |
Chaplaincy Commission of the Rabbinical Association of Bergen County
(N.J.). 1966-1975.
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2 |
4 |
Liaison Committee. 1966-1967, 1975. |
2 |
5 |
Correspondence with chaplains. 1971-1972. |
2 |
6 |
Youdovin, Ira S.1970-1971. |
2 |
7 |
Lay Leadership Committee. 1972-1976. |
2 |
8 |
Chaplaincy reports. 1970-1972. |
2 |
9 |
Recruitment. 1969-1973. |
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Series B. CCAR Committee on Homosexuality in the Rabbinate. 1977-1990. [2 Hollinger boxes] |
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Scope and Content Note: Includes meeting minutes, extensive correspondence and
emails, surveys, nearprint, journal articles, newsclippings, and working papers.
The committee, formerly called the Ad Hoc Committee on Homosexuality, was chaired
by Rabbi Salkowitz and was charged with studying, gathering background
information, and presenting recommendations on the question of ordaining openly
gay and lesbian rabbis in the Reform movement.
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Restriction Note: The collection is restricted to the Executive Director of the American Jewish
Archives.
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Box |
Folder |
3 |
1 |
Conference Responsum Committee on Homosexuality. Correspondence.
1977-1979.
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3 |
2 |
CCAR Committee on Homosexuality. Correspondence, responsa. 1978. |
3 |
3 |
Ad Hoc Committee on Homosexuality. Correspondence. 1986. |
3 |
4 |
Ad Hoc Committee on Homosexuality. Minutes. 1987-1989. |
3 |
5 |
Correspondence, reports, minutes. January-April 1987. |
3 |
6 |
Correspondence, reports, minutes. May-December 1987. |
3 |
7 |
Correspondence, reports, minutes. 1988. |
Box |
Folder |
4 |
1 |
Correspondence, reports, minutes. January-June 1989. |
4 |
2 |
Correspondence, reports, minutes. July-December 1989. |
4 |
3 |
Correspondence, reports, minutes. January-May 1990. |
4 |
4 |
Correspondence, reports, minutes. June-December 1990. |
4 |
5 |
Correspondence, reports, minutes. undated. |
4 |
6 |
Final report. 1990. |
4 |
7 |
Judaism and Homosexuality. Nearprint. 1979, 1987. |
4 |
8 |
CCAR resolution on Homosexuality in the Rabbinate. Newsclippings.
1990.
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Series C. CCAR Committee on Human Sexuality. 1977-2000. [1.5 Hollinger boxes] |
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Scope and Content Note: Records from this committee reflect work on the question
of sanctioning same-sex unions in the Reform movement. Included are minutes,
correspondence, survey responses, and nearprint. Also included is a small amount
of material from Rabbi Salkowitz's earlier work with the Committee on Family Life
and the Sub-Committee on Jewish Sexual Values.
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Restriction Note: The collection is restricted to the Executive Director of the American Jewish
Archives.
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Box |
Folder |
5 |
1 |
Committee on Family Life. 1977-1983. |
5 |
2 |
Sub-Committee on Jewish Sexual Values. 1978-1982. |
5 |
3 |
Committee on Human Sexuality. 1993-1995. |
5 |
4 |
Committee on Human Sexuality. 1996-1997. |
5 |
5 |
Committee on Human Sexuality. 1998-1999. |
5 |
6 |
Committee on Human Sexuality. 2000. |
5 |
7 |
CCAR Conference on Judaism and Sexual Values. Correspondence.1980-1982. |
Box |
Folder |
6 |
1 |
CCAR Conference on Judaism and Sexual Values. Papers. 1980-1981. |
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[An appendix of papers presented at this conference is available.]
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6 |
2 |
Breakout session responses. 1996. |
6 |
3 |
Sexuality questionnaire and correspondence. 1979-1980. |
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Series D. Miscellaneous. 1979-1993. [0.5 Hollinger boxes] |
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Scope and Content Note: Consists of files on adoption, Jewish population growth,
and issues of domestic violence and sexual assault.
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Restriction Note: The collection is restricted to the Executive Director of the American Jewish
Archives.
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Box |
Folder |
6 |
4 |
A Rabbi's Guide to Adoption. Draft and correspondence. 1979. |
6 |
5 |
National Conference on Jewish Population Growth. Correspondence,
minutes. 1983.
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6 |
6 |
In-Service Training. Sexual assault, domestic violence, and
forgiveness. Correspondence, clippings. 1992.
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7 |
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Jewish Women's Domestic
Violence Information Packet. 1993.
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The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
AJA's online catalog.
Institutions
Central Conference of American Rabbis.
Committee on Homosexuality in the Rabbinate.
Central Conference of American Rabbis.
Committee on Human Sexuality.
Subjects
Adoption.
Chaplains, Military.
Family violence.
Homosexuality -- Religious aspects --
Judaism.
Population -- Statistics.
Rape.
Vietnam War, 1961-1975.
Women's rights.
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