National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Boston Evening Branch Records
Scope and Content Note
The records of the National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Boston Evening Branch consist of an incomplete run of newsletters spanning the group’s operation between the years 1982 and 1994. Originally called the NCJW Moonlighters of Greater Boston, the branch went through two name changes before merging with the NCJW Greater Boston Branch, becoming the NCJW Greater Boston Young Women’s Branch in 1984 and the NCJW Greater Boston Evening Section in 1988. The run of newsletters here reflect these changes. Also included are mailings to group members, invitations, and announcements, as well as summaries of past programs put on by the Young Women’s and Evening Branches.
This collection was donated by Janet Zerlin Fagan, who was the original coordinator of the Moonlighters and on the board of the later permutations of the section. There are some pages of notes and minutes from board meetings, primarily from the period of the Young Women’s Branch and the Evening Branch, and a small group of correspondence. The collection is arranged in chronological order.
Dates
- undated, circa 1982-1994
Language of Materials
The collection is in English.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for researcher use. Please contact us to request access or to make an appointment to view this collection at jhcreference@nehgs.org.
Use Restrictions
There may be some restrictions on the use of this collection. For more information contact jhcreference@nehgs.org.
Historical Note
The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) was founded in Chicago in 1893 as an organization of volunteers and social activists who worked to improve the lives of women, children, and families through the application of grassroots community programs. Their mission focused on three overarching themes: religion, philanthropy, and education. Hannah Greenebaum Solomon, the group’s founder, was inspired by Jewish values and advocated for the preservation of Jewish traditions and culture, while also taking an interest in progressive social issues, from women’s suffrage to school lunch programs.
The organization expanded, and regional sections were established to provide locally focused services. Most were based in urban areas, and by 1905, there were seventy-two senior sections and twenty-six junior sections (for younger Jewish women) in the United States, including a section in Boston. Originally called the Boston Council for Jewish Women and established in 1897, program priorities in the Greater Boston area were focused around women’s issues, children and the young, aging, Jewish life, and Israel.
Other sections were developed in Boston, such as the NCJW Greater Boston Section and the NCJW Greater Boston Evening Branch, for women who preferred to attend meetings and activities at night. In 1993, these two sections combined to become the NCJW Greater Boston Section. In 2008, an office of NCJW opened in Brookline, Massachusetts to coordinate the network of local volunteers and advocate for the organization on public policy issues. The Greater Boston Section either ceased activities, or was incorporated into the statewide organization, around 2010.
References
- Material from the collection.
- Dobkowski, Michael N., ed. Jewish American Voluntary Organizations (New York: Greenwood Press, 1986), 334-342.
- National Council of Jewish Women. “History.” Accessed May 6, 2015, http://www.ncjw.org/content_85.cfm?navID=27.
- Rosen, Oded, ed. Encyclopedia of Jewish Institutions (Tel Aviv: Mosadot Publications, Inc., 1983), 161.
- Sarna, Jonathan D., et al., eds. The Jews of Boston (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005), 230.
Chronology
- 1893
- National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is established.
- 1897
- Boston Council for Jewish Women is established.
- 1981
- NCJW Moonlighters of Greater Boston is established.
- 1984
- The Moonlighters is renamed the NCJW Greater Boston Young Women’s Branch.
- 1988
- The Young Women’s Branch is renamed the NCJW Greater Boston Evening Branch.
- 1993
- The NCJW Greater Boston Section and the Evening Branch combine to become the NCJW Greater Boston Section.
- 2008
- NCJW Massachusetts opens.
- circa 2010
- The NCJW Greater Boston Section ceases activities.
Extent
.25 linear feet (1 half-manuscript box, 1 oversized folder)
Abstract
The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), Greater Boston Evening Branch was established as a section of the larger national organization in 1981. Originally called the Moonlighters of Greater Boston, the group went through a period as the Young Women’s Branch, before becoming the Evening Branch. The collection contains an incomplete run of newsletters from the section’s beginnings through 1993, as well as member correspondence, such as announcements and invitations. The collection as includes notes and minutes from some of the Young Women’s and Evening Branch board meetings.
Physical Location
Located in Boston, Mass.
Acquisition Information
Donated by Janet Zerlin Fagan in 2014.
Processing Information
Processed by Shannon Struble, 2015.
- Title
- Guide to the National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Boston Evening Branch Records, I-583
- Author
- Processed by Shannon Struble
- Date
- 2012
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center at American Ancestors Repository