The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a
501(c)(3) tax exempt organization.
Founded in 1893, NCJW is self-described as the oldest Jewish women’s grassroots organization in the United States, now comprised by over 180,000 members.
As of 2021, there are 60 sections in 30 states.
Specifically, NCJW's prioritized interests include expanding abortion access, securing federal judiciary appointments, promoting voting integrity, and mobilizing Israeli feminist movements. These objectives are achieved through extensive
lobbying
In politics, lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agency, regulatory agencie ...
, research, education, and community engagement. NCJW is headquartered in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, and maintains offices in numerous other cities in the U.S. as well as in
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
.
Mission statement
"The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms."
History
In 1893,
Hannah G. Solomon of Chicago was asked to organize the participation of Jewish women in the
Chicago World's Fair. When Solomon and her recruits discovered that their participation was not solicited in order for the women to contribute to the proceedings, but would consist of pouring coffee and other hostess duties, they walked out. Rebuffed by the Jewish men at the parliament from playing a substantive role, the assembled women sought to form an organization that would strengthen women's connection to Judaism and builds on that identity to pursue a wide-ranging social justice agenda. That agenda included advocating women's and children's rights, assisting Jewish immigrants, and advancing social welfare, as well as defending Jews and Judaism, advancing Jewish identity and incorporating Jewish values in its work. According to Faith Rogow, author of ''Gone to Another Meeting: The National Council of Jewish Women (1893–1993)'', the "NCJW was the offspring of the economic and social success achieved by German Jewish immigrants in the United States. As this community of German Jews matured and stabilized, it faced the same challenge to gender role definitions that had accompanied the
Jacksonian Democracy
Jacksonian democracy was a 19th-century political philosophy in the United States that expanded suffrage to most white men over the age of 21, and restructured a number of federal institutions. Originating with the seventh U.S. president, And ...
a half-century earlier." (Rogow 1995:2)
At its beginning, NCJW focused on educating Jewish women who had lost a sense of identity with Judaism and on helping Jewish immigrants become self-sustaining in their new land. Activities included promoting education and employment for women through adult study circles, vocational training, school health programs, and free community health dispensaries. NCJW was part of the broader effort of middle and upper-class women to assist those less well off, working closely with the settlement movement epitomized by
Jane Addams
Laura Jane Addams (September 6, 1860 May 21, 1935) was an American settlement activist, reformer, social worker, sociologist, public administrator, and author. She was an important leader in the history of social work and women's suffrage ...
'
Hull House
Hull House was a settlement house in Chicago, Illinois, United States that was co-founded in 1889 by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr. Located on the Near West Side of the city, Hull House (named after the original house's first owner Cha ...
in Chicago. Their work helped create the modern profession of
social work
Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...
. NCJW also began a campaign for social legislation to address low-income housing, child labor, public health, food and drug regulations, and civil rights. In 1908 NCJW argued for a federal anti-lynching law. NCJW also became involved in efforts to promote world peace.
More information about NCJW's work in 1900.
During World War I, NCJW raised funds for war relief in Europe and Russia and helped achieve passage of the
Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, Nineteenth Amendment.
Since their founding, the NCJW had fought for abortion access for everyone, and in the 1920s helped found the first ten birth control clinics in the U.S. that later became
Planned Parenthood health centers.
As the
Depression began, NCJW became involved in government programs to provide relief and help the unemployed find jobs, while continuing its legislative efforts for social legislation. During the 1940s, NCJW called for an end to segregation and racial discrimination.
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
found NCJW engaged in rescuing Jewish children from Germany and working to reunite thousands of displaced persons with family members, as well as a broad range of other relief efforts.
After the war, NCJW fought to preserve civil liberties during the
McCarthy era
McCarthyism is the practice of making false or unfounded accusations of subversion and treason, especially when related to anarchism, communism and socialism, and especially when done in a public and attention-grabbing manner.
