Books and Manuscripts

Brooklyn, New York: Sackett & Wilhelms Corporation, ca. 1915-1917. Original color lithographic poster. Rare variant, with overprinted printed text, ca. October, 1919: "New Jersey Drive for $1,000,000, October 20-28." 29 1/2 x 39 1/2 in. (74 x 103 cm); mounted to linen, 33 3/8 x 43 1/2 in. (84 x 110 cm). Magnes 9

"Centered on a large headline spelling Share, the figure of America serves a bountiful meal to four needy European Jews. This stunning, well-designed poster represents the best in poster art. The relationship between the few words of strong text and the vivid, compelling imagery is especially coherent. The economy of both text and image creates a succinct and lasting message. Although no documentation is available on the Jewish Relief Campaign, it was probably part of the Jewish Relief Committee, one of three organizations that joined together in 1914 to form the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in response to the devastation of European Jewry during World War I..." (Helzel, Florence B., and Eileen Battat, Witness to History, The Jewish Poster 1770-1985, A Selection from the Judah L. Magnes Museum, pp. 35).

An October 7, 1919 article in The New York Times reports on this New Jersey drive: "Jewish Drive in Jersey: Plans of the American Jewish Relief Committee's campaign in New Jersey for funds for the destitute abroad were announced. New Jersey's quota is $1,000,000 and the drive will be made along non-sectarian lines, in keeping with the non-racial, non-sectarian policy of Jewish relief in the distribution of food, medicine and supplies abroad...The committee will go to Trenton on Thursday to present Governor Runyan the first poster of the campaign."

President Woodrow Wilson designated January 27, 1917 as Jewish Relief Day in an effort to raise funds for Jewish war relief funds. The resolution was introduced by United States Senator James Edgar Martine of New Jersey.