History & Mission
History & Mission
The story of the 1977 founding of the Chicago Jewish Historical Society (CJHS) is itself a dramatic chapter of Chicago’s Jewish history. In 1976, the United States celebrated its bicentennial, and Chicago was a lively center of events.
The Jewish community contributed its part with the exhibit “My Brother’s Keeper” at the Museum of Science and Industry in November and December 1976. It was sponsored by the American Jewish Congress and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. The exhibit generated great interest in our local Jewish history.
As the exhibit was closing, some expressed the hope that the project could be continued on a permanent basis. In a transformational moment, six key people involved in the project “joined hands in a circle” around a display of a Torah that had been part of the World Parliament of Religions at the Chicago’s World Fair of 1893 and resolved “to make the successful exhibit become the cornerstone of an organization to preserve Chicago Jewish history.” (Chicago Jewish Historical Society, “A Ten-Year History 1977-1987,”1988, p. 6).
There were many prime movers of the new organization. Muriel Robin, the chair of the exhibit, was elected the first CJHS president. The formalization of CJHS was complete by June 1977, and the first public program was held that month. Within a year, CJHS initiated many other programs and activities that continue to be the core of our work. The original mission, articulated by Dr. Adele Hast, the second president of CJHS, remains our guidepost: “To preserve the past and record the present to assure that the history of our community will live in the future.”
We are proud of the hundreds of talented and dedicated people, coming from many parts of Chicago’s diverse Jewish community, who have served CJHS as founders, officers, board members, writers, editors, artists, speakers, tour guides, researchers, scholars, and volunteers. The work of CJHS is a community partnership, and our devoted members and supporters, thousands since our founding, have been true partners in fulfilling our shared goals.
- Chicago Jewish History, an award-winning quarterly publication of the Chicago Jewish Historical Society, that has covered countless topics pertaining to people, places, and events that have shaped Chicago Jewish history (Members receive a printed copy in the mail. All issues are digitally archived and available on our website);
- Programs, both live and virtual, that feature writers, historians, leaders, and other experts who provide dynamic presentations that excite and elucidate;
- Tours, which take participants to landmarks and other sites of interest to Chicago Jewish history lovers;
- Rose L. and Sidney N. Shure Chicago Jewish Oral History Library. Audio recordings of prominent local Jews, who have recounted their experiences growing up and living in Chicago. We are in the process of digitizing and making the collection available to the public;
- Outreach to younger generations.
- — The Dr. Irving Cutler Chicago Jewish History Fellowship for college and post-graduate scholars who want to do in-depth study of a topic of interest
- — Metro History Day annual program. Sponsorship of Chicago Jewish History award to high school students.
- — Chicago Jewish History curriculum for middle and high school students, commissioned by CJHS;
- Advocacy on issues that pertain to Chicago’s Jewish history, including the preservation of the Three Patriots Statue (Robert Morris-George Washington-Haym Salomon) in Heald Square; and
- Serving as an expert resource to all in the Chicago community and beyond who query us regularly about Chicago’s Jewish history.
Throughout the year, we also feature dynamic programming on a broad range of subjects of interest to Chicago Jewish history buffs.