American Jewish Committee (Cincinnati, Ohio)

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) was founded in 1906 to safeguard the rights of Jews and to alleviate the consequences of persecution or disaster affecting them at home or abroad. The AJC Cincinnati Chapter, founded in 1944, combats bigotry and works to promote tolerance and mutual respect.

The AJC has three basic missions. First, to preserve and promote the security and welfare of Jews everywhere. Second, to encourage education as the best method to combat anti-Semitism, and thirdly, to encourage ties between American and Israeli Jews.

One important aspect of the work that the Cincinnati AJC does is to recognize those in the Cincinnati community that are working toward the common good. The Simon Lazarus Jr. Human Relations Awards, honors outstanding student volunteers nominated by area high schools. Nominees take part in an AJC sponsored human relations workshop. With their parents, teachers and friends, they attend the Awards ceremony and a committee screens the nominations and selects celebrity judges from the community, who choose five junior and five senior finalists. These finalists receive books and savings bonds, along with considerable publicity for their good works. Participating schools also receive books for their school libraries. Though the chapter hands out many awards, this award is most thoroughly represented in this collection.