64 Friday, December 8, 1918
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
The National Council of Jewish Women Will Celebrate 85 Years
of Volunteer Service to Jewry With Local and National Events
A celebration embracing the cooperation and participa-
tion of the entire community is planned for Jan. 15, at
Temple Beth El, to mark the 85th anniversary of the Na-
tional Council of Jewish Women.
The Detroit Section of the NCJW, sponsor of the celebra-
tion, will hold the local observance as part of the national
acclaim to be given one of the largest women's movements
in this country.
Announcing the selection of committees to arrange for
celebrations here, Mrs. Robert (Phyllis) Welling, president
of the Detroit Section of the NCJW, pointed with pride to
the Greater Detroit membership . of 3,000.
Mrs. Welling said the Detroit movement started from the
Women's Club of Temple Beth El and has grown under the
National Council of Jewish Women's name as a factor na-
tionally and as a sponsor of social projects locally.
Two Detroit women, Mrs. Joseph (Mildred) Welt and
Mrs. Leonard (Josephine) Weiner served as national
presidents of the National Council of Jewish Women.
The program marking the Greater Detroit NCJW an-
niversary program will be formulated and announced soon.
Mrs. M. Morton (Billie) Barak is chairing the local pro-
gram.
For the occasion of the NCJW anniversary, the Hebrew
University in Jerusalem hosted a week-long NCJW "sum-
mit conference" last month. The conference also marked
the 30th anniversary of Israel and the 10th anniversary of
the NCJW Research Institute at the Hebrew University
School of Education. Delegates met with alumni of the
NCJW fellowship program at Hebrew U. and visited NCJW
Research Institute projects for parents and children
throughout Israel.
JOSEPHINE WEINER
The Formation and Work of the Council of Jewish Women
taged, bringing together for
This was the beginning of McCarthy years saw NCJW justice syteip throughout the first time an Israeli
state
a
freedom
campaign,
the
country.
an approach to service
(Copyright 1978, JTA, Inc.)
Recognizing NCJW's Minister of Education and a
with the slogan "Speak Up
which still exists today.
The NCJW's work af-
achievements in the field, U.S. Commissioner of Edu-
—
Freedom
Needs
Exer-
NCJW first locates a need
fects the lives of people of all
cise." During this period, the Law Enforcement As- cation to engage in a profes-
and decides if its services
ages, races and religious
NCJW also began a number _ sistance Administration in sional dialogue on areas of
would be valid. Next the
backgrounds, in a tradition
of pre-schools that would 1976 gave the organization concern to educators of both
volunteer is trained. And,
of diverse and creative serv-
later serve as -the prototype a grant to sponsor a na- countries.
The responsiveness of finally, the volunteer
ice that has been a hallmark
for Head Start. And in 1957, tional symposium on status
The dialogue has been
of the organization since its NCJW women allowed serves, always with some
NCJW became the first offenders. In addition to continued through a_
them
to
expand
services
as
professional
assistance
or
founding by Hannah
Jewish women's organiza- NCJW's state public affairs number of meetings and
Greenebaum Solomon in new areas of need arose. For administration, most often
tion to start up a "Meals on chairmen, representatives conferences since then, and
instance, from 1899 to 1913 in a team approach.
from some 60 national so-
1893.
Wheels" program. -
in January 1979 the second .
As NCJW moved through
"Hannah G.," as she is over 13 million immigrants
When the post-war cial service organizations,
Colloquium will take place
entered
the
United
States,
the
'20s
and
into
the
1930s,
known to the 100,000 mem-
baby-boom caught up with government agencies and - in Jerusalem, bringing to-
and
the
government
asked
its
programs
reflected
the
bers of today's NCJW, es-
under-financed school sys- professional groups gether educators from
tablished her organization NCJW's assistance in pre- shattering events begin-
tems in the 1950s, NCJW attended the symposium, European countries as well
in the belief that Jewish venting the white slavery ning to take place in
members joined with other where they explored their as Israel and the United
women could organize to exploitation and sweat shop Europe. The organization
community service organ- roles in providing services States.
improve their communities labor that were the lot of increased and strengthened
izations to push for in- for status offenders, par-
and advance social justice many girls and women ar- its Port and Dock programs.
Today, NCJW establishes
creased local and state sup- ticularly runaways and
NCJW also organized
for all. While that's hardly a riving alone' in America.
truants. NCJW later pub- its program priorities at bi-
port
of
education,
as
well
as
new or revolutionary con- NCJW set- up its Port and extensive English and
for federal aid. Noting the lished the proceedings, as ennial national conventions
cept now, it must be re- Dock Department, and each naturalization classes
alarmingly high drop-out well as a comparison piece, attended by members from
volunteers greeted im- and in Paris and Athens
membered that Hannah day
_
rate for high school stu- "A Manual for Action." 200 sections across the
set
up
homes
for
girls
Solomon created NCJW migrants arriving at Ellis
dents, and realizing that NCJW sections are today country. These priorities
long before women had the Island, Baltimore, Boston, who were victims of Nazi
there was a close connection engaged in over 100 projects currently include: volun-
vote, and before any other Seattle and Philadelphia. oppression. A new proj-
tarism, justice for children,
between that drop-out rate in the area of juvenile jus
ect,
called
Ship-A-Box,
such volunteer organization Services offered included
tice, ranging from the estab-
and
low
reading
levels,
for Jewish women existed. help in learning English, provided toys and educa-
NCJW members moved to lishment of group homes for
assistance in finding lodg- tional materials for
set up remedial reading status offenders to ongoing
Jewish
children
at
in-
ing, work and industrial
programs in schools. In New 'advocacy for children's
training, and aid in times of stitutions throughout
York City, NCJW was suc- rights,- -
sickness and trouble. By .war-ravaged Europe.
