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Cyrus Adler Papers ARC MS 26 Finding Aid Prepared by Judith Robbins Cyrus Adler Papers ARC MS 26 Finding aid prepared by Judith Robbins. Last updated on October 31, 2016. University of Pennsylvania, Library at the Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies 1994 Cyrus Adler Papers Table of Contents Summary Information....................................................................................................................................3 Biography/History..........................................................................................................................................4 Scope and Contents..................................................................................................................................... 11 Arrangement.................................................................................................................................................23 Administrative Information......................................................................................................................... 23 Related Materials......................................................................................................................................... 25 Controlled Access Headings........................................................................................................................27 Collection Inventory.................................................................................................................................... 30 Series I: Correspondence.......................................................................................................................30 Series II: Personal Papers....................................................................................................................161 - Page 2 - Cyrus Adler Papers Summary Information Repository University of Pennsylvania: Library at the Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies Creator Adler, Cyrus, 1863-1940 Title Cyrus Adler Papers Call number ARC MS 26 Date [bulk] 1907-1939 Date [inclusive] 1866-1942, 1907-1939 (bulk). Extent 65 linear feet (129 boxes) Language English Abstract Cyrus Adler was a prominent Jewish scholar and communal builder. Born in 1863, he had a tremendous role in shaping much of Jewish America by the time of his death in 1940. The collection contains Dr. Adler's business correspondence and personal papers and spans much of his multi-faceted career. It also contains many papers connected to the formation and day- to-day business of the Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning. (See the Biography and Scope and Content Notes for a more detailed description of Adler's life and the collection.) Cite as: [Identification of item], in the Cyrus Adler Collection, Library at the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies, University of Pennsylvania ARC MS 26, [Location within collection]. - Page 3 - Cyrus Adler Papers Biography/History The following, brief sketch of the life of Cyrus Adler is necessarily limited in breadth and depth. It is intended to present only the most salient facts of his background, education and career, with particular reference to this collection of his papers. Some further details are provided in the Scope and Content Note and the Group and Series Descriptions. The researcher may wish to consult the Selected Bibliography for a listing of some of the more prominent, published biographical sources. Early Life Dr. Cyrus Adler was born during the Civil War, in Van Buren, Arkansas on September 13, 1863. His father, Samuel Adler, was a Free Mason who ran a general store in Van Buren, and also owned and managed a nearby cotton plantation. In his autobiography, Dr. Adler states that his father's family had come to the United States from Germany between 1830 and 1840, and settled in Arkansas for reasons unknown; he also notes that various relations surnamed Adler and Baer lived in the vicinity. His mother, Sarah (nee Sulzberger) was from Philadelphia. She was the daughter of Leopold and Zirlah (nee Einstein) Sulzberger. Cyrus Adler's two older sisters, Belle and Celia were also born in Van Buren, in 1859 and 1861, respectively. Van Buren was occupied by the Union army in 1864, but because of Samuel Adler's failing health, the family was permitted to join Mrs. Adler's father in Philadelphia. Their youngest child, Milton, was born there in 1864. Shortly thereafter, the family relocated to New York City, where his father died in 1869. The family then moved back to Philadelphia, where his mother's brother David Sulzberger became their legal guardian. Dr. Adler's close ties with the Sulzberger family became perhaps the most important formative influences in his life. In his autobiography, Adler states that it was his uncle David who first envisioned for him a life of scholarship and work, in which he would "give myself to the Jewish people as a sort of lay rabbi, with any additional duties that might arise." ( 1, page 12) There is ample testimony to the fulfillment of this vision, for Cyrus Adler was to become "one of the great civil servants in American Jewish history" ( 18, page xiii.) The Sulzberger and Adler families belonged to the Mikveh Israel Synagogue, an important Sephardic congregation in Philadelphia (today known as Congregation Mikveh Israel.) During his youth, Adler took private instruction from the minister of the congregation, Sabato Morais, and later became his friend. He also became acquainted with other influential members of the congregation, and himself served as its President from 1911 to 1916. There were also close ties between this synagogue and the Dropsie College, where Adler was to serve as president for over 30 years. Education and Early Career Cyrus Adler was first educated at one of the parochial schools run by the Hebrew Education Society, and then at a public grammar school. Throughout most of his school years he also took private instruction in Hebrew and German. He attended Central High School, graduating in 1879. While still in high school, he - Page 4 - Cyrus Adler Papers did volunteer work in the library of the Young Men's Hebrew Association, where he cataloged the Isaac Leeser Library. He enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania in the fall of 1879, and graduated in 1883. Because it was expected that he would become a lawyer, Adler spent the summer of 1883 working in the law office of his cousin, Judge Mayer Sulzberger, and studying for the Bar examination. On the basis of this brief legal apprenticeship, Adler was later to become executor of the estates of both Joseph and Mayer Sulzberger, as well as that of his associate Simon Muhr. But Adler decided not to follow a legal career. Instead, he had hopes of becoming a Biblical archaeologist. He entered the new "Semitic Seminary" of the Johns Hopkins University in the fall of 1883, and became the first of its PhD graduates in 1887. While still enrolled at Johns Hopkins, he also obtained his Master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1886. Throughout his later life Adler was to maintain membership in the alumni associations of both universities. In 1930, the University of Pennsylvania awarded him an honorary Doctorate. Johns Hopkins appointed him Instructor in Semitics, and he taught from 1887 until 1890. While still a student there, be became a close friend and assistant to the head of the Semitics program, Professor Paul Haupt. During his years at Johns Hopkins, he became an active member in a number of scientific organizations (including the American Oriental Society, of which he later became President), and wrote numerous papers for publication. Also during that time he commuted to New York City to teach Biblical Archaeology at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTS), which was led by his friend and mentor, Sabato Morais. Adler was to maintain a close relationship with JTS for the rest of his life. United States National Museum In 1888, Adler made the acquaintance of Dr. George B. Goode, Director of the U. S. National Museum, who made him Honorary Curator of the Department of Antiquities. He coordinated the government's exhibit of Biblical archaeology at the Cincinnati Exposition of 1888, an experience which led directly to his work for the World's Columbian Exposition. It was also through his friendship with Dr. Goode that he later came to work for the Smithsonian Institution. Adler retained his affiliation with the Museum throughout his years of work in Baltimore and Washington. World's Columbian Exposition In 1890, Adler was appointed Special Commissioner to Turkey, Egypt, Tunis, Algiers and Morocco for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. For the next three years he traveled throughout Europe and the Near East soliciting the participation of those governments in the Exposition, which was held in 1893. He made a point of observing the Jewish communities in every country he visited, meeting many of their leaders. Among them, he became acquainted with important Jewish figures in England, including Israel Zangwill, Israel Abrahams, Joseph Jacobs and Solomon Schechter, with whom he was later to become closely associated. Smithsonian Institution As his duties for the Chicago Exposition were ending, Adler was offered a chance to direct what was later to become the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. But his friend George Goode at the National Museum made a counter-offer, and in 1892 Adler became the Librarian of the Smithsonian Institution. In doing so he ended his association with Johns Hopkins University, giving up both his - Page 5 - Cyrus Adler
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