Access and Provenance

Biographical Sketch

Scope and Content Note

Box and Folder Listing

 

 

 

A Finding Aid to the

Louis Feinberg Papers 

Manuscript Collection No. 747

1909-1948. 1.6 Linear ft.

ACCESS AND PROVENANCE

The Louis Feinberg Papers were donated by the Peerless Family of Cincinnati, Ohio in 2007. The Peerless Family, by the act of donating the Louis Feinberg Papers to the American Jewish Archives, assigned the property rights to the American Jewish Archives. All literary rights to material authored by Louis Feinberg are held by the Feinberg 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

Louis Feinberg was born in Rossieny, Lithuania on March 25, 1887, the son of Mordecai and Chaye Feinberg. He was one of five children. The family immi-
grated to America, where Louis attended public school in Philadelphia. He then attended the University of Pennsylvania and Yeshiva Mishkan Yisroel. Valedictorian of his 1916 class at Jewish Theological Seminary, he was ordained magna cum laude.

Rabbi Feinberg then served the congregation of Ohel Jacob in Philadelphia until 1918, at which time he assumed the pulpit of K.K. Adath Israel temple
(Avondale Synagogue) in Cincinnati. During his tenure, the congregation built a new synagogue. In addition, Feinberg was active in numerous organizations, among them the Law Committee of Jewish Theological Seminary, the Menorah Society, the Board of Jewish Ministers, the Board of Governors of the United Jewish Social Agencies, the executive committee of the Jewish Community Council, the Zionist Organization of America, Misrachi, and the Bureau of Jewish Education. He was also a prolific writer.

Louis and Rosa Rauneker Feinberg were married for 28 years, and had four children: Bertha, Mimi, and Mordecai, and Herbert Eaton, who was adopted.

The rabbi died on February 20, 1949, at the age of 61.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE top

The LOUIS FEINBERG PAPERS consist mostly of his writings: articles, lectures, sermons, prayers, stories, and even some children’s games. Of special interest are a diary, correspondence, photographs, postcards, and nearprint that all came out of a trip to eastern Europe and the Middle East that he took in 1937. A book manuscript and correspondence make up the balance of papers found in the two document-sized Hollinger boxes. One of the “shoe boxes” holds a chronological record of the weddings at which he officiated. The other holds notations on the books of the Torah.

SERIES A. Trip to Europe and the Middle East
SERIES B. Correspondence
SERIES C. Writings
SERIES D. Spiritual Foundations Manuscript
SERIES E. Weddings
SERIES F. Torah Study

SERIES A. Feinberg’s trip to eastern Europe and Palestine was given to him as a gift, very possibly in response to an oft-stated wish. Its thorough documentation, in the form of letters, a diary, postcards, photographs, and nearprint, at such a critical time in world history -1937- makes it noteworthy. A road map of Palestine can be found, and the sumptuous artwork which decorates the nearprint is a marvelous bonus.

SERIES B. Feinberg’s correspondence is written in both English and Yiddish.
His correspondence with Solomon Schechter was such that Feinberg described it as “infamous.”

SERIES C. This series includes scripts for radio broadcasts made by Feinberg for “Church of the Air,” from 1939-1946, as well as articles, lectures, prayers, and sermons.

SERIES D. The manuscript is, unfortunately, incomplete, and includes pages 2-114 of the 280-page book.

SERIES E. A chronological record of more than 1,300 weddings.

SERIES F. Note cards with Feinberg’s handwritten thoughts regarding verses of the Torah, Prophets, and Writings.

BOX AND FOLDER LISTING top

 
Box	Folder		Contents

SERIES A. Trip to Europe and the Middle East.  1937.

1	1		Correspondence.  
	2		Diary.
	3		Nearprint.
	4		Photographs.
	5		Postcards.
		
SERIES B.  Correspondence.  1920's, various, n.d.

	6		Correspondence.  In English.
	7		Correspondence.  In Yiddish.

SERIES C.  Writings.  1909-1948.

	8		Articles, Lectures, etc.  Some Hebrew.
	9		Articles, Lectures, etc.
	10		Articles, Lectures, etc.

2	1		Our Jewish Youth.  1909.
			Jewish Spectator.  1947-48.	
	2		Prayers.  1920-1948, n.d.
	3		Radio Broadcasts w/correspondence.  1939-1946.
	4		Sermons.  1944-47.
	5		Miscellaneous Writings.  1946-48, n.d.
	6		Miscellaneous Writings.  n.d.

SERIES D.  Spiritual Foundations.  Partial manuscript.	

	7		Spiritual Foundations manuscript.

SERIES E. Chronology of weddings.  1920-1947.

3			Notecards that detail weddings at which Feinberg officiated.

SERIES F.  Torah Study.

4			Notecards with thoughts about verses in the Torah.	  
  
 top
Copyright © 2001 Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives