Congregation Agudath Achim (Savannah, Ga.) Records

The Congregation Agudath Achim records date from circa 1920 to 2008. The collection consists of correspondence, minutes, programs, newsletters, clippings, financial records, membership records, bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah materials, confirmation class records, and scrapbooks. Included are records of the following organizations affiliated with the congregation: Agudath Achim Brotherhood, Chevra Kadisha, Minyan Regulars, Agudath Achim Sisterhood and the religious school (the Shalom School). The collection is organized into the following series:

I: General Administrative Records: This series contains awards, agreements, clippings, committee records, correspondence, event materials, financial records, membership records, meeting materials, and files on rabbis and services. See Series 3 for executive committee and Board of Directors records.

II: Anniversaries, 1922-2003: This series contains clippings, programs, photographic materials, and other records related to 50th, 60th, and 100th anniversary events. Also included are documents providing historical information about the congregation that were compiled for a 100th anniversary exhibit.

III: Board of Directors Records, 1971-2008: This series contains executive committee records, meeting agendas, and meeting minutes.

IV: Building and Property Records, 1922-1998: This series contains records pertaining to lots in Bonaventure Cemetery, easements, deeds, promissory notes, receipts, loan agreements, and property tax materials. Also included are records documenting the 1970s construction of the new synagogue on Lee Boulevard including booklets, clippings, drawings, plans, programs, and correspondence.

V: Organizations, 1946-2000: Consisting of five subseries; Brotherhood, Chevra Kadisha, Jewish Historical Committee, Minyan Regulars, and Sisterhood.

Brotherhood, 1957-1972: This subseries contains organizational guides, constitution, minutes, correspondence, and other documents from Agudath Achim’s men’s organization, affiliated with the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs.

Chevra Kadisha, 1930s-1997: Many of these records for the Hebrew burial organization are in Hebrew and Yiddish. Also included in this subseries are banquet programs, invitations, instructional pages, and a speech.

Jewish Historical Committee, 1972-1975: This subseries contains records on the committee formed in 1974 in preparation for the bicentennial celebration of the United States in 1976.

Minyan Regulars, 1991: This subseries contains records documenting men who attended services on a regular basis. It consists of an invitation, letter informing of “minyanaire” status, and list of honorees for 1991 along with an undated service program.

Sisterhood, 1946-1997: This subseries contains the records of Agudath Achim’s women's organization, affiliated with the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism. It consists of Board of Director’s records, correspondence, financial records, meeting and event materials, and scrapbooks.

VI: Youth, 1946-1992: Consisting of four subseries; Religious School, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Confirmation Classes, and Outside Education.

Religious School, 1986-1988: This subseries contains the school constitution, standards, and correspondence, as well as information concerning teachers and advisors.

Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, 1960-1992: This subseries includes the proposed and adopted Bar Mitzvah school standards, Bar Mitzvah manuals, service information, community Bar Mitzvah schedules, correspondence and press releases related to Bar and Bat Mitzvahs (note: Bat Mitzvah and Bas Mitzvah are both terms for the same ritual).

Confirmation classes, 1946-1956: This subseries consists primarily of rosters and clippings.

Outside education, 1970-1988: This subseries includes folders on the Hebrew Community School, Institute of Jewish Education, and the Savannah Hebrew Day School.

VII: Newsletters, 1949-2011

VIII: Scrapbooks, 1954-1972