The term origina ...
and helped develop the innovative
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels is a programme that delivers meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. The name is often used generically to refer to home-delivered meals programmes, not all of which are actually named ...
program for the elderly and pioneered the Senior Service Corps to help seniors lead productive lives as volunteers.
Information about NCJW's programs in the 1960s. The organization joined the emerging civil rights movement and participated fully in the drive to enact and promote the 1960s' anti-poverty and civil rights programs. NCJW renewed its commitment to women's rights as the revitalized women's movement took shape in the 1960s and 1970s. Focusing its energies on the fate of women and children, NCJW sought child care programs and family-friendly policies that would benefit children and working mothers, and championed reproductive rights. In the 1970s, NCJW officially published a series of documents: ''Windows on Day Care'', the first nationwide survey of day care facilities and services; ''Children Without Justice'', a study of the
US Justice Department
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a United States federal executive departments, federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and a ...
's work with foster children; and ''Innocent Victims'', a comprehensive manual on child abuse detection and prevention.
More information about NCJW's work in the 1970s.
The NCJW state, in their principles, that they support the
separation of church and state
The separation of church and state is a philosophical and jurisprudential concept for defining political distance in the relationship between religious organizations and the state. Conceptually, the term refers to the creation of a secular sta ...
, yet they continue in their support of the present configuration of the State of Israel.
Audio interviews
The University of Pittsburgh houses and has made available a collection of audio interviews produced by the NCJW. Over one hundred audio interviews produced by the Pittsburgh Chapter of NCJW are available online. Those interviewed describe their interactions and affiliations with historical events such as emigration, synagogue events, professional activities, and other topics. These interviews also include information about personal life events, episodes of discrimination against Jews, moving from Europe to America, and meeting
Enrico Caruso
Enrico Caruso (, , ; 25 February 1873 – 2 August 1921) was an Italian operatic first lyrical tenor then dramatic tenor. He sang to great acclaim at the major opera houses of Europe and the Americas, appearing in a wide variety of roles (74) ...
,
Robert Oppenheimer
J. Robert Oppenheimer (; April 22, 1904 – February 18, 1967) was an American theoretical physicist. A professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley, Oppenheimer was the wartime head of the Los Alamos Laboratory and is often ...
,
Jonas Salk
Jonas Edward Salk (; born Jonas Salk; October 28, 1914June 23, 1995) was an American virologist and medical researcher who developed one of the first successful polio vaccines. He was born in New York City and attended the City College of New ...
and other historical figures. Others who were interviewed came to America but were born elsewhere. Jews from Austria, Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, Hungary, India, Israel, Korea, Poland, and other countries describe their experiences.
NCJW and Israel
NCJW has had a long involvement with promoting the welfare of Israel. Beginning with its Ship-a-Box program to send toys, books, and educational materials to young Holocaust survivors and generations of Israeli children, NCJW began a long collaboration designed to improve the lives of women and children in Israel. NCJW funded the department of education at Hebrew University in Jerusalem for the training of teachers, and eventually established the Research Institute for Innovation in Education (RIFIE) at
Hebrew University
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...
. The institute assists at-risk children from all segments of Israeli society, including as many as 40 ongoing projects each year in early childhood education, school integration, vocational education, immigrant absorption, and cross-cultural education. Major programs include HIPPY/Haetgar (Home Instruction for Pre-School Youngsters), Manof, and YACHAD. NCJW built
Hebrew University High School
Hebrew University High School ( he, התיכון ליד האוניברסיטה), commonly known as ''Leyada'' (literally "next to"), is a semi-private high school in West Jerusalem, established in 1935 by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The s ...
in Jerusalem. NCJW later launched an Israel Granting Program called Yad B' Yad: NCJW's Initiative to Nurture Knowledge, to support grassroots organizations serving at-risk children and their families in Israel.
NCJW helped launch the NCJW Women Studies Forum at
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University (TAU) ( he, אוּנִיבֶרְסִיטַת תֵּל אָבִיב, ''Universitat Tel Aviv'') is a public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Locate ...
