Title: |
Workmen's Circle Records, Series IV |
Repository: |
Western Reserve Historical Society
Phone: 216-721-5722 http://www.wrhs.org |
Creator: |
Gift of Jack Greminger |
Dates: |
1927-2017 |
Quantity: |
2.41 linear feet (3 boxes, including one oversized folder) |
Abstract: |
The Workmen's Circle, or Arbeiter Ring, is a secular Jewish fraternal organization founded to build a better world, foster cultural Jewishness, and offer friendships. Early on, the Circle was viewed as an organization of labor unionists, including Socialists, although there was no official connection. Members demonstrated for social security, unemployment compensation, child labor laws, workmen's compensation, and health security, and supported candidates who were in favor of these issues. The group also provided lectures, poetry readings, plays, shows, and concerts in Yiddish. Camp Vladek (called the Workmen's Circle Camp) in Rock Creek, Ohio was a summer resort for adults and a children's camp from 1950-1963, when it was sold and the proceeds were used to build a Workmen's Circle Educational Center at 1980 Green Road in 1964. The I. L. Peretz Workmen's Circle School first opened in 1918 and became a center for adult Yiddish classes and Yiddish cultural programming. Since the Holocaust, the Circle's emphasis has shifted to the preservation, promotion, and perpetuation of Yiddish language and culture. In 1995 there were 3 branches in Cleveland and 1 in Akron; membership totaled approximately 1,200. The Workmen's Circle Records, Series IV collection consists of agreements, applications, awards, booklets, budgets, bylaws, correspondence, a mortgage deed and plot plan for Camp Vladek, employee manual and forms, flyers, board meetings and minutes, music sheets, newsletters, newspaper clippings, a photograph, a poster, holiday programs, a school calendar, a sketch, a songbook, a syllabus, and a Yiddish textbook. |
Identification: |
MS 5456 |
Language: |
The records are in English |
The Workmen's Circle, or Arbeiter Ring, is a secular Jewish fraternal organization founded to build a better world, foster cultural Jewishness, and offer friendships. Part of the national Workmen's Circle, started in 1900, the first Cleveland branch (#79) was chartered in 1904 to work for social legislation. Early on, the Circle was viewed as an organization of labor unionists, including Socialists, although there was no official connection. Members demonstrated for social security, unemployment compensation, child labor laws, workmen's compensation, and health security, and supported candidates who were in favor of these issues. The group also provided lectures, poetry readings, plays, shows, and concerts in Yiddish. At its height in the 1930s, Cleveland had 4 Yiddish-speaking branches. The first English-speaking branch, #1030, was founded in 1939. The group bought its own cemetery in 1920 in Parma. Camp Vladek (called the Workmen's Circle Camp) in Rock Creek was a summer resort for adults and a children's camp from 1950-1963, when it was sold and the proceeds were used to build a Workmen's Circle Educational Center at 1980 Green Road in 1964. The I. L. Peretz Workmen's Circle School first opened in 1918 on Scovill Avenue, and with the exception of 1 semester in 1952, has been in continuous operation. Originally established to educate members' children, the school became a center for adult Yiddish classes and Yiddish cultural programming. Since the Holocaust, the Circle's emphasis has shifted to the preservation, promotion, and perpetuation of Yiddish language and culture. A Russian-speaking branch for Russian immigrants was established in 1975. In 1995 Marilyn Fenton served as director and the Circle had 3 branches in Cleveland and 1 in Akron; and membership totaled approximately 1,200. As of 2017, Matt Greminger has served as executive director.
The Workmen's Circle Records, Series IV collection consists of agreements, applications, awards, booklets, budgets, bylaws, correspondence, a mortgage deed and plot plan for Camp Vladek, employee manual and forms, flyers, board meetings and minutes, music sheets, newsletters, newspaper clippings, a photograph, a poster, holiday programs, a school calendar, a sketch, a songbook, a syllabus, and a Yiddish textbook.
Those who are interested in Jewish fraternal organizations will find this collection interesting. Additionally, those who have an interest in Jewish music and culture will find this collection valuable. Also, those who are interested in Jewish education for children and adults in Cleveland will want to consult this collection.
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The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 5456 Workmen's Circle Records, Series IV, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio.
Gift of Jack Greminger, 2017.
Processed by Allan Jaffe, Sean Martin and Jeffrey Zuckerman.