Benjamin Rabalsky Papers
Scope and Content Note
This collection contains a small amount of business correspondence in English, Hebrew and Yiddish, relating to Rabalsky's activities with multiple Zionist groups, including the American Jewish Congress, the American Zion Commonwealth, the Zion Association of Greater Boston and the New England Zionist region. It also contains family correspondence in Yiddish. Rabalsky did travel to Palestine and some notes from his trip are included (in Hebrew.) The collection highlights Rabalsky's dedication to Zionist causes as well as the regard he held in the Boston community. Also in an oversized folder located in a shared oversized box is a broadside from 1925, featuring a photograph of Benjamin Rabalsky, a participant in the program, “An All Palestinian Evening: New Palestinian Moving Pictures” at the Roger Wolcott School in Mattapan, Massachusetts. The broadside, which is in Yiddish and English, is restricted due to its fragility.
Dates
- undated, 1913-1932
Creator
- Rabalsky, Benjamin (Person)
Language of Materials
The collection is in English, Hebrew, and Yiddish.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for researcher use. Please contact us to request access or to make an appointment to view this collection at jhcreference@nehgs.org.
Use Restrictions
There may be some restrictions on the use of this collection. For more information contact jhcreference@nehgs.org.
Biographical Note
Benjamin Rabalsky was a Boston lawyer, Hebrew scholar and Yiddish orator involved in the local Zionist movement. As a member of the American Jewish Congress (Cambridge/Somerville local chapter), American Zion Commonwealth, Boston West End Jewish Liberty Loan Committee; secretary of the Zion Association of Greater Boston and treasurer of the New England Zionist Region, as well as a representative to the 1930 Zionist Convention, Rabalsky dedicated much of his time to Zionist causes. Although it is uncertain from documents in the collection, it appears that at one point Rabalsky may have purchased land in Jerusalem through the Boston Rabalsky Group. There were some miscommunications about this, however, and it is unclear as to whether or not he did purchase land.
He was also involved in the Palestine Emergency and General War Relief Funds, and was often called upon to speak at events.
Rabalsky was married, but it is unknown whether or not he and his wife had children.
References
- Materials from collection.
Extent
0.25 linear feet (1 half manuscript box and 1 OS folder)
Abstract
A Boston lawyer, Hebrew scholar and Yiddish orator, Benjamin Rabalsky was involved in the local Zionist movement. A member of the American Jewish Congress, American Zion Commonwealth, Boston West End Jewish Liberty Loan Committee, Zion Association of Greater Boston and New England Zionist Region, he dedicated much of his time to Zionist causes. This collection contains a small amount of business correspondence and family correspondence.
Physical Location
Located in Boston, Mass.
Acquisition Information
Acquisition information is unknown.
Processing Information
Reprocessed by Stephanie Call, 2009
- American Jewish Congress
- Belkind, Israel, 1861-1929
- Boston (Mass.)
- Brandeis, Louis Dembitz, 1856-1941
- Broadsides
- Correspondence
- Israel
- Israel
- Jewish National Fund
- Jewish lawyers
- Kiriath Sefer Farm School
- Notes
- People's Relief Committee of Greater Boston
- Weizmann, Chaim, 1874-1952
- Zion Association of Greater Boston
- Zion Association of Greater Boston
- Zionism -- Massachusetts -- Boston
- Zionism -- United States
- Zionism and Judaism
- Zionist Bureau for New England
- Zionist Organization of America
- Title
- Guide to the Benjamin Rabalsky Papers, P-153
- Author
- Reprocessed by Stephanie Call
- Date
- 2010
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Sponsor
- Processed by Stephanie Call, Schilder Assistant Archivist, made possible by a grant from the Schilder Family Fund. This collection has been digitized, made possible by a grant from the Trustees under the will of Herman Dana.
Repository Details
Part of the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center at American Ancestors Repository