, which advances research and analysis in feminist studies while reaching out to the public through empowerment seminars and community services. The NCJW Women and Gender Studies Program at Tel Aviv University is the first bachelor's degree-granting program of its kind in the Middle East, providing an interdisciplinary analysis of issues impacting women and other minorities. NCJW has expanded its Israel Granting Program to include Women to Women: NCJW's Empowerment Initiative. This new funding stream complements the work of Yad B' Yad by supporting women's empowerment projects that address women's rights and well-being in areas like economics, politics, education, domestic violence, and social justice.
Recent and current campaigns
NCJW's major initiatives include:
;Higher Ground
: NCJW's Domestic Violence Campaign: A national effort to end domestic violence by improving the economic status of women. Grounded in the understanding that economic security is critical to women's safety, Higher Ground educates and mobilizes advocates, community-members, and decision-makers to promote progressive policy solutions that champion women's economic autonomy.
;BenchMark
: NCJW's Judicial Nominations Campaign: Educates and mobilizes NCJW members, the Jewish community, and friends and allies everywhere to promote a federal bench with judges who support fundamental freedoms, including a woman's right to
reproductive choice.
;Plan A
: NCJW's Campaign for Contraceptive Access: Educates and empowers individuals to advocate for women's universal access to
contraceptive
Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth contr ...
information and health services. Through a combination of education and advocacy initiatives at the community, state, and national levels, Plan A aims to secure and protect access to contraceptive information and health services for all, putting individuals back in control of their personal health decisions.
;NCJW's Promote the Vote, Protect the Vote Initiative: is designed to secure and safeguard voting rights for all, and encourage participation in the democratic process at the community, state, and federal levels with the aim to ensure that every eligible voter is able to vote and to ensure that every vote cast is counted. NCJW also works with the non-partisan
VoteRiders
VoteRiders is an American non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to ensure that all US citizens over 18 years old are able to exercise their right to vote. Through resources and media exposure, one of its main focuses is ...
.
;Bowdlerizing Scrabble: While reading the Official Scrabble Players' Dictionary, Judith Grad found several words she considered to be offensive, including "jew", listed as a verb with the definition "To bargain with - an offensive term". Her initial letters to
Merriam-Webster
Merriam-Webster, Inc. is an American company that publishes reference books and is especially known for its dictionaries. It is the oldest dictionary publisher in the United States.
In 1831, George and Charles Merriam founded the company as ...
and
Milton Bradley
Milton Bradley (November 8, 1836 – May 30, 1911) was an American business magnate, game pioneer and publisher, credited by many with launching the board game industry, with his eponymous enterprise, which was purchased by Hasbro in 1984, and ...
requesting removal of the words resulted in politely negative responses. Grad wrote to the National Council of Jewish Women, who began a letter-writing campaign in support of her cause. Publicity in Jewish media led to the
Anti-Defamation League
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), formerly known as the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, is an international Jewish non-governmental organization based in the United States specializing in civil rights law. It was founded in late Septe ...
writing to
Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational conglomerate holding company incorporated and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hasbro owns the trademarks and products of ...
chairman Alan Hassenfeld, who announced that a third edition would be published with the "offensive" words removed. The news was generally not well received by members of the National Scrabble Association, which was not consulted in the decision. After receiving mostly negative feedback from players, including threats to boycott events,
NSA
The National Security Agency (NSA) is a national-level intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense, under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The NSA is responsible for global monitoring, collecti ...
president John D. Williams announced a compromise, the result of which was the publication of the unexpurgated ''
Official Tournament and Club Word List
NASPA Word List (NWL, formerly Official Tournament and Club Word List, referred to as OTCWL, OWL, TWL) is the official word authority for tournament Scrabble in the USA and Canada under the aegis of NASPA Games. It is based on the ''Official Scrabb ...
''.
Governance
NCJW is governed by a board of directors, president, and an executive committee. Headquartered in New York City, NCJW maintains offices in Washington, D.C., and Israel. Members vote on organizational policies and resolutions at national conventions, which have been held every two years before 1953 and every three years since then.
