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National Council of Jewish Women, Denver Section records, 1893-1966Ira M. Beck Memorial Archives, Special Collections and Archives, Penrose Library, University of DenverEmail: jabrams@du.eduURL: http://library.du.edu/About/collections/SpecialCollections/NCJW/index.cfm
Organizational History
Susan B. Anthony was determined that women should participate in the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893. Anthony assigned Hannah Solomon the task of organizing a group of Jewish women to participate in the Fair. Solomon invited ninety Jewish women to attend the events in Chicago. During discussions at the Fair, Solomon convinced her Jewish colleagues of the need for a national organization, and so began the National Council of Jewish Women. After returning home to Denver, Colorado, Carrie Benjamin organized the Council's Denver section. Thirty-nine women met at Temple Emanuel and elected Carrie Benjamin the first president. Carrie Benjamin and the Council worked in the areas of religion, teaching, and philanthropy. Eventually the Council would take a stand on various social issues and reach out to help the community at large. Education was one of the Denver Section's first efforts. They taught classes on West Colfax to recent Eastern European immigrants, including cooking and sewing classes. Kindergartens (not yet a part of the public school system) were established. By 1908 the Council's adult evening classes offered a variety of subjects, including hammered brass, literature, dramatics, debating and Jewish studies. In 1910 the Council supervised a summer playground at Cheltenham School on West Colfax and Julian Street. The Council also established a Citizen's Committee For Public Schools, which worked with other civic organizations to improve Denver's schools and to secure the necessary financial support by issuing bonds. The Council worked closely with Judge Ben Lindsey, founder of Denver's Juvenile Court, and founded a Settlement House in West Denver for Jewish boys. Council members worked regularly at Wallace School (a private school for children with brain injuries) and a group of Council women founded the Children's Traveling Theatre and performed in orphanages and hospitals. Seraphine Pisko, who served as executive secretary at National Jewish Hospital, was elected to the National Board of the Council and in 1907 was president of the Denver Section. When she saw a sign at a hotel which proclaimed "No Jews--no consumptives," the Council and the Denver B'nai B'rith Lodge successfully lobbied the Colorado legislature for a bill to prohibit such language in signs and advertisements. The Council participated in the resettlement of refugees during the Holocaust in Germany. The Council furnished apartments for the refugees, taught them English, and instructed them how to navigate in America. The Council's Committee for Service to the Foreign Born helped members of the Denver community bring European relatives to America. All the efforts were the beginning of a resettlement program that came to prominence when the Denver Jewish Family and Children's Service was established in 1945. The Council worked closely with this agency to develop a resettlement plan known as the "Denver Plan," which became a model for similar programs in other cities. The Council also cooperated with other women's organizations to implement social programs. Through WICS (Women in Community Service), the Council screened and recruited young women for the Job Corps. Taken from "Denver Section: Council of Jewish Women" by Marjorie Hornbein in the Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Notes Volume 3, Number 2, July 1980. ArrangementCouncil Records and Oral Histories Scope and ContentThe National Council of Jewish Women, Denver Section records include meeting minutes, correspondence, financial records, newspaper clippings, publications, scrapbooks, and oral histories. The materials document the activities of a Jewish women's organization in Denver and the contributions of the women to social causes in Colorado. RestrictionsRestrictions on AccessThe collection is open to qualified researchers. Contact Beck Archives, Special Collections and Archives, Penrose Library, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado Restrictions on Use and ReproductionPermission for use or reproduction must be obtained from the Director of Beck Archives, Special Collections and Archives, Penrose Library, University of Denver. User is responsible for all copyright compliance. Preferred CitationNational Council of Jewish Women, Denver Section records, Ira M. Beck Memorial Archives, Special Collections and Archives, Penrose Library, University of Denver. Processing InformationThe collection was processed by Anna Dean Kepper in 1978 and reprocesed by Thyria K, Wilson in 2006. Provenance/Source of AcquisitionThe collection is open to qualified researchers. Contact Beck Archives, Special Collections and Archives, Penrose Library, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado Indexing TermsThe following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the repository's online public access catalog: Charities -- Colorado -- Denver. Denver (Colo.) -- social life and customs Immigrants -- Colorado -- Denver. Jewish community centers -- Colorado -- Denver. Jewish women -- Colorado -- Denver -- Societies and clubs. Jews -- Colorado -- Denver -- Charities. National Council of Jewish Women. Denver Section Women -- Colorado -- Denver -- Societies and clubs. Collection ContentsSeries 1
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| Description | Container | ||||
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Histories - National Council of Jewish Women, Denver Section (Handwritten); May Morris Home 1941 |
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Board of Directors - Bound Minutes and Related Documents (Part 1) 1898 September 10-1904 May 2 |
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Board of Directors - Bound Minutes and Related Documents (Part 2) 1898 May 23-1904 February 10 |
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Board of Directors - Bound Minutes and Related Documents (Part 1) 1917 May 16-1920 May 19 |
