Inside AJHS: NAJEX Collection

Flying across the globe to commit two months of your summer to archiving is not exactly on most people’s bingo cards. Just mentioning the job of meticulously reading through hundreds of documents and recording metadata is enough for many to decline politely and another handful to say outright “no.” However, archiving serves a crucial function in restoring history and providing spotlights on communities, organisations, and individuals whose voices and contributions would otherwise be overshadowed or forgotten. With my two-month archiving internship at the Australian Jewish Historical Society (AJHS) over, I am pleased to provide one of these spotlights on the N.S.W. Association of Jewish Ex-Service Men and Women (NAJEX).

The association, NAJEX, has a rich history that dates to 1919. It was born at the Great Synagogue and Bondi-Waverly Hebrew Congregation, which declared themselves as havens for returned Jewish servicemen. The official formation of NAJEX took place in August 1920, a pivotal moment when the Jewish Returned Soldiers Club held its inaugural meeting at The Great Synagogue, chaired by Reverend F.L. Cohen, A.I.F. Chaplain. The third meeting saw the election of the executive board, with Lieutenant Colonel Arthur W. Hyman O.B.E. as President, Simon Green as Vice-President, Byron Baumberg as Honorary Treasurer, and Israel Green as Honorary Secretary. Over the years, the organisation evolved, growing in membership and influence, particularly after World War II. By 1950, NAJEX was one of the largest Jewish organisations in Australia, with thousands of members. The association continued to grow, welcoming female members in the 1960s and even expanding to include ex-servicemen from the former USSR in the 1990s.

Today, NAJEX remains a vital organisation that continues to provide a wide range of services to Australian Jewry. From organising annual Remembrance Day and ANZAC Day ceremonies, offering educational outreach, preserving the history of its members and their campaigns, and providing religious, financial, and welfare support to current service personnel and retired veterans, NAJEX plays an essential role in the community. I encourage everyone to visit the NAJEX website and explore the Heroes section to understand their significance. The website is a treasure trove of information about the organisation’s history, its members, and their contributions. If you have a loved one whose story you’d like to share, you can ‘send a hero’ to the website.

As an association, most of the NAJEX documents I encountered in the collection were administrative, such as correspondence, minutes of various meetings/conferences, and presidential reports. While mundane to some, it was a privilege to witness the care and support the NAJEX board and members poured into the association, revealing meticulous attention to detail for Remembrance/ANZAC Day services, the donation and collection management of artifacts given to the Sydney Jewish Museum for permanent/temporary exhibitions on Australian Jewish military service, and dedication to events and outreach to keep NAJEX alive and thriving.

However, the collection is not all administrative. As a university student studying Art and English, I never passed up the opportunity to read through each newsletter I came across, my favourite being the Khaki & Corn publication. This 60s funky-styled graphic newsletter details upcoming NAJEX events and reports. I also felt honoured learning about the World War II Battle of Rabaul through a scrapbook compiled by a NAJEX member. The scrapbook, which contains an assortment of tiny clippings from newspapers and pages from a book detailing the events of the bombing and battle, provided information in a tactile, analogue way that fascinated me. There was also a journal detailing active service from an Australian Jewish soldier. Although unsigned, the gentle slopes of cursive handwriting and vivid imagery describing the anxieties and solemnity of war are enough to make anyone connect with the author. However, my favourite items from the collection must be the photo prints showcasing the NAJEX board and members showcasing pride and joy at various events, such as Remembrance Day Dinners. The photos brought faces to the association and added vibrancy and warmth to the otherwise mundane administrative documents. These personal connections made my time with the collection even more meaningful.

All these items were created, compiled, and preserved long before I was born. My time archiving this collection was incredibly rewarding, and I feel privileged to have played a small part in preserving their legacy.