Records, primarily 1954 to 1977, of an organization formed in 1954 to promote the study of Jewish history and culture. Included are correspondence, minutes, membership lists, publications, publicity materials, Scholarship Committee material, and clippings. The records document the role of the WSJL in establishing departments of Hebrew Studies at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and Milwaukee in 1955 and 1961 respectively, and in founding the Wisconsin Jewish Archives at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Also documented are ongoing activities and projects such as lectures and research, fundraising, scholarships, and awards.

The papers are arranged alphabetically by type: Clippings, Correspondence, Departments of Hebrew Studies, Interviews, Invitations, Membership Lists, Minutes, Publications, Publicity, Scholarship Committee.

The records trace the establishment of the Wisconsin Society for Jewish Learning, the Departments of Hebrew Studies at the University of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Jewish Archives. They also document ongoing activities of the WSJL such as fundraising, sponsoring lecture series and research projects, and awarding scholarships and citations.

The most voluminous and complete part of the collection is Minutes of the WSJL Board of Directors, 1954-1977. These files contain agenda, meeting notices, reports, minutes of the WSJL Executive Committee, and a copy of the organization's by-laws. Included also are some minutes of the preceding organization, the American Jewish Tercentenary Committee.

Correspondence files contain outgoing and incoming correspondence and are most complete for the years 1954 to 1961. Thereafter, the correspondence becomes fragmentary. Departments of Hebrew Studies files contain reports, newsletters, press releases and clippings which reflect the relationship between the departments and the WSJL. A complete file of WSJL publications variously titled the Newsletter, Memo, and Bulletin can be found in Publications. The Publicity file includes programs, reprints, and informational brochures promoting the WSJL, its lecture series, and scholarship funds. The Scholarship Committee file contains correspondence and financial records which mainly document contributions made to various memorial and scholarship funds administered by the WSJL.

The collection also includes tape recorded Interviews with five past presidents and one early member of the WSJL conducted by Lennie Zukrow in June 1970. The interviewees discuss their involvement with the Society, the contributions of Rabbi Baron, establishment of the Hebrew Studies departments, founding of the Wisconsin Jewish Archives, programs of the Milwaukee Jewish Forum, WSJL project financing, and other current and future activities. Although each tape does not cover every topic, the interviewer asked the same basic questions of each person.