Metadata: Perera Collection
Collection
- Country:
- Serbia
- Holding institution:
- Jewish Historical Museum
- Holding institution (official language):
- Јеврејски историјски музеј (Jevrejski istorijski muzej)
- Postal address:
- Kralja Petra 71A, 21000 Belgrade
- Phone number:
- (+381) 112622-634
- Web address:
- http://www.jimbeograd.org/
- Reference number:
- AJIM, Zbirka Perera
- Title:
- Perera Collection
- Title (official language):
- Збирка Перера
- Creator/accumulator:
- Perera, David
- Date(s):
- 1900/1960
- Language:
- Serbian
- Hebrew
- German
- English
- Extent:
- 14.1 linear metres (47 boxes)
- Type of material:
- Textual material
- Photographic images
- Physical condition:
- Good
- Scope and content:
- The records in this collection were created by David Perera during the 12 years of his engagement with the Federation of Jewish Communities of Yugoslavia. They comprise a selection of the most important records of all sections and bodies of the Federation, in addition to the General Commission which dealt with the emigration of Jews, international cooperation with Jewish organisations and religious affairs, the activities of the “Braća Baruh“ choir and the census of Jews who survived the Second World War. The collection includes a report of the Federation regarding the emigration of Jews to Israel from January 1949 with data on the number of emigrants, the organisation of the emigration process, and the accommodation of emigrants upon arrival in Israel; organisation of farewell ceremonies on the occasion of making Aliyah; correspondence between members of the Council and the association Hitandut Olej Yugoslavia; instructions on how to emigrate to Israel; emigration application forms with personal data of emigrants; records on the provision of material assistance to emigrants.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- David Perera (11 January 1915 - 25 March 1973) was born in Bijeljina and moved to Vinkovci as a boy, where he completed the trade school, together with his brother Isa. While he was at school he was an active member of the "Hašomer Hacair" and the Federation of the Communist Youth of Yugoslavia (SKOJ). In the first years of World War II he was in Bijeljina, and after persecution and hiding in 1942 he joined the partisan detachments formed in the Majevica mountains. After liberation he remained with the Yugoslav People's Army and graduated from the Higher Aviation Military Academy. He was awarded the Order of Bravery and several other military decorations. He was active in the work of the Jewish Community of Belgrade and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Yugoslavia. From 1971 until his death he was both president of the Jewish community of Belgrade and the vice president of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Yugoslavia. He was committed to the issues of youth, women, the socially disadvantaged, the religious section, cemeteries and the collection of historical items and archives.
- Access points: locations:
- Yugoslavia
- Access points: persons/families:
- Perera, David
- System of arrangement:
- The documents are partially arranged.
- Finding aids:
- A catalogue of documents is available.
- Yerusha Network member:
- Historical Archives of Belgrade
- Author of the description:
- Bojan Zorić; Jewish Historical Museum; 2020