Leon Shapiro Papers, 1939-1984: Biographical and Historical Note

Biographical Note

Leon Shapiro (1905-1984) was a historian and Professor of Russian and Soviet Jewish History at Rutgers University; author of The History of ORT: A Jewish Movement for Social Change ; a 35-year contributor of articles to "The American Jewish Yearbook"; fluent speaker of Yiddish, Hebrew, English, Russian, German, French, and Ukrainian; helped arrange the escape of Jews from Europe during World War II; and an active member in several organizations concerned with the emigration of Soviet and Eastern European Jews to Palestine and other issues related to Judaism.

1905	Born July 14, in Hersun (Korsun, Korsoun, Hersein), Kiev, Russia, to Mark and Freida Scheinblum Shapiro.
1923	Candidate for degree in Social Sciences and Law, University of Kiev. Imprisoned for anti-Bolshevik activities.
1925	Exiled to Palestine.
1928	Diplome de Licencie en Droit, Social Sciences and Law, University of Toulouse.
1935	Married in Paris to Leorfore Rita Willdorff; divorced in 1940.
1940	Secretary General, Federation des Societes Juives de France, Paris
1941-1949	Research Associate, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, New York.
1941	Immigrated to U.S.
1946	Married Luba.
1954-1956	Assistant Director, Cultural Department, Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany
1964-1967	Research Associate, Columbia University Seminar in International Research Methods.
1964-1972	Assistant Executive Director, Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture.
1968-1978	Professor, Russian and Soviet Jewish History, Department of Hebraic Studies and Soviet/Eastern European Studies Program, Rutgers University.
1972-1973	Adjunct Professor, Queens College, School of General Studies, City College of New York.
1973	Adjunct Associate Professor, Judaic Studies, Brooklyn College, City College of New York.
1974-1975	Adjunct Associate Professor, Academy Without Walls, Haifa University.
1978-1979	Professor, Empire State College.
1984	Died, December 25, New York City.