14 | DECEMBER 1 • 2022

OUR COMMUNITY

continued from page 12

Margaret Sanger,
a nurse, became a
national advocate for
“family hygiene,” a
common euphemism
for birth control.
Sanger, who came
from a poor family
with 11 children, was
convinced that “birth
control was crucial
to end the cycle of
poverty.” (She was
married to a Jewish
man with whom she
had three children).
Sanger opened the
first family planning
clinic in New York in
1916 and was quickly
arrested, convicted
and served a month in
jail. Eventually, a New
York court overruled
her conviction, loos-
ening the laws against
contraception some-
what. In 1919, Sanger
spoke in Detroit and a
local Birth Control League
was established, Terman
learned.

BRINGING FAMILY
PLANNING TO DETROIT
Katharine Dexter
McCormick, a Michigan
woman married to the
heir of the International
Harvester Company,
became an advocate for
birth control because her
husband had schizophrenia,
and they feared that this
illness would be passed on
to any offspring. When she
was unable to open a birth
control clinic in Detroit,
she passed out devices at a
downtown hotel.
Other prominent indi-
viduals, including Dr. C.C.
Little, president of the
University of the Michigan,

supported the birth control
movement. Terman was
particularly intrigued to
learn of local Jewish sup-
port for family planning
services. Morris Waldman,
a rabbi who became a social
worker and advocate for
social welfare, was exec-
utive director of United
Jewish Charities of Detroit
during the 1920s. After
meeting Sanger, he helped
her open a birth control
clinic in Detroit in 1927 —
the only one between New
York and Chicago. Detroit’s
Jewish Federation provid-
ed $3,000 annually for the
clinic.
Elsie Sulzberger, an
active member of Temple
Beth El and organizer of
the National Council of
Jewish Women, was instru-

mental in this project.
The “Mother’s Clinic for
Family Regulation” oper-
ated from an apartment
and was staffed by one
physician and one nurse.
Their goal was to help
mothers have fewer and
safer pregnancies and
reduce abortion.
The clinic required
referrals from local social
service agencies for its
patients. Typically, the
criteria included ill health
of the parents, another
child’s disability or pov-
erty.
The majority of patients
were Protestant, with
about 24% Catholic and
approximately 9% Jewish.
The clinic served African
American women, but
the racial climate of the
times required that these
patients were seen on a
separate day.
The Jewish Federation
supported the Mother’s
Clinic for six years, but
it closed during the
Depression although
Terman said that Sulzberger
continued her support
for birth control services.
She started the Birth
Control Center of Dunbar
Memorial Hospital (a seg-
regated Black hospital in
Detroit), was a member of
the Michigan Birth Control
League and served as vice
president of the Detroit
Maternal Health Section.
According to Terman,
the Mother’s Clinic
eventually reopened as
Planned Parenthood.
Today, the board of
Planned Parenthood of
Michigan includes several
members of the local Jewish
community.

First report of the Detroit Mother’s Clinic

Lawyers
& Latkes

The Jewish Bar Association
of Michigan (JBAM) will
welcome members of the legal
community and
their guests to its
first Chanukah
Party since the
onset of the
COVID pandemic.
The celebration
will provide
an excellent
opportunity for friends and
colleagues to mingle and
enjoy treats of the season. The
party will take place at 5:30-
7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, at
the Platform 18 venue, 116 E.
Seventh Street, Royal Oak.
“Chanukah celebrates the
Jewish people’s emancipation,
the triumph of light over
darkness and of freedom
over oppression,” said Nargiz
Nesimova, JBAM president.
“In today’s times, it is more
important than ever before to
celebrate our traditions and to
keep the flame of our religion
alive. JBAM is very excited for
our Chanukah Party and to
celebrate with our members
and guests.”
The event is free to JBAM
members. There is an $18
charge for guests and non-
members. Those who join
JBAM prior to or at the event
will be admitted for free. To
join JBAM or to sign up for
the party, visit jewishbar.org.

The Jewish Bar Association
of Michigan provides
education, resources and
camaraderie for the legal
community — and legal
support to the wider
community. For information,
email JBAM’s President
Nargiz Nesimova at
nargiz.nesimova@gmail.com
or visit jewishbar.org.

Nargiz
Nesimova