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Board of Directors - Bound Minutes and Related Documents (Part 2) 1917 May 14-1919 September 10 |
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Board of Directors - Bound Minutes and Related Documents 1925 May 27-1927 March 9 |
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Board of Directors - Bound Minutes and Related Documents 1927 February 16-1928 May 29 |
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Board of Directors - Minutes and Related Documents 1929 September 5 |
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Board of Directors - Bound Minutes and Related Documents 1946 June 12-1950 May 17 |
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Board of Directors - Minutes and Related Documents 1952 September 8-1954 May 5 |
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Correspondence, Minutes and Related Documents, Financial Records 1913-1958
| Description | Container | ||||
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Correspondence (3 items) 1924 March 12,1966 |
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Officers and Board Members 1956-1958 |
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Junior Council of Girls, NCJW, Denver Section - Minutes and Related Documents 1913 October 26-1916 May 7 |
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Board of Directors - Minutes and Related Documents 1927 March 8-1928 March 29 |
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Board of Directors - Minutes and Related Documents 1954 May 20-1956 June 20 |
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Board of Directors - Minutes and Related Documents 1956 August 28-1958 May 7 |
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Board of Directors - Minutes and Related Documents 1958 May 20-1962 December 5 |
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Financial Records - Financial Statements and Related Documents 1927 May 1-1958 April 30 |
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Financial Records - Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable (Combination Journal and Ledger) 1925 May 29-1939 January 1 |
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Financial Records - Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable (Combination Journal and Ledger) 1932 February 2-1941 July 1 |
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Financial Records - Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable (Combination Journal and Ledger) 1941 August 4-1947 September 1 |
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Education Department, Scrapbooks, Newspaper Clippings, Publications 1920-1994
| Description | Container | ||||
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Department of Education Materials - Correspondence, Newspaper Clippings, "Plan of Activity of the Department of Education, 1929-1932" 1916-1932 |
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Publications, Newsletters, Invitations 1930-1948, 1965 |
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National Council of Jewish Women Week - Conference Materials 1972 January 9-1972 January 15 |
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Scrapbooks (2) 1930s-1950s, 1959-1960 |
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Newspaper Clippings 1920-1935 |
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Newspaper Clippings 1934-1948 |
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"The Denver and National Council of Jewish Women: Creating New Roles Through Volunteerism" - Final Draft, Women and Social Change" by Ali Vogt 1994 May 4 |
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Yearbooks 1921-1947 |
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Marjorie Hornbein Article (Draft) undated |
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Minutes, Clippings, Scrapbooks, Newsletters 1900-1950
| Description | Container | ||||
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Board of Directors - Minutes and Related Documents 1936 May 4-1939 December 20 |
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Board of Directors and Executive Committee - Minutes and Related Documents 1943 May 17-1945 June 6 |
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Board of Directors - Bound Minutes and Related Documents 1950 May 17-1952 June 18 |
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Board of Directors - Miscellaneous Minutes and Related Documents 1919-1932 |
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Newspaper Clippings, Scrapbooks 1902-1952 |
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Bulletins 1929-1932 |
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Bulletins, Yearbooks, "Council of Jewish Women Official Report of the Ninth Triennial convention, Denver, Colo., November 7th to the 12th, 1920," German Children's Fund Ledger 1898-1959 |
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Papers of The Jewish Women's Congress Held at Chicago, September 4,5,6, and 7, 1893. Published by The Jewish Publication Society of America 1893 |
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Scrapbooks (2 - Oversize) 1952-1958 |
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Series 2
Oral Histories
| Description | Container | ||||
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"Billie" (Mrs. William) Stein 1978 April 4 "Billie" (Mrs. William) Stein relates how she learned to play a trumpet and joined a boys' band at the age of ten. She talks about her activities at West High School in Denver, Colo. She formed an all girls band of six named the "The Harmony Girls" and worked at Fitzsimmons during the day. She discusses the National Council of Jewish Women and her activities in the Council. Interviewers: Betty Schoen, Marjorie Hornbein |
