Elsa K. Levinson papers, 1956-1975
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Levinson, Elsa K.
- Title
- Elsa K. Levinson papers
- Dates
- 1956-1975 (inclusive)19561975
- Quantity
- 2.22 cubic feet (4 boxes plus 1 sound cassette and 1 vertical file)
- Collection Number
- 2296
- Summary
- Tape-recorded interview and papers of a civic leader of Seattle, Washington concerning her term as president of the Council of Jewish Women and other works
- Repository
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University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
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Access restricted: For terms of access, contact Special Collections.
- Languages
- English
Biographical Note
Else Levinson (1901-1979) was born in San Francisco on November 30, 1901. She grew up in Tacoma and in 1925 was graaduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Fine Arts. Since that time she has lived in Seattle and has been an active leader in community affairs. She was founder and first president (1956-1958) of the National Women's Committee, Brandeis University; and founder and president of the Seattle Zionist Council. She has served as president of the Seattle Section of the Council of Jewish Women; the Pacific Coast Region, the Northern Pacific Coast Region and the Seattle Chapter of Hadassah; the All-City Symphony (1956-1958); and the Seattle Chapter of the Women's American O.R.T. She was state first vice-president (1953-1957) of the United Nation's Childrens' Fund, vice-president of the Seattle Federated Jewish Fund and Council {1964-1965) and a member of the board of directors of the Seattle Jewish Community Centers. Among her many interests is a love of antique glass and she was formerly president of the National Early America Glass Club, Seattle Unit #4.
Content Description
Correspondence, minutes, reports, ephemera, notes, clippings and a tape-recorded interview.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Use
Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Administrative Information
Arrangement
Organized into 2 accessions.
- Accession No. 2296-001, Elsa K. Levinson papers, 1956-1973
- Accession No. 2296-002, Elsa K. Levinson oral history interview, 1975
Detailed Description of the Collection
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Accession No. 2296-001: Elsa K. Levinson papers, 1956-1973
2.22 cubic feet (4 boxes) plus 1 vertical fileScope and Content: Correspondence, minutes, reports, ephemera, notes, clippings.
Restrictions on Access: No restrictions on access.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Donated by Elsa K. Levinson, 8/1/1974.
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Series 1: Personal Papers
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Description: Biographical InformationContainer: Box/Folder 1/1, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Biographical Information of OthersContainer: Box/Folder 1/2, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith incoming lettersDates: 1960-1961Container: Box/Folder 1/3, Accession 2296-001
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Description: National Council of Jewish Women incoming lettersDates: 1930, 1967-1973Container: Box/Folder 1/4, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Hadassah incoming lettersDates: 1948Container: Box/Folder 1/5, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Israel Independence Celebration Committee incoming lettersDates: 1959-1960Container: Box/Folder 1/6, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Jewish National Fund incoming lettersDates: 1967Container: Box/Folder 1/7, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Jews, Bikur Cholim incoming lettersDates: 1966Container: Box/Folder 1/8, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Jews, Temple De Hirsch incoming lettersDates: 1960Container: Box/Folder 1/9, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Kline Galland (Caroline) Home incoming lettersDates: 1972Container: Box/Folder 1/10, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Organization for Rehabilitation Training incoming lettersDates: 1961Container: Box/Folder 1/11, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Seattle Bar Association incoming lettersDates: 1956Container: Box/Folder 1/12, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Seattle Zionist Council incoming lettersDates: 1959Container: Box/Folder 1/13, Accession 2296-001
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Description: United Jewish Appeal incoming lettersDates: 1956Container: Box/Folder 1/14, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Unidentified incoming lettersDates: 1961-1969Container: Box/Folder 1/15, Accession 2296-001
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Description: A-W Miscellaneous incoming lettersDates: 1946-1973Container: Box/Folder 1/16-17, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Outgoing LettersDates: 1939-1973Container: Box/Folder 1/18, Accession 2296-001
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Description: MeetingsContainer: Box/Folder 1/19, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Financial RecordsDates: 1959-1965Container: Box/Folder 1/20, Accession 2296-001
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Description: AgendaContainer: Box/Folder 1/21, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Speeches and WritingsContainer: Box/Folder 1/22, Accession 2296-001
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Description: ReportsDates: 1961-1972Container: Box/Folder 1/23, Accession 2296-001
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Description: ListsContainer: Box/Folder 1/24, Accession 2296-001
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Description: News ReleasesContainer: Box/Folder 1/25, Accession 2296-001
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Description: ProgramsContainer: Box/Folder 1/26, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Programs and InvitationsContainer: Box/Folder 1/27, Accession 2296-001
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Description: BulletinsContainer: Box/Folder 1/28, Accession 2296-001
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Description: YearbookDates: 1954Container: Box/Folder 1/29, Accession 2296-001
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Description: CertificatesContainer: Box/Folder 1/30, Accession 2296-001
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Description: PhotoContainer: Box/Folder 2/1, Accession 2296-001
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Description: NotesContainer: Box/Folder 2/2-3, Accession 2296-001
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Description: ConferencesContainer: Box/Folder 2/4, Accession 2296-001
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Description: MemorabiliaContainer: Box/Folder 2/5, Accession 2296-001