Council presidents
Council presidents at the national level:
*1893–1905
Hannah G. Solomon
*1905–1908
Pauline Hanauer Rosenberg
Pauline Hanauer Rosenberg (née, Hanauer; May 24, 1863 – October 16, 1940) was an American progressive activist who devoted her life to advancing the well-being and rights of women, children, and immigrants. She served as the first vice presid ...
*1908–1913
Marion Simon Misch
*1913–1920 Janet Simons Harris
*1920–1926
Rose Brenner
*1926 Constance Sporborg
*1926–1932 Ida W. Friend
*1932–1938
Fanny Brin
*1938–1943 Blanche Goldman
*1943–1949 Mildred G. Welt
*1949–1955 Katharine Engel
*1955–1959 Gladys F. Cahn
*1959–1963 Viola Hymes
*1963–1967 Pearl Willen
*1967–1971 Josephine Weiner
*1971–1975 Eleanor Marvin
*1875–1979 Esther R. Landa
*1979–1983 Shirley I. Leviton
*1983–1987
Barbara A. Mandel
*1987–1990 Lenore Feldman
*1990–1993 Joan Bronk
*1993–1996 Susan Katz
*1996–1999
Nan Rich
Nan H. Rich (born February 9, 1942) is an American politician from the state of Florida and currently serves as a county commissioner in Broward County, Florida.
Career
She served as a Democratic member of the Florida Senate from 2004 to 2012 ...
*1999–2002 Jan Schneiderman
*2002–2005 Marsha Atkind
*2005–2008 Phyllis Snyder
*2008–2011 Nancy Ratzan
*2011–2014 Linda Slucker
*2014–2017 Debbie Hoffmann
*2017–2020 Beatrice Kahn
*2020- Dana Gershon
Notable people
Other notable people:
:*
Mary M. Cohen
:*
Nina Morais Cohen, one of the founders of the National Council of Jewish Women
:*
Julia I. Felsenthal, one of the founders of the National Council of Jewish Women
:*
Cecilia Greenstone, "the Angel of Ellis Island"
:*
Luba Robin Goldsmith
Luba Robin Goldsmith (January 17, 1879 – October 7, 1931) was a Ukrainian-born American physician and clubwoman based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Early life
Luba Natalia Robin was born in Uman, Ukraine (then in the Russian Empire), the daught ...
:*
Rebekah Bettelheim Kohut, founder of the World Congress of Jewish Women, which later became the
International Council of Jewish Women
:*
Minnie Dessau Louis, one of the founders of the National Council of Jewish Women
:*
Babette Mandel
:*
Maud Nathan
:*
Seraphine Eppstein Pisko
:*
Cecilia Razovsky Cecila Davidson Razovsky (May 4, 1891 – September 27, 1968) was a Jewish American social worker and activist for immigrants in the US.
Early life
Razovsky was born on May 4, 1891, to immigrant parents Jonas and Minna (Meyerson) Razovsky in St. Lo ...
:*
Julia Richman
:*
Rosa Sonneschein
Rosa Sonneschein (12 March 1847 – 12 May 1932) was the founder and editor of ''The American Jewess'' magazine. It was the first English-language periodical targeted to American Jewish women.
Personal life
Sonneschein was born in Prostějov, Mor ...
, founder and editor of ''The American Jewess'' magazine
:*
Pauline Perlmutter Steinem
Pauline Perlmutter Steinem (August 4, 1864 — January 5, 1940) was a Jewish American suffragist born in Poland. In 1904, she became the first woman to be elected to the Board of Education in Toledo, Ohio, as well as to any public office there, ...
, Jewish American suffragist, and grandmother of feminist
Gloria Steinem
Gloria Marie Steinem (; born March 25, 1934) is an American journalist and social-political activist who emerged as a nationally recognized leader of second-wave feminism
Second-wave feminism was a period of feminist activity that began in ...
