▁conference ▁in ▁Jerusalem . ▁It ▁was ▁founded ▁as ▁a ▁board ▁that ▁was ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁two ▁gover ning ▁bodies , ▁a ▁research ▁and ▁publication ▁board , ▁and ▁an ▁administrative ▁board . ▁It ▁is ▁now ▁a ▁central ▁um bre lla ▁organization ▁focused ▁on ▁the ▁study ▁of ▁the ▁history ▁and ▁culture ▁of ▁German - spe aking ▁Jew ry . ▁It ▁was ▁founded ▁intern ation ally , ▁with ▁multiple ▁locations ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁three ▁independent ▁branches . ▁The ▁Leo ▁B ae ck ▁Institute ▁International ▁board ▁coordinates ▁the ▁activities ▁of ▁all ▁three ▁branches , ▁and ▁each ▁branch ▁reports ▁at ▁annual ▁international ▁board ▁meet ings ▁about ▁their ▁research ▁and ▁publication ▁projects . ▁It ▁is ▁named ▁in ▁honor ▁of ▁its ▁international ▁president , ▁Leo ▁B ae ck , ▁the ▁senior ▁Rab bi ▁of ▁Berlin ▁in ▁Germany ' s ▁We imar ▁Republic ▁and ▁the ▁last ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Jewish ▁Community ▁under ▁the ▁Naz is . ▁The ▁Leo ▁B ae ck ▁Institute , ▁New ▁York , ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁as ▁the ▁parent ▁organization , ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁organization . ▁ ▁Le ad ership ▁ ▁Pres idents ▁of ▁Leo ▁B ae ck ▁Institute ▁International , ▁the ▁um bre lla ▁organization ▁of ▁the ▁inst itute : ▁▁ 1 9 5 5 – 1 9 5 6 : ▁Leo ▁B ae ck ▁▁ 1 9 5 6 – 1 9 7 4 : ▁▁▁▁ 1 9 7 4 – 1 9 9 2 : ▁▁▁ 1 9 9 2