National Council of Jewish Women, Vancouver Section

Identity area

Type of entity

Corporate body

Authorized form of name

National Council of Jewish Women, Vancouver Section

Parallel form(s) of name

    Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules

      Other form(s) of name

        Identifiers for corporate bodies

        Description area

        Dates of existence

        1924-

        History

        The National Council of Jewish Women, Vancouver Section, founded in 1924, is a voluntary organization which was chartered in affiliation with the International Council of Jewish Women and the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada. The Branch has operated continually since that time, offering services to Jewish and non-Jewish families locally and internationally in the areas of education, social service, and social action.

        Projects initiated at the local level over the years include assistance to refugees from Europe before and during World War II and sponsorship of a Jewish orphanage in Bergstitiching, Holland. During the 1950s the Section concentrated on matters of health care for children and seniors including the study into the emotional care of children in hospitals, and reports and recommendations regarding the social needs of senior citizens. During the 1970s the Branch initiated a Kosher Meals on Wheels program, managed a mobile preschool and purchased a mobile hearing testing bus for preschool children (first van was presented in 1983; second van was presented in 1985). Studies into the care of seniors continued. Members also worked in liaison with other Jewish organizations such as the Jewish Family Services Agency and the Canadian Jewish Congress in matters such as care of seniors and the treatment refugees. Through the 1980s members of the Section participated in matters of national and international concern, such as the meeting for the United Nations Decade for Women in Nairobi, Kenya in 1985.

        Other projects and services are: English classes for immigrants; volunteer training programs; establishment of Golden Age Club at the Jewish Community Centre in 1950; various World War II projects including library hut for soldiers in Terrace; sponsorship of L’Chaim Centre for Adult Daycare with Jewish Family Service Agency; scholarships and bursaries at SFU and UBC (in ethnic relations, gerontology and general studies); prizes to students at Emily Carr Art School and UBC Faculty of Music; financial support for annual symposium on Holocaust education at UBC for Lower Mainland high school students; support for various services to children, seniors and newcomers, including Red Cross Child Abuse Prevention program; Citizenship Court hostesses; volunteers for Canadian Cancer Society and Vancouver Children’s Festival; publication of Shalom Community Directory with UJA; and “Best of Council” cookbook.

        The Branch operates with a locally elected Board of Directors which is responsible to the membership. The Board President reports to the President of the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada and attends meetings at the national level. Policies and policy directives from the National level influence the Section’s stands on matters such as abortion, human rights, and health care.

        A number of separate meeting groups have existed through the Section’s history. The demographics and purposes of the groups may be characterized by their titles, such as the Evening Group, The Bride’s Group, The Business and Professional Women’s Group, Hannah G. Soloman Branch, and the National Council of Jewish Juniors, with activities keyed to membership talents and interests. Until 1958, each meeting group kept their own minutes and records of activities on an informal basis. Starting that year each group or sub-branch elected a Board of Directors and minutes and other records were directed toward the president of the Afternoon Branch, who served as overall Section President.

        In 1960 an Inner Council was formed by the President of the Vancouver Section, Past Presidents, and members of the National Board of Directors, a recording secretary, a corresponding secretary, and a member from each operating group. In 1983-84 Branches and groups were again functioning autonomously, without the recognized authority of a Section president. This led to the development of a coordinating or CORE committee, under the co-chairmanship of Miriam Warren and Ruth Weinberg.

        Vancouver Section Highlights:
        1924 – Vancouver Section formed and Sunday morning Religious School founded
        1926 – Opened “Council House” on Jackson Ave., precursor to the JCC opened in 1928
        1927 – Established Well-Baby Clinic
        1932 – Published first Council Cookbook
        1933 – Set up Noodle Factory to create employment for newcomers on relief
        1937 – Opened Council Camp at Crescent Beach, first permanent Jewish camp in Western Canada which became Camp Hatikvah
        1942 – Provided and furnished library hut and recreation area for soldiers at Terrace, BC
        1949 – Sponsored English night school classes, and sent aid overseas through “Ship-A-Box”
        1949 – Donated $12,500 to JCC Building Fund for Golden Age Lounge
        1950 – Opened Golden Age Club at JCC, due to organizing efforts of Bessie Diamond and Thelma Ginsberg
        1953 – Ran Thrift Shop until 1979 to raise funds for projects and outfit the needy
        1956 – Helped resettle Hungarian refugees
        1965 – Initiated first Head Start preschool in Vancouver in Riley Park area
        1970 – Established Jewish Historical Society of BC with Canadian Jewish Congress, Pacific Region
        1971 – Initiated Schools for Citizen Participation
        1971 – Established Welcome Wagon/Info Centre at JCC
        1972 – Inaugurated preschool hearing screening program, leading to gift of two mobile vans to Vancouver Health Department
        1973 – Coordinated Tay Sachs clinic
        1982 – Co-sponsored and provided seed money for creation of L’Chaim Adult Day Care Centre
        1985 – Published first edition of “Shalom! – Welcome to Vancouver” Directory
        1987 – Hosted International Council of Jewish Women and NCJW of Canada Conventions
        1988 – Published second edition of “Shalom!” directory, funded by Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver

        Places

        Vancouver, British Columbia

        Legal status

        Functions, occupations and activities

        Mandates/sources of authority

        Internal structures/genealogy

        General context

        Relationships area

        Access points area

        Subject access points

        Place access points

        Occupations

        Control area

        Authority record identifier

        Institution identifier

        Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia / Nemetz Jewish Community Archives

        Rules and/or conventions used

        Status

        Final

        Level of detail

        Full

        Dates of creation, revision and deletion

        November 1, 2011

        Language(s)

        • English

        Script(s)

          Sources

          Maintenance notes