All History is Local-The Role of Local and Regional American Jewish Historical Societies with Joel Gereboff

Beginning in the 1950’s, over 40 local and regional Jewish historical societies have been organized. These groups play diverse roles within the Jewish and general communities.  Little has been written about these institutions and their contribution to the formation and transmission of important aspects of American Jewish history and the competing demands that shape their activities. This lecture explores the history of these societies and the forces that both sustain and threaten their survival. Though often dismissed in the academic community as doing little in terms of contributing to the study of Jewish history, this lecturer will argue that they are in fact an important component of American Jewish history and can serve as resources for better understanding and shaping the lives of Jews in America and the broader communities in which they reside.