MS 183 Papers of Rabbi Solomon Schonfeld

Rabbi Solomon Schonfeld

Rabbi Solomon Schonfeld (1912-84) was the son of Dr Avigdor Schonfeld, the founder of the Jewish Secondary Schools Movement. In 1933 Solomon Schonfeld become rabbi of the Adath Yisrael Synagogue; he succeeded his father as principal of the Jewish Secondary Schools Movement, becoming also the presiding rabbi of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations and president of the National Council for Jewish Religious Day Schools in Great Britain. From its foundation in 1938 until 1946, Schonfeld was executive director of the Chief Rabbi's Religious Emergency Council, formed under the auspices of his father-in-law, Chief Rabbi J.H.Hertz: part of the work of this organisation was the rescue of Jews from Central and Eastern Europe and Schonfeld was personally involved in escorting groups of Jewish children from the ghettos in Poland to Great Britain.

Section A: Personal and family papers

Correspondence, 1900-84; birth certificates, passports, documentation from the University of Koenigsberg; insurance and financial papers; diaries, 1926-82 (with gaps); papers of Judith Schonfeld (nee Hertz) including correspondence and notes, 1930s to 1987; correspondence and papers of Dr Avigdor Schonfeld, 1909-30, with a minute book of the Chevra Ben Zakkai, 1918-23 (MS 183/829/2); Hertz family papers, 1888-1984

Section B: Semi-official papers

Papers as presiding rabbi of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations, 1946-80, including minutes of the Council of the Presiding Rabbi, 1971-9, papers about shechita and the preparation of food, 1938-79; papers relating to synagogues including the Adath Yisrael Synagogue, the Amhurst Park Synagogue, Hampstead, Hendon, Letchworth Hebrew Congregation and Southfields Synagogue, 1944-80; correspondence and papers relating to the European Union of Orthodox Communities, 1957-63; files of correspondence relating to charities, organisations and appeals, 1943-77; conference on Jewish material claims against Germany, correspondence and papers, 1945-75

Section C: Correspondence and newspapers

general correspondence files, 1928-82

Section D: Papers relating to publications

Notes, working papers and proofs for publications including the Standard Siddur Prayer Book .

Section E: Miscellaneous

Photographs, films, tapes and prints, maps and plans and posters.

Section F: Papers of the Chief Rabbi's Religious Emergency Council, 1938-46

Correspondence files, including case papers, papers relating to immigration, internment of aliens in Great Britain, refugees from Eastern Europe, Germany and Austria, appeals and donations, financial papers, Assistance Board papers, papers relating to children, the search for missing relations, minutes and circulars, Jewish servicemen's organisations, charitable and welfare committees and the Polish Jewish Refugee Fund. Correspondence with the Federation of Jewish Relief Organisations, 1945-70.

Section G: Papers relating to the Jewish Secondary Schools Movement

Correspondence files and papers, 1931-87

Date range:

c.1900-91

Former references:

AJ 299 and AJ 394

Size:

1020 boxes