56 Friday, December 22, 1978
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Detroit Section of National Council of Jewish Womeh Recalls
Milestones in Advance of 85th Anniversary Celebration Locally
In preparation for its cel-
ebration of the 85th an-
niversary of the National
Council of Jewish Women,
the Greater Detroit Section
recalled some major events
in its own history in ad-
vance of the Jan. 15
community-wide event at
Temple Beth El.
The spark which ignited
the formation of NCJW was
the Chicago World's Fair, in
1893, where women from all
over the country presented
a Hall of Religion. The
Jewish Women's Club of
Temple Beth El, which was
later to become affiliated
with NCJW as its Detroit
Section, sent a committee to
help work on the presenta-
tion at the fair.
The Jewish Women's
Club from its inception in
1891, concerned itself with
visits to the sick, classes in
English, literature, physi-
cal culture, and in 1902,
with the establishment of a
scholarship fund. As early
as 1905, the organization.
joined with others to pro-
mote social- action by pro-
testing the inhumanites
taking place in the Congo.
The serving of penny
lunches to school children in
1911 pointed the direction
which the organization was
to follow in many areas. The
process began with 'a
thorough investigation into
the needs of hungry chil-
dren and how best to serve
them. Volunteers prepared
sandwiches in their homes,
took them to the schools and
sold them for a penny so
that countless children
would not be hungry during
the day. The Detroit Board
of Education adopted the
program and launched a
city-wide school lunch pro-
gram.
Holiday Hours
Fri. & Sat.
Dec. 22nd & 23rd
9-7:30
Sun., Dec. 24th 12-5
357-1056
SUITE 110-HERITAGE PLAZA
24901 NORTHWESTERN HWY.
SOUTHFIELD
TAN'S
GLAMOUR' AND LEISURE FEMININE
After the First World
War in 1918, NCJW
formed a unit for the Red
Cross that served in
France. In 1925, the
Jewish Women's Club
joined NCJW as its De-
troit Section.
During the Depression
the Detroit Section con-
cluded the Council House
Project, a residence for
young women, in 1930, and
in 1933, in conjunction with
the Young Women's He-
brew Association and the
Jewish Community Center,
a camp for working girls
was established in Jeddo,
Mich. Council ran the camp
until the early 1940s.
The first Council resale
shop opened at 89 Rowena
St. in 1934. The purpose of
the shop was two-fold: to
raise money for local NCJW
projects and to provide those
who could not afford more,
an opportunity to buy -good
used clothing.
In conjunction with the
Jewish Center and- the
Jewish Welfare Federation,
Detroit Section established
the 12th Street Council
Center which opened in De-
cember 1944. Not only was
this the first joint effort of
these organizations, a social
agency working in conjunc-
tion with a volunteer mem-
bership organization, but it
was also the first branch of
any Jewish Center in the
country.
A total of 125 NCJW
volunteers serviced the
branch programs which
included a "latch-key"
recreation program for
children after school,
since many mothers were
working during the war.
Volunteers searched out
the elderly so that they
could use the 12th Street
facilities. The older groups
emerged later as the "Gol-
den Agers."
.
FASHIONS
A
STOCK REDUCTION
m
SALE!
we are over-stocked & must raise cash!
•
ALL WINTER MERCHANDISE
DRASTICALLY REDUCED
FOR CLEARANCE — NOW
RACKS OF:
• Parkas!
• Pant Coats!
• Pant Suits!
• Slack,:
• Skirts!
1/2
OFF!
while they, last!
ALL SALES FINAL!
RACKS OF:
• Long Winter Coats!
• After-5 Wear!
• Fake Furs!
• Dresses!
• Sweaters!
