Our Mission

Mission Statement of the Archives of the Jewish Historical Society of New Haven, Inc. 

Founded in 1976, the Jewish Historical Society of Greater New Haven proudly continues our mission of collecting, publishing, and preserving primary source materials that serve as the central repository for documents, research, and education to chronicle the history of Greater New Haven’s Jewish community.

What We Do & Why We Do It

We survey, collect, organize, describe, preserve, and make available archival material documenting the history of the Jewish community in the New Haven area, including usiness records, personal documents, diaries, photographs, and objects. Recording and capturing history’s stories from reliable primary sources is more important now than ever. We promote knowledge and understanding of the history and contributions of the local Jewish community by serving as a research center for the scholarly and general community. In addition to answering research requests, we host educational and cultural events and tours, and we’ve published 10 volumes of Jews in New Haven. 

Collections Policy

We are interested in artifacts about life in New Haven but need to evaluate each item for suitability. We are particularly interested in original documents, letters, diaries, photos, original films and videos, and company, organizational, and synagogue records. We only accept books specifically about the New Haven area or will aid our research. For instance, we are still trying to complete our collection of high school yearbooks.

We require that you sign over ownership and give us the right to use all items. Complete our online form or email us for more information.