Center for Jewish History

Mission Statement

The Center for Jewish History emerged from a vision of a unique central repository for the cultural and historical legacy of the Jewish people. This vision became a reality through the partnership of 5 major institutions of Jewish history, culture and language: the American Jewish Historical Society, the American Sephardi Federation, the Leo Baeck Institute, the Yeshiva University Museum and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. The Center's Reading Room provides access to an extraordinary collection of archival documents, books and ritual and art objects. The galleries and exhibition halls offer an artistic and educational interpretation of the extraordinary history of the Jewish people. The Genealogy Institute is a major resource for studying Jewish family histories. Cultural events, public lectures, seminars and conferences use our intellectual foundations for programs that enlighten even as they entertain.