OPEN THURS. & FRI. -TIL 9 • SAT. TIL 8•SUNDAY 11 TO 5
HARVARD ROW MALL • 11 Mile & Lahser, Southfield
After the war, NCJW launched in 1973. Kosher sons and their children by
volunteers helped refugees meals are provided to more offering them supportive
fill out citizenship papers than 100 people daily who programs.
and locate lost relatives in are either too old or too ill to
The Burn Prevention
conjunction with other prepare food for themselves.
Jewish agencies. The De- A total of 150 volunteers are program has just gotten
troit Section contributed involved in the preparation under way. It provides
$10,000 to the National and delivery of meals five educational materials
to teach kindergarten
Overseas Program —and days a week.
through third grade stu-
Service to the Foreign Born.
NCJW became affiliated
In 1945-46, NCJW estab- with WICS, a coalition dents in selected schools
lished and paid for homes in of women's organizations the hazards of fire.
Paris and Athens to help whose purpose is to provide
Summarizing the Greater
homeless refugees learn supportive services for dis- Detroit Section's history,
new languages and skills advantaged young women Phyllis Welling, presiden
for employment.
said, "For 85 years count
in the community.
In 1947 the Detroit Sec-
less services have been per-
tion urged the government
The Greater Detroit Sec- formed by NCJW members;
to adopt national resolu- tion launched another pro- but the organization con-
tions on Palestine to abro- gram in 1977 after tinues to look forward to the
gate laws restricting Jews thoroughly investigating future where there remains
from purchasing land there. the needs of single parent much to be done. Most
When the second resale Jewish families in the NCJW volunteers have
shop opened on. Puritan community. The SPACE- learned that in meaningful
Avenue in 1955, another program is currently servic- service to others one finds
idea came to fruition. The ing the families of single, the greatest fulfillment of
Angel Ball was launched to divorced 'or separated per- self."
thank members and non-
members for their contribu-
****
_tions of clothing and holise-
hold items which support all
Wishing All Our
of NCJW's local projects.
Friends
& Customers
Tickets had to be earned
through contributions.
Council moved its offices
to Council House on West
Filled With
McNichols Road in Detroit,
Happiness & Peace
and the first suburban
branch of Detroit Section
was formed in 1951. Several
years later, a senior adult
lounge program started ad-
Hoick-()I'cI
jacent to Council House to
serve the social and rec-
OPEN MON. & THURS.
reational needs of the el-
25330 G , and River , Recl!ord
'TU. 9 P.M.
derly, a program started in
1 MILE WEST OF TELEGRAPH
1957, and adopted by the
Jewish Center in 1960. Op-
Call ART WEISS 531-2500
eration Friendship, another
lounge program for re-
cuperating mental patients,
started in 1960 after a sur-
vey of local community
needs. This program, too,
became part of a larger
mental health program in
Detroit.
In 1962 The Orchards, a
residential treatment cen-
ter for emotionally dis-
turbed young boys, was in-
stituted. A home was
purchased in Livonia,
owned and operated by the
Detroit Section.
Detroit Section contrib-
uted $5,000 to the Hebrew
University High School in
Israel, and then gave an
additional $5,Q00 for the
Detroit Room. Later, an-
other Israeli program was
started by NCJW in Hatsur
as part of the NCJW Re-
search Institute for Innova-
tion in Education to develop-
new techniques and mate-
rials for educating disad-
vantaged children.
In 1964 the Custer
Elementary School Project
began with 100 volunteers
who served as tutors and
teachers' aides, a program
which is still in several sub-
urban schools.
A new suburban office
was located in South-
field, and the Detroit sec-
tion became the Greater
23077 Coolidge, Oak Park
Detroit Section of NCJW.
Oakland Operation
OPEN DAILY 9:30 TIL 5:30
Friendship patterned
• BANKAMERICARD
after the original pro-
•
MASTER CHARGE
gram was established in
Royal Oak in 1970.
Meals on Wheels was
* *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A HAPPY HANUKA
STELLA
* * * * * * *
3070To 500 OFF
INFANTS THRU SIZE 14
FOR BOYS & GIRLS