See also
* ''
Roe v. Wade
''Roe v. Wade'', 410 U.S. 113 (1973),. was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States conferred the right to have an abortion. The decision struck down many federal and s ...
''
*
Jewish feminism
Jewish feminism is a movement that seeks to make the religious, legal, and social status of Jewish women equal to that of Jewish men in Judaism. Feminist movements, with varying approaches and successes, have opened up within all major branch ...
*
Child protection
Child protection is the safeguarding of children from violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect. Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child provides for the protection of children in and out of the home. One of the ways to e ...
*
Social work
Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...
*
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism, is a major Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of Judaism, the superiority of its ethical aspects to its ceremonial ones, and belief in a continuous searc ...
*
Jane Addams
Laura Jane Addams (September 6, 1860 May 21, 1935) was an American settlement activist, reformer, social worker, sociologist, public administrator, and author. She was an important leader in the history of social work and women's suffrage ...
*
Hull House
Hull House was a settlement house in Chicago, Illinois, United States that was co-founded in 1889 by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr. Located on the Near West Side of the city, Hull House (named after the original house's first owner Cha ...
*
Jacksonian democracy
Jacksonian democracy was a 19th-century political philosophy in the United States that expanded suffrage to most white men over the age of 21, and restructured a number of federal institutions. Originating with the seventh U.S. president, And ...
*
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University (TAU) ( he, אוּנִיבֶרְסִיטַת תֵּל אָבִיב, ''Universitat Tel Aviv'') is a public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Locate ...
References
Bibliography
* Cooper, Victoria. (2015) ''The Story of NCJW San Francisco Section: 115 Years of Courage, Compassion and Community Service''
* Mayer, T. (1994) ''Women and the Israeli Occupation: The Politics of Change''
* Misra, K., Rich, M. (2003) ''Jewish Feminism in Israel: Some Contemporary Perspectives''
* Nadell, P. (2003) ''American Jewish Women's History''
* Rogow, F. (2005) ''Gone to Another Meeting: The National Council of Jewish Women (1893-1993)''
* De Lange, N., Freud-Kandel, M. (2005) ''Modern Judaism: An Oxford Guide''
Archives and collections
Guide to the National Council of Jewish Women Collectionat the
Leo Baeck Institute
The Leo Baeck Institute, established in 1955, is an international research institute with centres in New York City, London, and Jerusalem that are devoted to the study of the history and culture of German-speaking Jewry. Baeck was its first intern ...
National Council of Jewish Women, Indianapolis Section, ArchivesNational Council of Jewish Women Recordsat the
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...
A Guide to the National Council of Jewish Women, San Antonio Section University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries (UTSA Libraries)
The University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries (UTSA Libraries) is the academic library of The University of Texas at San Antonio, a state research university in San Antonio, Texas, United States. UTSA Libraries consists of the John Peace Librar ...
Special Collections
National Council of Jewish Women, New York Sectionat the
American Jewish Historical Society
The American Jewish Historical Society (AJHS) was founded in 1892 with the mission to foster awareness and appreciation of American Jewish history and to serve as a national scholarly resource for research through the collection, preservation and ...
in New York
National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Minneapolis section recordsat the Upper Midwest Jewish Archives,
University of Minnesota Libraries
The University of Minnesota Libraries is the library system of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus, operating at 13 facilities in and around Minneapolis–Saint Paul. It has over 7 million volumes and 119,000 serial titles that are coll ...
National Council of Jewish Women, St. Paul section recordsat the Upper Midwest Jewish Archives,
University of Minnesota Libraries
The University of Minnesota Libraries is the library system of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus, operating at 13 facilities in and around Minneapolis–Saint Paul. It has over 7 million volumes and 119,000 serial titles that are coll ...
External links
Official websiteNCJW Action Center
{{Authority control
Feminism in the United States
Jewish-American political organizations
Women's political advocacy groups in the United States
Organizations established in 1893
Jewish feminism
Migration-related organizations based in the United States
Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C.
501(c)(3) organizations