Hannah Greenebaum Solomon (; January 14, 1858 – December 7, 1942) was a social reformer and the founder of the

National Council of Jewish Women 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 ...

, the first national association of Jewish women. Solomon was an important organizer who reached across boundaries of religious conviction at the local, national, and international levels.

Biography

Solomon was born in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

on January 14, 1858, the fourth of ten siblings, to Sarah (née Spiegel) and Michael Greenebaum. Her father was part of the earliest group of Jews to settle in the frontier city of

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

.''Fabric of My Life, the Autobiography of Hannah G. Solomon''
New York: Bolch Publishing Company, 1946. Accessed November 16, 2021 Her uncle was

Joseph Spiegel Joseph Spiegel (1840–1918) was the founder of the Spiegel catalog, a Civil War veteran, the younger brother of Union Army Colonel Marcus M. Spiegel, and patriarch of the Spiegel family. Biography Spiegel was born to a Jewish family, the son ...

, the founder of the Spiegel catalog. Solomon’s parents set an example of strong civic involvement; her mother organized Chicago's first Jewish Ladies Sewing Society, where they made clothes for the needy, and her father founded the

Zion Zion ( he, צִיּוֹן ''Ṣīyyōn'', LXX , also variously transliterated ''Sion'', ''Tzion'', ''Tsion'', ''Tsiyyon'') is a placename in the Hebrew Bible used as a synonym for Jerusalem as well as for the Land of Israel as a whole (see Nam ...

Literary Society A literary society is a group of people interested in literature. In the modern sense, this refers to a society that wants to promote one genre of writing or a specific author. Modern literary societies typically promote research, publish newsle ...

, was a volunteer

fireman A firefighter is a first responder and rescuer extensively trained in firefighting, primarily to extinguish hazardous fires that threaten life, property, and the environment as well as to rescue people and in some cases or jurisdictions also ...

, and also helped found Chicago's first

Reform synagogue 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 sear ...

, Kehilath Anshe Maarav. In 1876, Hannah and her older sister Henriette were the first Jewish women ever to be elected to the elite Chicago

Women's Club The woman's club movement was a social movement that took place throughout the United States that established the idea that women had a moral duty and responsibility to transform public policy. While women's organizations had always been a part ...

. Many of Solomon's ideas for the National Council of Jewish Women stemmed from her experiences with the Chicago Woman's Club, which emphasized philanthropy and education. Solomon became involved in an attempt to build a national association for Jewish women out of an evident lack of associations for Jewish women and a desire to propagate change. After years of planning and organizing, the Jewish Women’s Congress met in 1893, culminating in a vote to form the National Council of Jewish Women. At that same meeting, Solomon was elected president in a unanimous show of approval. By the Council's first Triennial convention in 1896, NCJW was an organization of fifty sections and over 3,300 members. Solomon resigned as President in 1905, citing health reasons and the need to rest. Solomon was indefatigable in her active civic involvement. Her many positions included serving as President of the Illinois Industrial School for Girls. Solomon also worked to institute Chicago's first Juvenile Court and to improve the city's laws concerning children. Throughout her time as an organizer, Solomon relied on her family to support her and her efforts. Her husband, Henry Solomon, often accompanied her on business trips, and the whole family travelled to

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

for the

International Council of Women The International Council of Women (ICW) is a women's rights organization working across national boundaries for the common cause of advocating human rights for women. In March and April 1888, women leaders came together in Washington, D.C., wit ...

Convention in 1904. She died at her home in Chicago on December 7, 1942. In her later years, as well as after her death, Solomon was celebrated again and again for her trailblazing work. The

still evokes her words as an inspiration to "improve the quality of life for women, children and families and... ensure individual rights and freedoms for all".

Legacy

An elementary school named in her honor was opened on Chicago's North Side in 1955. In 1995, Solomon was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.National Women's Hall of Fame, Hannah Greenebaum Solomon
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References

External links

Women of Valor exhibit on Justine Wise Polier
at th
Jewish Women's ArchiveHannah G. Solomon: Her Papers in the Library of Congress
Finding aid for the Solomon's papers held at 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 ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Solomon, Hannah G. 1858 births 1942 deaths People from Chicago American Jews American activists Presidents of the National Council of Jewish Women Clubwomen Spiegel family

Biography

Legacy

See also

References

External links