Collection Guide: National Jewish Welfare Board

• JWB organized in New York City, April 9, to serve religious and welfare needs of Jewish military personnel in World War I. The conference convened by National Council of YMHAs and Kindred Associations names Dr. Cyrus Adler President.
• United States Government Commission on Training Camp Activities names JWB as Jewish community's instrument for serving military. JWB begins recruiting Rabbis as Chaplains and hundreds of field workers.
• Commissioning of Jewish chaplains authorized by Congress at JWB's behest.

• JWB opens servicemen's Centers for Jewish soldiers at domestic and overseas posts, making extensive use of YM-YWHA buildings.
• JWB becomes part of United War Work Campaign.
• National Association of Jewish Center Workers founded, with Aaron Robison as first President.

• Registration and identification of Jewish war graves overseas undertaken by JWB.
• Welfare needs of demobilized servicemen handled by JWB.

• War Department asks JWB to continue morale services for peacetime military.

• Merger with National Council of YMHAs and Kindred Associations, founded in 1913, makes JWB national association of Ys and JCCs and agency for serving Jews in military as of July 1.
• New England, New Jersey, New York State and Pennsylvania Federations of YM-YWHAs and Metropolitan New York League of Jewish Community Associations, all antedating JWB, become part of new organization.
• Community studies and building fund campaign undertaken for new JCCs.
• First training course for JCC workers established.

• JWB begins intensive programming services to JCCs. Lecture Bureau organized and Jewish Center Quarterly Launched.
• Building Bureau established for JCCs.
• Welfare and religious services extended to Canal Zone.

• Jewish Welfare Trust created from surplus of World War I funds.

• President Coolidge joins JWB leaders in laying cornerstone of Washington, D.C., Center.
• Veterans' Administration recognizes JWB as agency to present claims of Jewish veterans.
• 47 new JCC buildings opened since end of war, bringing total to 120.
• JWB helps create Graduate School for Jewish Social Work in New York.

• Religious and welfare services extended to citizen military training camps.
• JWB cooperates with American Battle Monuments Commission in marking Jewish war graves.

• JWB convenes first training institute for JCC workers.

• JWB joins Amateur Athletic Union and U.S. Olympic Committee as representative of Jewish Community in amateur sports.

• Stock Market crash brings halt to decades of new JCC building construction.

• JWB helps form National Conference on Jewish Employment.

• Day Camp programming for JCCs launched by JWB.
• JWB joins President Hoover's Welfare and Relief Mobilization.
• JWB organizes American team for first Maccabiad in Palestine.

• JWB helps launch mobilization for human needs under National Recovery Administration.

• Department of Health Education and Camping established. JWB holds first camp counselors training course.

• JWB leads fight to keep United States out of Nazi-controlled Berlin Olympic Games.
• Personnel Department is organized.
• Eleven societies on the West Coast organize the Pacific Coast Federation of JCCs, which is admitted into JWB two years later.

• JWB spurs Centers to aid in assistance of refugees from Hitlerism.
• JWB helps organize National Jewish Committee on Scouting.

• Adoption of Mobilization Day Plan prepares JWB for wartime role.

• War Department reaffirms JWB role as official representative of Jewish Community in serving military.
• Expanded Committee on Army and Navy Religious Activities begins recruiting Jewish chaplains to meet mounting needs of Armed Forces.
• Jewish Community Center Program Aids launched.

• JWB becomes a founding member of USO.
• Hundreds of Jewish Communities mobilize for war service under JWB Banner.
• JWB given responsibility for compiling record of Jewish military participation.

• Organization of Jewish Community Center Division spurs service to Center field.
• Women's Organizations' Division created for war service.
• JWB begins overseas operations for Armed Forces.
• JWB helps establish Associated Youth Organizations, alliance of six national agencies, to map joint action on youth needs.

• JWB serves military on five continents through chaplains, field workers, community groups, and USO.
• JWB becomes constituent of Greater New York United Jewish Appeal.

• Jewish Chaplains at side of GIs as European invasion begins.
• Overseas Army and Navy Committees established.
• JWB becomes sponsor of Jewish Book Council of America.
• Southern Section of JWB is organized.
• USO-JWB programs for military help generate Jewish activities in small Jewish communities.

• War's end finds JWB serving in 588 communities and at 203 USO operations; 311 Jewish chaplains on duty.
• JWB organizes National Jewish Music Council and launches Jewish Music Festival.
• Independent survey of JWB to guide postwar programming and service initiated, with Dr. Salo W. Baron as head of survey commission and Dr. Oscar I. Janowsky as survey Director.
• Jewish chaplains aid liberated concentration camp survivors.

• JWB takes initiative in creating World Federation of YMHAs.
• Women's Organizations' Division launches Serve-a-Hospital Program.

• JWB Survey calls for stressing Jewish goals and programs of Centers. Adoption of survey recommendations ushers in new era for Center movement.
• "Americans in World War II," story of Jewish wartime heroism, by Dr. Samuel C. Kohs and I. Kaufman, published by JWB.
• JWB joins in creating Training Bureau for Jewish communal service.
• Jewish Music Council sponsors international competition for new compositions.

• JWB becomes sponsor of American Jewish Historical Society.
• JWB takes part in reconstituted USO, as new selective Service Act becomes law.
• National Jewish Youth Conference founded under JWB auspices.

• Center and Synagogue relationships explored by JWB and Synagogue Council of America.
• First Jewish History Week is observed.
• JWB joins Veterans Administration Voluntary Service Program.

• Rabbis vote self-imposed draft to recruit military chaplains.
• JWB helps form Associated Services for Armed Forces as USO deactivates.
• Jerusalem YM-YWHA opened as first center in Israel.

• USO called back into service with JWB representing Jewish community.
• Center Programs for aged expand under JWB impetus.

• First JWB Year Book is issued.
• New GI Haggadah published by Chaplaincy Commission.
• JWB helps create council on Social Work Education.
• American Jewish Historical Society again becomes independent society.

• JWB sponsors observance of Jewish Community Center Centennial.
• Nationwide drive to recruit Center workers launched by JWB.
• JWB Servicemen's Club opens in Tokyo.
• Ford Foundation grant helps train European Center workers in United States.

• JWB program resources used in American Jewish Tercentenary Celebration.
• First book on Center practice published by NAJCW and JWB.
• Commission on Center-Federation Relationships created.

• JWB Associates is launched.

• Personnel at newly opened missile bases get JWB morale services.
• Scholarship program expanded for qualified young people seeking careers in Center work.
• National Jewish Writers Conference sponsored by Jewish Book Council.

• Sabbath Programming Policy for Centers is adopted.
• Code to promote Center-Federation ties approved.

• Jewish values in Center programming appraised at JWB conference.
• Chaplaincy Commission prepares Jewish section in Tri-Faith Hymnal.
• First National Training Institute held for Center women leaders.

• Centers assume role in JWB financing with the adoption of Fair Share Plan at JWB Biennial.
• JWB joins Council of Cultural Agencies.
• JWB takes active role in White House Conference on Children and Youth.

• Broad reappraisal of JWB structure and services is launched.
• Findings of JWB Study on Teenagers is published.
• New military buildup spurs call for more Jewish chaplains and JWB service.
• National Public Affairs Committee established.
• JWB participates in White House Conference on Aging.
• JWB Year Book reports that 83 new Centers erected since end of war have cost $80,000,000.
• S.D. Gershovitz Memorial Young Adult Research Project started.

• Major JWB structural and service changes begin as reappraisal report is adopted.
• Centennial of Jewish Military Chaplaincy.
• Cuban crisis brings swift JWB mobilization.
• JWB aids Canadian Ys to form National Council.
• National Conference on Center Programming in the Arts convened.

• JWB Research Center established in cooperation with NAJCW.
• Domestic Peace Corps and U.S. Cultural Arts Program endorsed by JWB.
• Dedication of Air Force Academy Chapel equipped through JWB efforts.
• JWB enunciates supportive position on Civil Rights and urges Centers to follow suit.
• Consolidation of regional center and Armed Services work begins.
• JWB joins in observance of 20th anniversary of Warsaw Ghetto Revolt.

• Soviet Anti-Semitism protested by JWB.
• Findings of JWB Young Adult Study made public.
• JWB Canal Zone Center aids refugees from Panama riots.
• Jewish chaplain and JWB supplies reach Vietnam.
• Ground broken for new Jerusalem YM-YWHA building.
• Florence G. Heller elected first woman President of JWB.

• JWB, Hillel and Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds join forces in Conference on Jewish Young Adults.
• JWB launches two way exchange program between U.S. and Israeli social workers as 23 American JCC workers attend training seminar in Israel and Israeli workers are placed in American Centers.
• Jewish chaplain aids wounded as crisis erupts in Dominican Republic.
• Two more Jewish Chaplains reach Vietnam as JWB takes steps to meet increased needs of military personnel.
• First National Teenage Training Institute convened by JWB.

• Lavanburg-Corner House (New York City) renews grant to spur recruitment of JCC workers.
• Year long celebration of JWB's 50th anniversary launched at Golden Jubilee Biennial Convention.

• The Women's Organizations' Services celebrates its 25th anniversary.
• The Montreal YM-YWHA opens the Saidye Bronfman Center as the first Center branch entirely devoted to Jewish education programming and activities.
• New Jerusalem YM-YWHA building opened.

• JWB helps JCCs develop social, recreational and cultural projects for the disadvantaged poor as part of an overall Jewish strategy to cope with the crisis in the cities and to help end poverty.
• Florence G. Heller Award for distinguished contributions to JWB's fields of work established.
• JWB begins its Service to Small Communities program.
• JCCs take part in mass demonstrations of solidarity with Soviet Jewry.
• JWB becomes a full-fledged member in the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
• Israelis' are employed in American Centers as part of a cultural exchange program.
• JWB Study Committee recommends that the JWB shift its emphasis away from responding to existing problems to detecting new needs, charting new directions, and pioneering advances in social work practice.

