History

1918 Daughters of Israel organized by Mrs. Isadore Cohen (Ida)

THE FIRST DECADE…

1921 Chartered as National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Miami Section
1922 Assistance to Russian and Polish refugees living in Cuba; Funds to Denver Hospital for Consumptives
1925 Passover food to Cuba; Aid to all immigrants at Port of Miami
1926 Aid to new settlers in Palestine; aid to hurricane victims
1927 Established scholarships at the University of Miami; English lessons and job placement for new Americans

The 30s…

1934 Subsidy to German children
1935 Passover baskets to needy families in Miami
1937 Helped establish the Greater Miami Jewish Federation; Named local cooperating agency of Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS)
1938 Volunteers responsible for port and dock reception of German refugees
1939 Assisted in refugee naturalization process

The 40s…

1940 Establishment of Council House on North Bayshore Drive
1941 Study groups on legislation; Consumer welfare education and forums; Involvement at all levels of World War II effort
1946 Ship-a-Box toys to Hungary; Survey of educational needs for the hearing impaired; Funding Alexander Graham Bell Oral School
1947 Pilot project for pre-school hearing-impaired
1949 Opening of the first Thrift Shop; Funding for the Haven School for the Retarded; Ship-a-Box toys to France

The 50s…

1951 Provided Sheltered Workshops for new Americans; Aid to immigrants from displaced persons camps; Mosquito netting to Israel for malaria epidemic
1952 Miami Section divides into Town and Beach divisions: Survey of educational needs of sight-handicapped children: Financial assistance and volunteers at Miramar School’s Sight-Handicapped Program
1953 Creation of the United Restitution Office to process indemnification claims of Nazi victims
1954 Organized Braille classes
1955 Miami Herald Club-of-the-Year Award for Sight-Handicapped Program
1957 Miami Section divides into seven divisions (7 in 1957)
1959 “Funds Room” at Hebrew University High School

The 60s…

1960 Instituted Cuban Refugee Program
1961 Miami Herald Club-of-the-Year Award for Braille Bindery and Library; Senior Citizen Program at Malcolm Ross Senior Day Center
1962 Volunteers in Hearing and Sight Handicapped programs in Dade County Public Schools; Volunteers in the outpatient department at Kendall Hospital
1963 Home hospitality for international visitors
1964 Senior Citizen’s Program extended to senior centers throughout Dade County
1965 Coalition of NCJW and CWU in “Women in Community Service” (WICS) to recruit and screen young women in poverty job corps
1966 Participation in the organization of South Florida Conference on Soviet Jewry; First Russian immigrant family emigrates to Miami: First Hannah G. Solomon Award presented to Myra Farr
1967 Establishment of Crisis Intervention Program with Mental Health Association; Volunteers in Head Start and other anti-poverty children’s programs
1969 Organization of Larchmont Gardens Tenants’ League

The 70s…

1970 First Child Care Luncheon; Survey of need for child-care centers
1971 Distribution of surplus food to senior citizens on welfare
1972 Variety Children’s Hospital playroom; “Call for Action” – Channel 6
1973 Larchmont Gardens Child Care Centre; Involvement in Tay-Sachs Program; South Dade JCC-NCJW Child Care Center
1974 Tape recording for the blind; Telecare; Juvenile Aid and Referral Service – Office of Probation; Foster Group Home for Youth in the jurisdiction of the juvenile courts
1975 Russian Resettlement Program; Neo-Natal Hearing Testing Program; Hot Meals nutrition program for the elderly;
1977 Comprehensive program for the integration of Russian immigrants
1978 Initiation of Comprehensive Child Protection Program (CCPP) for abused children; Juvenile court invites NCJW to participate in the Children in Placement Program
1979 Establishment of “Crisis Nursery”; Day Care for Russian immigrant children

The 80s…

1980 Involvement in learning disability programs for Jewish students attending local religious institutions; Establishment of Myra Farr Volunteer Service Award
1981 Establishment of the Guardian Ad Litem Program, which provides volunteer advocates
to protect dependent children in court proceedings; First Myra Farr Award presented; opened Thrift Shop on W. Dixie Highway
1982 Survey of Adolescent Girls in the Juvenile Justice System
1983 CHARLEE (Children Have All Rights, Legal, Educational, Emotional); Opens long-term family care homes for abused and neglected children
1984 “Listen to Children,” a volunteer program in the Dade County Public Schools
1985 HIPPY (Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters) – a home-based program for the educational enrichment of disadvantaged preschool children; Federation Garden & Towers – Enrichment programs and equipment for the elderly
1986 Survey of “Mothers in the Workplace” for the Center for the Child; Michael Ann Russell JCC Infant Day Care
1987 Rescue and Migration Service chosen as a “Qualified Designated Entity” (QDE) as part of the Amnesty/Legalization Law; Directory and other materials buried in a one-hundred-year time capsule at Lakeside Memorial
1988 Citizens Advisory Committee for school-based health clinics; Passover and Chanukah celebrations at Palms Nursing Home
1989 Holiday gifts for children in foster care

The 90s…

1990 Resourcemobile – Mobile Resource Unit for family daycare providers; St. Albans Day Care Center, Women’s Emergency Network
1991 Provided activities funding for Federation Gardens; Assist Russian immigrants in cooperation with Jewish Family Service; Kendall Branch becomes a Section
1992 Safe Child Project; Hurricane Andrew Community Assistance and Funds; Mentioned in Congressional Record (102nd Congress)
1993 Hello Israel Project; Day of the Working Parent; Teen Violence Intervention and Prevention Program; American Bankers Insurance receives first corporate Hannah G. Solomon Award; Greater Miami Section Emerging Leader Award
1995 Parents as School Partners
1996 Nan Rich installed as National NCJW President; CHARLEE Gladstone Center VITA Course installed; GMS participates in MiamiCentennial; Voices for Children legal interns
1997 Kesher Enrichment Program; Silent Witness Initiative; Received “Most Valuable Protector” Award from Voices for Children
1998 Thrift Shop closes, office moves to Miami Beach JCC; Woman of Valor Award; President’s Award introduced
1999 National Convention in Miami; North Dade Section joins Greater Miami Section

The 2000s…

2000 JAFCO, Jackson Adopt-A-Floor Projects
2001 Establishment of Woman of Valor Patrons, Hannah’s Sisters
2002 GAP Girls Club, Bully-proofing Your School projects
2003 NCJW Teens organized
2004 Woman of Valor Pioneer Patrons created; GMS recognized at the “Surviving Through Inner Strength” Luncheon
2005 Cornerstone supporter of Casa Valentina
2006 JCS Shalom Bayit Jewish Domestic Abuse Program
2007 Office moves to Woldenberg Center at Temple Beth Sholom; Coalition partner with South Florida Coalition to Promote Emergency Contraception
2008 Nancy Ratzan installed as National NCJW President; Establishment of the Helen Kotler Membership Outreach Initiative
2009 Founding member of the Girls Coalition; Community sponsor of the MAR-JCC J-CAT play Women’s Minyan

2010 – 2020…

2014 Sponsor of Sex Trafficking Awareness program with State’s Attorney’s office
2015 Founding partner of Stop Sex Trafficking Miami Campaign
2016 Creation of Presidium governance model tasked with rebuilding
2017 Established monthly community service project “We’ve Got You Covered” with Mt. Sinai Cancer Center
2018 New office at CIC Miami; Amendment 4 voter restoration advocacy campaign; established Listen & Engage Leadership Development Program; Monthly Rosh Chodesh program led by one of our community’s female clergy; Monthly Advocacy Film Series
2019 Installation of new Board of Directors