Susan Hoffman
Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
320 Elmer L. Anderson Library
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Phone: 612-625-0192
Email: s-hoff@umn.edu
web: http://www.jhsum.org
Hillel Inventory
The Menorah Society was founded in 1903, originally as the University Jewish Literary Society, to “cultivate ….and discuss.. topics related to Judaism”, but mainly as a social group. It enrolled Jewish faculty members and most of the Jewish students on campus (who were predominantly male). Funding and the lack of a permanent home were early concerns, and despite growing membership and activities Menorah never had its own home. In the 1930’s the UJF gave them an emergency grant. Several other Jewish groups also existed on campus, sponsored by Temple Israel and Jewish professional and social fraternities and sororities.
The U of M Hillel Society was founded in 1940, with Rabbi Milgrom its first director. By 1941 the membership of over 500 enjoyed a full agenda of programs including classes, discussion groups, debate, drama and social activities. Hillel activities were intended not to overlap with those of existing Jewish groups on campus, including Menorah, which eventually merged with Hillel. The lack of a permanent home was an issue as early as 1943, and the UJFC sanctioned a fund drive in 1945. A permanent building (the current one) was purchased in 1956. Even without a home, activities included a model seder, Friday night services and dinners, and activities, such as vocational guidance, for returning veteran students.
In the 1960’s and 70’s problems such as insufficient funding, unpaid pledges and declining student interest became more serious. New services such as non-credit Jewish studies classes, a kosher meat cooperative and a Jewish bookstore were offered to increase relevance for its constituency. A 1980 evaluation conducted with the Minneapolis and St Paul Federations suggested more ways to increase relevance and participation. The facilities were renovated in 1981.
LOCATOR BOX
D02 S15 CF Old box 59
Menorah Society minutes and scrapbook, 1930s 2 ff
Constitution, Mission statement,etc, 1980s
Board Minutes, 1976-79
Board Rosters, ca 1970s-80s
Advisory Committee minutes, 1973-80 2 ff
Endowment, 1983-84
Personnel, 1971-84 2 ff
Personnel Committee, 1971-80
Inter-office memos, 1979-83
Staff meetings, 1979-83
leadership training, n.d.
Student Board/Council, 198-83 2 ff
Faculty
Study of Jewish Youth on Campus, 1970s
Hillel Study Commission, 1981-83 2 ff
Rabbi Louis Milgrom corresp, 1967-76 9 ff
D02 515 CG Old box 60
Corresp, conscientious objection, 1969-71
Rabbi Moshe Lichtman coresp, 1972-74
Kosher co-op corresp, 1972-74
Rabbi Moshe Adler corresp, 1977-84
National Hillel corresp, 1978-80
Corresp with various Jewish Federations, 1971-85 6 ff.
General corresp, 1975-83 11 ff.
D02 S15 CH Old box 61
Programming:
College conclave, 1971
Dance Club Enchante, 1970-71
Freshman activities, 1968-71 3 ff.
Homecoming open house, 1982
Israel-American Club programming, 1953-61
Israeli dance, 1983
Jewish women’s conference, 1983
Mini-courses, n.d.
Religious banquet, 1972-73
Seder, 1978, 1980
Shabbat, 1968-71, 1979
Social, 1982-83
Soviet Jewry, 1976-81
Student Zionist Organization, 1963-66 9 ff.
Theater, 1972, n.d.
Timerman(Jacobo) visit to campus, 1980
Touring show, n.d.
Welcom Week, 1981-83 2 ff.
West Bank programming, 1969
Programming, general, 1975-79, 1982
Programming evaluations, 1977-83 3 ff.
D02 S16 CA Old box 62
Ancillary materials
Campus Jewish Appeal, 1982-83
Campus religious organizations, interaction with, 1968-70
Carleton College outreach, mid 1970s-83
Gay and Lesbian Jews, background material
Interfaith Center, 1963-68
Interfaith marriages and materials, 1959-65 2 ff.
Iranian Jews, 1981-83
Macalester College outreach, 1976-83 2 ff.
Mn. Com. for Peace in the Middle East, 1970
Minnesota Daily, 1983
Mn. Rabbinical Assn., 1971
New Jewish Agenda, background material, ca 1981
Religion and Race, 1968-69
Rockwell visit, 1964
Shalom Mpls program for newcomers, 1981
Women in Church Ministry program, 1981-82
Publicity
Flyers, 1984
Friends of Hillel mailings,1969-86
Mailing lists, 1979-82
Background materials
Other Hillel Houses, other Jewish student movements,
mid 1960s-1981 4 ff.
Hillel Regional Institute, 1978
Hillel Director’s printed materials, 1980-83
