Archives of the Center for Jewish Culture organizational records

The origin of the Archives of the Center for Jewish Culture is in an exhibition and oral history project sponsored by the SMU Judaic Institute and held in the Library Communication Center in 1982. The title of the exhibition was "A Celebration of Jewish Life." Volunteers Barbara Kaplan and Judy Barry spearheaded the loan of hundreds of photographs, documents and memorabilia from local Jewish families. Howard Glasser designed the poster and penned the caligraphic signs used in the exhibit. Many of the loaned items were subsequently donated to the library, forming the core of the Archives of the Center for Jewish Culture. Judy Farrar was hired as archivist in 1996, and over the years worked closely with Barbara and Judy and later, Cindy Yoken, on creating programs based on the collections and acquiring additional papers for the Archives.