TABLE OF CONTENTS
Box and Folder Listing
Series A: Administrative Records 1944-1984
Series B: Committee Records. 1962-1984
Series C: Convention Records. 1950-1984
Series D: Publications 1950-1991
Series D: Microfilmed Records. 1941-1956
A Finding Aid to the
National Association
of Temple Administrator Records
Manuscript
Collection No. 201
1941-1991
Introduction |
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| Name: | National Association of Temple Administrator Records | |
| Dates: | 1941-1991 | |
| Abstract: | The National Association of Temple Administrators (formerly called the National Association of Temple Secretaries) was formed as an agency of the Commission on Synagogue Activities of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in 1941. They are active in the professionalization of temple administrators, sponsoring educational workshops, publications and a certification process. The records include convention materials, correspondence, minutes and publications. | |
| Quantity: | 3.2 linear feet | |
Institutional Sketch
The National Association of Temple Secretaries was formed by resolution of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in April 1941. Seventeen secretaries, including founding President Irving Katz, of Temple Beth El, Detroit, Michigan were present for the first meeting April 29. The secretaries were professionals and volunteers. One day later, Katz had the official sanction of the UAHC.
The NATS became a part of the UAHC Commission on Synagogue Activities in 1942. The president of NATS served as an ex-officio member of the commission and the Director of the Commission became an ex-officio member of the NATS board. Following a resolution at the 1943 Biennial, NATS pledged itself to having a program with as much practical content as theoretical. They continued this emphasis in their yearly convention workshops and through the types of material produced by the Publications Committee (formed in 1943). Typical titles include Jacob Schwarz's Synagogue Forms and Irving Katz's Dues Increase Manual.
The organization formally changed its name to the National Association of Temple Administrators at Miami Beach, Florida in 1959. They also drafted the first version of a Code of Ethics and Standards. This was meant to be a guide not only for organizational members, but also temples who at that time had no administrator.
In 1962, NATA began in earnest to create a certification program for temple administrators. President Henry Jacobs was a strong supporter of the effort, although because of health problems he was unable to sit for the exam. Fifteen members passed the exam and earned the right to have "F.T.A." (Fellows in Temple Administration) after their signature on official NATA correspondence. The Board of Certification was an important committee for NATA.
In 2000, NATA had a membership of over 400. The organization maintains a website (http://rj.org/nata) to keep their membership informed on how to "improve the management of Reform Judaism's key institution- the synagogue." They continue to encourage the professional administrators through their annual conventions, workshops, consultations, placement services, publications and certification programs.
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Scope and Content Note
The National Association of Temple Administrators (formerly called the National Association of Temple Secretaries) was formed as an agency of the Commission on Synagogue Activities of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in 1941. They are active in the professionalization of temple administrators, sponsoring educational workshops, publications and a certification process. The records of this collection include correspondence, convention related materials, minutes and publications between 1941-1984.
These records are organized into five series as follows:
A. ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS
B. COMMITTEE RECORDS
C. CONVENTION RECORDS
D. PUBLICATIONS
E. MICROFILMED RECORDS
SERIES A. ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS (1941-1984) consists of 1 ½ Hollinger box. The series is arranged alphabetically by topic, and chronologically within each folder. Material includes constitutions, correspondence of the President and Executive Secretary, the minutes of the Executive Board, membership lists and a bound volume of miscellaneous historical documents.
SERIES B. COMMITTEE RECORDS (1962-1984) consists of 1 Hollinger boxes. The series is arranged alphabetically by committee name. It primarily consists of correspondence and committee rosters
SERIES C. CONVENTION RECORDS (1946-1984) consists of 2 ½ Hollinger boxes. The series is organized into two subseries: I.Convention Files and II. Convention Proceedings. The Convention files contains publicity, schedules, speeches, and correspondence relating the organization of the convention. Convention Proceedings are the published booklets released by the UAHC after the convention was completed. There is also one folder of material relating to regional conventions.
SERIES D. PUBLICATIONS (1952-1991) consists of 3 Hollinger boxes. The series is arranged alphabetically by publication title. This series contains a run of the NATA Quarterly (later the NATA Journal) and the Synagogue Research series co-sponsored by the UAHC
SERIES E. MICROFILM RECORDS (1941-1956) consists of 3 microfilm reels. These materials were taken from the 6 bound volumes of early National Association of Temple Secretaries Records entitled NATS Archives.
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Restrictions
Restrictions on Access
The records are open to all users and are available in the reading room of the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives.
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Related Material
National Association of Synagogue Administrators. Nearprint File.
National Association of Temple Administrators. Nearprint File.
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Administrative Information
Citations
Footnotes and bibliographic references should refer to the National Association of Temple Administrator Records and the American Jewish Archives.
Provenance
The records were donated by Irving Katz, Detroit, Michigan; Temple Beth El, West Bloomfield, Michigan; Howard B. Lazar, Hollywood, California, and other officers of the association. They were received between 1956-1997. All papers donated prior to May 2001 have been arranged and described in this inventory.
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Box and Folder Listing
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