Milton Weill, 1891-1975

Milton Weill (1891-1975)

Milton Weill was born in New York City on October 21, 1891. He attended DeWitt Clinton High School and then Columbia University, graduating in 1913.

He was drafted into the US Army in 1917. Following training at Camp Upton (Yaphank, NY), he was promoted to Sergeant and finally to Second Lieutenant in the 129th Infantry during World War I. He fought at Argonne-Meuse (France) and was temporarily blinded after inhaling mustard gas on October 8, 1918. After a brief hospital stay in France, he returned to America on February 25, 1919. He was discharged from the service on March 18, 1919 and was awarded the Purple Heart.

On March 25, 1922, he married Teresa Jackson. The couple lived on the Upper East Side of New York City and were involved in congregational activities at Park Avenue Synagogue, where Milton Weill became a trustee.

From 1915 to 1920, Weill was a partner in the Weil, Biow, Weill, a New York advertising agency. He then became Vice President and later Chairman of the Board at Arrow Manufacturing Company (West New York, NJ), a producer of music boxes, where he remained from 1920 to 1960.

Weill was best known for his work in Jewish organizations. From 1951 to 1954, he was President of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies. During his tenure, he managed a $50 million building program that yielded Long Island Jewish Hospital, the Henry Ittleson Center for Child Research, and the Henry Kaufman Campgrounds in Pearl River, NY. He became Vice President of the National Jewish Welfare Board, a board member of the United Jewish Appeal, a Governor of the American Jewish Committee, Vice President of the Greater New York Fund, a Director of United Services Organizations, Overseer of Brandeis University Graduate School of Social Welfare, Honorary Vice President and board member of New York’s 92nd Street Y (then the 92nd Street Young Men’s and Young Women’s Hebrew Association), and Honorary Chairman of the Board of Associated Young Men’s and Young Women’s Hebrew Associations of New York. The Emanuel Midtown Y on East 14th Street named its building the Milton Weill Building when it was first constructed, and the 92nd Street Y created the Milton J. Weill Art Gallery adjacent to its Kaufman Concert Hall.

Milton Weill died in on October 2, 1975 at the age of 84. At that point he resided in Sarasota, FL.

From the guide to the Milton Weill Papers, undated, 1917-1954, (American Jewish Historical Society)