The World Jewish Congress London Office records (C2)

The World Jewish Congress (WJC) is an international organization founded by resolution of the First World jewish Congress, which took place in August 1936 in Geneva. The organization goal is to defend the political, social, and economic rights of Jews throughout the world. Its governing bodies were elected at the First World Jewish Congress: the executive committee headed by Stephen Wise (also the organization’s chairman), an administrative committee, headed by Nahum Goldman, and a central council headed by Louis Lipsky. At the first session of the executive committee, Sept. 6, 1936, it was decided to establish regional offices of the WJC in Geneva, New York, and London, and a central bureau in Paris. The central bureau coordinated the WJC’s work, collected information on the situation of Jews in various countries, published materials, and also lobbied at the League of Nations. In 1940, with the Second World War under way, the central bureau was transferred to New York, and a European office was established in London. Contains correspondence of the London Office of the World Jewish Congress with organizations from over 130 countries, international bodies including the United Nations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and Jewish organizations, including the Relief Committee for the War-Stricken Jewish Population (RELICO) and the Claims Conference. Also contains legal materials, press clippings and reports of the Institute of Jewish Affairs; anti-Jewish legislation; materials of WJC Plenary Assemblies; minutes of Executive meetings; Neo-Nazi documentation; and the Aryeh Leon Kubowitzki papers, the Alex Easterman papers, and the Aaron Steinberg papers. Copyright Holder: American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee