Finding aid for the Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Cleveland Chapter Records

History of Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Cleveland Chapter

The Cleveland, Ohio Chapter of Hadassah was established in June 1913 by twenty-one charter members meeting in the home of Dr. Isidore and Kate Biskind. Originally known as Shoshana Chapter of the Daughters of Zion, it was the third chapter of a national organization established a year earlier by Henrietta Szold. Within one year, the organization changed its name to Haddassah and the Cleveland chapter had enrolled 400 members. By 1919, the local membership was over 1000.

Prior to the formation of the Cleveland chapter, Rachel Landy, a local nurse, was sent to Palestine along with Rose Kaplan of New York by the New York and Baltimore chapters to conduct district nursing visits. They established the first Hadassah House nursing center in Palestine in the Mea Shearim neighborhood of Jerusalem. Out of this effort grew the Hadasah Medical Organization which became and remains a primary focus for Hadassah fundraising.

Promoting Jewish institutions in Palestine and fostering Zionist ideals among American Jewry were Hadassah's initial goals. The Cleveland chapter provided Hebrew classes for its members beginning in 1914 under the direction of Leah Garber. Under the leadership of its first president, Elsa Rogat, Hadassah instituted annual dinner dances and raffles to raise funds for the upbuilding work in Palestine. During Kate Biskind's presidency (1915-1919), Hadassah participated in the Zionist Organization of America's Palestine Restoration Fund drives. Biskind resigned in 1919 to settle in Palestine where her husband became the first director of the Hadassah medical unit.

Hadassah membership increase during the 1920s despite the general decline in Zionist memberships locally and nationally. In 1923, Junior Hadassah was established for the purpose of raising funds to assist in the care of Jewish orphans in Palestine. During the mid 1920s, the Cleveland chapter of Hadassah received an honor from the national for the largest proportional increase in membership among all of the chapters.

In 1925, Yonina Friedland reestablished Hebrew classes for Hadassah members. In 1932, study groups were established to formalize the cultural and political educational offerings of the chapter. Soon thereafter, the Cleveland chapter created a Department of Education. In the area of fund raising, the Cleveland chapter innovated the donor luncheon which became a major forum for collecting funds.

During World War II, the Cleveland chapter helped organize Red Cross blood donation drives, offered first aid courses, and bought and sold war bonds. Today, with a membership of near 4000 (as of 1984), it supports the Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center in Israel, schools and hospitals, and youth villages; conducts educational and cultural programs for members; and sponsors a Zionist youth group, Hashachar-Young Judea.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Hadassah

Scope and Content

The Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Cleveland Chapter Records, 1914-1972 and undated, consist of correspondence, including correspondence of Henrietta Szold, programs, brochures and newspaper clippings.

This collection will be useful to researchers studying the history of the Jewish community in Cleveland, Ohio, during the twentieth century, particularly the activities of Jewish women. This collection documents the philanthropic, charitable, and Zionist activities of the Cleveland chapter of Hadassah, particularly efforts to promote Jewish institutions in Palestine and Israel.

The bulk of the correspondence relates to the Cleveland chapter's Silver Jubilee in 1937 and the Henrietta Szold Memorial in 1950. Of particular interest are two letters from Szold to Dr. Isadore Biskind (1914) and Kate Biskind (116). The former contains a discussion of their views about institution building in Palestine and Szold's analysis of the Federation of American Zionists convention of 1914. The letter to Kate Biskind contains an attack against Louis Lipsky, chairman of the Executive Committee of the Federation of American Zionists, for his charge that Hadassah was not undertaking "real Zionist work."

A series of printed circular letters from Szold to the chapters recounts the work of Hadassah was assisting in Palestine. These letters help illustrate the type of work supported by Zionists during the 1910s and 1920s. The historical material relating to the Cleveland chapter highlights the early history of the chapter, focusing on the type of activities it sponsored and the organizational structure of the group.

The collection contains some material from the national office of Hadassah including newsletters and scripts prepared for special slide programs. Also included is a scrapbook documenting the annual meetings of the Hadassah Central States Region from 1948-1957.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Access

None.

The researcher should also consult MS 4768 Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Cleveland Chapter Records, Series II; MS 4937 Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Cleveland Chapter Records, Series III; and MS 5167 Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Cleveland Chapter Records, Series IV.

Seven phonograph recordings of special programs have been removed to the WRHS audio-visual collection. All photographs have been removed to the WRHS photograph and print collection.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 3956 Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Cleveland Chapter Records, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Gifts of Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Cleveland Chapter, in 1976 and 1984.

Processing Information

Processed by Scott Cline in 1984.

Detailed Description of The Collection