Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
The Upper Midwest Jewish Archives collects and makes available materials documenting the lives of Jewish communities in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and western Wisconsin.
Welcome
Collections in the Upper Midwest Jewish Archives are open to the public and accessible at Elmer L. Andersen Library as part of the Archives and Special Collections at the University of Minnesota Libraries.
The collections document the lives of Upper Midwest Jewish communities from the mid-19th century to the present. This includes the everyday lives of families, Jewish-run businesses, religious communities, and advocacy organizations. Materials include books, institutional administrative records, synagogue records, rabbi's papers, family papers, correspondence, personal publications, scrapbooks, moving images, and photographs.
Explore the Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Search collections
Search the archival collections, Libraries catalog, and view a list of collections
History of the archives
Learn about the history of the collection
Fund your research
Learn about funds available to help support your research
History of Minnesota's Synagogues Map
Explore the history of synagogues and Jewish cemeteries in Minnesota through this project that maps their locations from 1855 to the present.
American Jewish World newspaper
Search digitized copies of this local Jewish newspaper, from 1915 to 2007.
Near North Minneapolis map
This interactive North Minneapolis map illustrates the neighborhood's vibrant Jewish history during the early 20th century.
Digitized content
Search our digital collections of photographs, oral histories, newspapers, and select items from the Upper Midwest Jewish Archives.
Search collections
- Collection guides
- Use collection guides (or finding aids) that describe a collection of archival records, personal papers, or manuscripts to locate material for your research. The guide may be a brief summary or a detailed description and inventory.
- Digital collections
- Search our digital collections of photographs, oral histories, newspapers, and select items from archival collections in the Upper Midwest Jewish Archives.
- Libraries catalog
- Explore the University of Minnesota Libraries catalog for information about rare and special books, periodicals, and other publications held in the Upper Midwest Jewish Archives.
Use the archives
Subjects covered
Jewish people
Materials from and about Jewish people, families, and businesses.
Social welfare
Volunteer organizations and social service agencies working towards social change.
Education
Day schools, religious schools, adult education, and day care.
Jewish faith
Synagogue records, rabbi papers, cemeteries, and faith-based organizations.
Social justice
Activism combating antisemitism and racism, promoting civil rights, voting rights, and progressive causes inspired by Jewish values.
Immigration
Immigration, migration, displaced persons, Soviet Jewry, and forced migration from the Holocaust.
Summer camp
Jewish summer camps and day camps.
Cookbooks
Jewish cookbooks published and self-published by local groups.
In the classroom
Historical materials in the Upper Midwest Jewish Archives are an engaging and challenging way to build critical thinking skills and enrich understanding of past and present issues.
Faculty, instructors, and graduate students, as well as K-12 schools and community groups are invited to contact the archives about in-person or remote classes and events. Instructional services are available for both University of Minnesota and non-University groups.
Contact umja@umn.edu for more information about using archives in teaching opportunities.
Visit
- Hours
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- Note: Appointments are required to visit the reading room within these hours.
Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
- Visit
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320 Andersen Library
222 21st Ave South
Minneapolis, MN 55455 - Parking information
- Call
- 612-625-0192
- umja@umn.edu
Give to the collection
Support the archives by considering a financial gift to the Berman Fund. We have launched a fundraising campaign to raise $1.3 million to bring the total of the Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives Fund at the University of Minnesota to $2.5 million.
To learn more about the Berman Fund and what it supports in the archives, click the link below.
Donating materials
To learn more about donating physical items to the archives, visit our Give to the Collections page.