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Tillye (Mrs. Sam) Levy 1978 May 15 Tillye (Mrs. Sam) Levy discusses her work in the National Council of Jewish Women, both in Denver, Colo. and nationally. She talks about the Council's background and its founder Hannah G. Solomon. She relates some of the activities of the Council, including prison and hospital visits as well as work with children. Tillye Levy was on the Committee of Service to Foreign-Born, which was active in the resettlement of Holocaust refugees. In 1940 she was elected to the National Board and served for six years. Interviewers: Betty Schoen, Marjorie Hornbein |
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Surriee (Mrs. Edward) Miller 1978 August 14 Surriee Miller talks about her family and early life on Denver, Colorado's West Side. She relates how her father grew a business from selling pencils in front of a saloon. She discusses her involvement in a number of charitable organizations, including the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) and the Guldman Center. She related the history of the NCJW and topics such as the Adoption Committee, the founding of the Thrift Shop, and assistance of refugees and creation of the Jewish Family and Children's Service. She also discusses a number of the other women involved with the NCJW. Interviewers: Betty Schoen, Marjorie Hornbein |
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Vivienne (Mrs. Arthur) Sigman 1978 August 19 Vivienne (Mrs. Arthur) Sigman discusses her work in the National Council of Jewish Women and the history of activites of the Council. She also talks about a number of the other members of the Council. She worked with the Thrift Shop and other fund-raising activities. Vivienne Sigman was also a member of the Jewish Family and Children's Service and the Allied Jewish Federation. Interviewers: Betty Schoen, Marjorie Hornbein |
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Saralee Pollock Shaper 1978 June 13 Saralee Shaper covers her childhood in Denver, Colo, and her work for the National Council of Jewish Women. Her family came from Russia and had a small grocery store in Denver. She talks about her education at the University of Denver and her teaching experience. She also talks about husbands Dr. Lewis Pollack and Charles Shaper and her children. She discusses her activities at the National Council of Jewish Women and also her work with the Rose Hospital Board, Visiting Nurse Association, and the Allied Jewish Federation. Interviewers: Elaine Bloch and Madelon Fladerman |
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Carol (Mrs. Harold) Leight 1978 July 14 Carol Leight was President of the Council of Jewish Women 1967-1969 and was particularly active in Civil Rights activities. She started in the Council by working with the Public Affairs Department in the late 1950s. She discusses the Council's views on political issues as well as her own personal philosophies. Her presidency was during challenging times, during the Six Day War and racial riots. Activities during her presidency included the Speakers Bureau on Israel, Women in Community Service (Girls Job Corps), and a federal study on hunger and children in schools. Interviewers: Betty Schoen, Marjorie Hornbein |
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Mary (Mrs. Sidney) Jacobs 1978 April 14 Mary Jacobs first talks about her work with the Junior Council. She then discusses her work with the National Council of Jewish Women, primarily philanthropic, educational, and social services. She also worked to educate members and the community and did legislative work. She developed the Utility Workshop for handicapped and other people unable to work, the traveling theatre, and was active in fundraising. Interviewers: Betty Schoen, Marjorie Hornbein |
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Elaine (Mrs. Kenneth) Long 1978 May 24 Elaine Long talks about growing up Jewish in Memphis, Tenn. She talks about race relations in Memphis and in Denver. She discusses in-depth the events before and during the court-ordered integration of the Denver school system. She felt that her role in the community was to fight injustice. Elaine Jacobs also talks about the role of the Council in creating WICS (Women in Community Service) and her work in recruiting girls for the Girls Job Corps. Interviewers: Elaine Bloch and Madelon Fladerman |
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Melba Kirsch 1978 May 26 Melba Kirsch talks briefly about her family background and her life and then talks about her work with the Council. She was first involved in community work in B'nai B'rith, Anti-Defamation League, and the Hadassah. She was involved in the resettlement programs, job programs, and the Skyline Urban Renewal Project of the Council. Interviewers: Elaine Bloch and Madelon Fladerman |
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Marilyn Berenbeim 1978 May 15 Marilyn Berenbeim grew up in the small town of Columbus, Texas which had about 12 Jews. Her mother started a Council of Jewish Women for 8 local communities in 50 square mile radius. Marilyn joined the Council in Denver in 1953 and was President in 1961 and 1962. During her Presidency, the thrift shop was formed and Jewish Cubans were resettled in Denver. Interviewers: Elaine Bloch and Madelon Fladerman |
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Beatrice B. (Mrs. Jack) Weil 1978 May 22 Beatrice Weil talks about growing up in Humbolt, Tennessee, her family and her life in Denver. Her early impression was that only tuberculars and asthmatics lived in Denver. She joined the Denver Council in in 1928 and was President from 1942 through 1943. During her presidency the Council was very involved in the war effort. The Council was also involved in resettling and Americanizing refugees of WWII. Interviewers: Elaine Bloch and Madelon Fladerman |
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Myra Glick Levy 1978 June 2 Myra Levy discusses growing up in an anti-Semitic area of Denver. Both Myra Levy and her husband's families came to Denver because of tuberculosis. She talks about her memories of Temple Emanuel and Rabbi Friedman. She was President of the Council 1958-1959. During her presidency she got more of a cross-section of members, worked with new immigrants, and worked on the traveling theatre. Interviewers: Elaine Bloch and Madelon Fladerman |
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