The Society's library, archives, photograph, and art and artifacts collections document the American Jewish experience.

[5] AJHS serves public educational and interpretive functions by publishing a journal, a newsletter, monographs and reference works; organizing and curating exhibits; and developing resources and curricula on the American Jewish experience.

[6] The Society publishes books, a genealogy program, museums tours, academic assistance and other related educational activities.

Additionally, the American Jewish Historical Society publishes the following publications: The American Jewish Historical Society has some 40 million items in its archives,[11] including manuscripts, printed material, photographs, audio files, film files, digital material, and objects.

[14] The Society holds the original manuscript of "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus,[11] as well as very early American Jewish documents, including Judah Monis's Hebrew grammar textbook (1735), the first American siddur for Jewish holidays printed in English (1761), and the first Hebrew-English prayerbook published in the United States (1826).