• JWB is joint sponsor of International Israel Youth Festival, which is attended by 100 15-17 year old American boys and girls and 500 youths from South Africa, South America, and Israel.
• JWB convention focuses on major concerns of American society and Jewish community: drug addiction, student rebellion on college campuses, inner city problems, and needs of the aged.

• CJC announces draft boards will give "favorable consideration" to requests for postponement of physical examination for induction into Armed Forces during Passover.
• JWB Year Book reports peak JCC memberships of more than 782,000 and total of 34,506,000 participants in activities, reflecting growing role of JCCs and Ys.
• JWB, in partnership with Israel's Ministry of Education, announces it will send 100 American teen-agers to participate with Jewish youth from other countries in summer pilgrimage to Israel.
• JWB establishes National Commissions on Jewish Communal Camping and Jewish Cultural Programming.
• JWB arranges two-week fact-finding mission to Europe for North American center presidents to study problems of Jewish communities in large European cities.

• JWB receives $100,000 grant earmarked for helping JCCs deal with social change.
• JWB announces State of Israel 25th Anniversary as theme of Jewish Book Month. Annual Prize for most distinguished book on Jewish History established.
• JWB issues Voter Registration for Youth, containing suggestions for organizing campaigns for young voters.
• JWB asks President Nixon to urge freedom for Jewish prisoners of conscience and for right of Jews to immigrate to country of their choice.
• JCCs hold memorial services for Jewish athletes murdered at Munich Olympics.

• JWB, Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, National Council of Jewish Women, Synagogue Council of America, and Central Conference of American Rabbis all urge Nixon administration not to abandon social programs aiding the poor, the ill, minorities, and children.
• Number of participants in JCC and Y activities increases to 41,025,933.

• JWB sends U.S. and Canadian Jewish center leaders to Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Panama, and Mexico to study problems and programs of major Jewish communities; Argentinean and Mexican Jewish leaders subsequently visit U.S., to strengthen their connection to JWB and JCC leaders.

• Rabbi Bertram Korn, member of CJC, is promoted to rank of Rear Admiral, Chaplain Corps, U.S. Naval Reserve, and becomes first Jewish Chaplain to achieve star rank in any branch of military service.

• JWB ushers in 60th year of service, with pledges to continue cooperation between America and Israel, and to take on new social-welfare challenges.
• JWB research center awards $19,600 grant to Y of Washington Heights in New York City, for evaluation of outreach program for homebound elderly.
• JWB convention adopts resolution opposing sale of weapons to "countries in confrontation with Israel."
• Jewish Federations and JCCs throughout North America participate in National Walk-a-Thon for Israel, sponsored by United Jewish Appeal.

• JWB participates in First World Conference of Jewish Community Centers held in Israel.
• First JWB Communications Award competition held.

• JWB initiates Commission on Maximizing Jewish Educational Effectiveness (COMJEE).

• COMJEE report released in September.

• JWB is renamed Jewish Community Centers Association of North America (JCC Association.)

• COMJEE II report released.

• JCC Association establishes a Strategic Planning Commission to chart a course for the future.

• Over 4,200 teens participate in JCC Maccabi Games, a weeklong athletic competition.
• Allan Finkelstein, JCC Association Executive Vice-President, visits St. Petersburg and Moscow to advise and assist JCC staff and lay leaders in effort to rebuild Jewish community.

• Beyond 2000, JCC Association's strategic plan containing steps to maintain the vitality of the JCC movement, is unveiled.

• JCC Maccabi Xperience Israel Program, formed by merger of JCC Association's Israel Teen Connection with Massada Maccabi Israel Summer program, is founded.

• JCC Association and National Foundation of Jewish Culture jointly create Jewish Councils for the Arts throughout the country.
• JCC Association receives annual renewable grant of $500,000 from the Mandel Foundation, for the establishment of the JCC Association Center for Jewish Education.
• Implementation of "You Belong Here" program to promote the JCC movement throughout North America.
• JCC Association web site launched.

• Theme of JCC Association Leadership Retreat is "Building Partnerships: The Road to Meaningful 21st Century Jewish Community." Over 200 leaders from JCCs and American Jewish institutions attend.

• Jewish chaplains participate in memorial service at NASA headquarters for seven victims of Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.
• JCC Maccabi Games receive nomination for best multi-sport or multi-discipline event in the amateur events category of the 2003 Sports Travel Readers' Choice Awards

• In an effort to improve service to young Jewish adults relocating after college, JCC Association formed a strategic alliance with Gesher City, an initiative which connects young men and women to the Jewish communities in Boston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago, New Jersey, and Baltimore.