cessful in having elemen-
Recent years have also
The
post-war
period
saw
1911, the organization's
tary schools located in poor seen a continuation of
network of Port and Dock the birth of the state of Is-
neighborhoods opened for NCJW's interest in Isfael.
Services covered 250 cities. rael, a new area of concern
During the same period, and interest for NCJW the summer for remedial In 1963, the organization
reading programs. •
provided funds to estab-
women women. Matching funds
NCJW
strengthened their corn- provided by the British
Continuing its tradi- lish Hebrew University
government, tional concern with help- High School, a teaceher
mitment to assisting chil- Mandate
dren and youth in need. As NCJW helped establish the ing the nation's youth, training and demonstra-
early as 1893, NCJW volun- School of Education at the the organization in 1964 tion center, and in 1968,
teers were involved in serv- Hebrew University of joined forces with the Na- NCJW set up its Research
ice projects in settlement Jerusalem. During the tional Council of Catholic Institute for Innovation
ESTHER LANDA
houses, vocational training same period NCJW de- Women, the National in Education at the He-_
7 s
for girls, school health in- veloped its Fellowship pro- Council of Negro Women, brew University. The In- the aging, Jewish concerns,
HANNAH SOLOMON
spection programs and as- gram, which lasted until and Church Women stitute, a permanent part
The multiplicity of sistance to poverty-stricken 1971 and which provided, United in order to form a of the university's school women's issues, child de-
NCJW services today re- families. NCJW also during those years, grants corporation - called of education since 1971, velopment, Israel, Con-
flects a diversity that was pioneered remedial work in for graduate study in the Women in Community conducts basic research -stitutional rights, welfare
evident in its earliest connection with the United States to 270 Service (WICS). WICS, and develops, tests and reform, the NCJW Research
programs. Within two juvenile courts, and in 1906 educators and social work- which today includes the helps implement new Institute arid Women in
Community Service. These
years of the organiza-
an NCJW volunteer was ac- ers from the. Jewish cora- participation of the educational methods,
priorities are pursued
tion's founding, its Bal-
cepted by a municipal court munities of 16 countries. American G.I. Forum, re- materials and services through 1,600 community.
timore Section was man- as a probation officer for de-
for
Israel's
disadvan-
Meanwhile, in the United cruits and screens girls
aging a model tenement linquent Jewish children. States, NCJW was moving from low-income back- taged children and service projects as wet
through ongoing adva
that was envisioned as a
As NCJW's range of ac- ahead with pioneering ef- grounds for the Federal youth.
for meaningful legislative
pilot project in housing
The
-
Job Corps vocational
The institute's innovative reform
increased, Hannah forts in many fields:
_ . NCJW will hold its
reform, while in tivities
Solomon eventually year 1947 saw the develop- training program.
programs have been so suc- 32nd National Convention
Philadelphia, NCJW suggested that the way in ment of the first network of
In the 1970s, NCJW made cessful in helping to inte- in Dallas March 12-15. The
joined with other groups
the organization golden age clubs in further important strides in grate the country's cultur- current national president
in petitioning the state which
could make the greatest America, created by NCJW two areas affecting children ally and educationally dis- of NCJW is Esther Landa of
legislature to raise the
response to the needs of and youth. One was the field advantaged youth into the Salt Lake City.
minimum age of child contribution would be in in
supplying volunteers to all . the country's growing popu- of day care, and in 1972 - mainstream of society that
employment in factories
The world has changed a
areas of social welfare. lation of senior citizens. The
NCJW published "Windows U.S. educators have become
from 12 to 13 years of age.
on Day Care," the first di- interested in studying how great deal since the Na-
finitive nation-wide survey such programs might be tional Council of Jewish
of community facilities and adapted to this country's Women was founded. But
educational system. In NCJW's means of respond-
services.
The second area of great 1976, the NCJW Institute, ing to human need, the
interest to NCJW women in cooperation with the U.S. dedication of NCJW volun-
was juvenile justice, and in Department of Education teers, and the flexibility and
1975 the organization pub- and several leading Ameri- effectiveness of its pro-
lished "Children Without can universities, sponsored grams have remained con-
Justice," the result of its in- its first Colloquium on stant since the days of Han-
tensive study of juvenile Educating the Disadvan- nah Solomon.
By DENISE WEICHER
Sabbath schools, indus-
trial schools and service
centers for slum dwellers
were among the earliest
NCJW projects in other
cities around the coun-
try.