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Description: ClippingsContainer: Box/Folder 2/6-7, Accession 2296-001
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Description: EphemeraContainer: Box/Folder 2/8, Accession 2296-001
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Series 2: UNICEF
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Description: Historical InformationContainer: Box/Folder 3/1, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Incoming Letters (C-U)Dates: 1958-1959Container: Box/Folder 3/2, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Outgoing LettersDates: 1957-1958Container: Box/Folder 3/3, Accession 2296-001
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Description: MeetingsContainer: Box/Folder 3/4, Accession 2296-001
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Description: ReportsDates: 1957Container: Box/Folder 3/5, Accession 2296-001
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Description: SchedulesContainer: Box/Folder 3/6, Accession 2296-001
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Description: NotesContainer: Box/Folder 3/7, Accession 2296-001
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Description: ListsContainer: Box/Folder 3/8, Accession 2296-001
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Series 3: Brandeis University National Women's Committee
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Description: By-LawsContainer: Box/Folder 3/9, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Incoming LettersDates: 1957-1973Container: Box/Folder 3/10, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Outgoing LettersDates: 1970-1972Container: Box/Folder 3/11, Accession 2296-001
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Description: MinutesDates: 1959Container: Box/Folder 3/12, Accession 2296-001
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Description: AgendaContainer: Box/Folder 3/13, Accession 2296-001
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Description: ReportsDates: 1958-1962Container: Box/Folder 3/14, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Speeches and WritingsContainer: Box/Folder 3/15, Accession 2296-001
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Description: NotesContainer: Box/Folder 3/16, Accession 2296-001
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Description: ProgramsContainer: Box/Folder 3/17, Accession 2296-001
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Description: NewslettersContainer: Box/Folder 3/18, Accession 2296-001
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Description: ListsContainer: Box/Folder 3/19, Accession 2296-001
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Description: ClippingsContainer: Box/Folder 3/20, Accession 2296-001
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Series 4: Council of Jewish Women, Council House Dedication Committee
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Description: Outgoing LettersDates: 1972Container: Box/Folder 3/21, Accession 2296-001
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Description: MinutesDates: 1972Container: Box/Folder 3/22, Accession 2296-001
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Description: AgendaContainer: Box/Folder 3/23, Accession 2296-001
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Description: WritingsContainer: Box/Folder 3/24, Accession 2296-001
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Description: NotesContainer: Box/Folder 3/25, Accession 2296-001
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Description: ListsContainer: Box/Folder 3/26, Accession 2296-001
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Series 5: Jewish Federation and Council of Greater Seattle
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Description: By-LawsContainer: Box/Folder 3/27, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Incoming LettersDates: 1966-1974Container: Box/Folder 3/28, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Outgoing LettersDates: 1967Container: Box/Folder 3/29, Accession 2296-001
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Description: MinutesContainer: Box/Folder 3/30, Accession 2296-001
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Description: ProgramsContainer: Box/Folder 3/31, Accession 2296-001
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Description: ReportsDates: 1966-1969Container: Box/Folder 3/32, Accession 2296-001
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Description: ListsContainer: Box/Folder 3/33, Accession 2296-001
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Description: EphemeraContainer: Box/Folder 3/34, Accession 2296-001
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Description: PlaquesContainer: Box 4, Accession 2296-001
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Description: Accession No. 2296-002: Elsa K. Levinson oral history interview, 19751 sound cassette (30 minutes)
Scope and Content: Tape-recorded interview, conducted by Jeanette Schrieber and Meta Kaplan, 7/10/75.
Mrs. Levinson tells how she stepped into the breach left when Mrs. Benjamin Rose could not serve her term as president of the Council of Jewish Women. Mrs. Levinson had no previous experience in Council or in organization work. She took a course in parliamentary procedure from Mrs. Utter, parliamentarian for the state legislature. Work with ongoing projects such as the Settlement House, which the Council funded, and Vocational Scholarships continued. She tells of the German refugees who were beginning to arrive in Seattle and how Council participated in welcoming teas in people's homes. Elsa illustrates Dr. Samuel Koch's unrelenting anti-zionism and tells how Council changed from non-Zionistic to pro-Israel and started working in Israel. She mentions Mrs. Nathan Degginger, Ida Shapiro, Helen Blumenthal, Mrs. Nathan Eckstein.
Digital Content/Other Formats: Listen to the audio recording and view the transcript of this interview on the Libraries Digital Collections site.
Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access, contact Special Collections.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Donated by Elsa K. Levinson, 7/10/1975.
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Civic leaders--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Jews--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Jews--Washington (State)--Seattle--Interviews
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
- Women civic leaders--Washington (State)--Seattle
Personal Names
- Levinson, Elsa K.--Archives
Corporate Names
- Jewish Archives (University of Washington)
Other Creators
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Corporate Names
- Jewish Federation and Council of Greater Seattle. Women's Division (creator)
- National Council of Jewish Women. Seattle Section (creator)
- UNICEF (creator)
- Washington State Jewish Archives (University of Washington)
