Evening star., 1912-11-08

Nearly twenty years ago a company ol
broad-minded women of. the Hebrew
faith decided to form an organization
which would further the numerous phil
anthropies for which the Jewish people
are noted. and also influence the cultured
women of the race to promote the re-
ligious and educational interests peculiar
to their own faith. The Council OF Jew
ish Women as organized includes In It's
membership most of the cultured Hebrew
women Of the country, and has braEches'
in all of the larger American cities. II
is governed by an executive board COM
posed of officers and directors selected
from all parts Of the country. Upon this
central board devolves the responsibility
of outlining most of the work undertaken
by the different branches. While the
headquarters are maintained in New
York city. the meetings of the board are
held in different cities, thus stimulating
the interest of some local branch each
year. Charleston, 8. c., is the meeting
place this year and the results Of this
meeting, which began November 4. will
be as important to many women as the
national election.
Because of the number Of people of
rious European countries and thus driven
to America the immigrant aid work al
ways has been given an important place
in the work of each branch Of the
council. being especially large in those
cities having the greatest numbers of
Jewish immigrants. In the seaboard
towns the council provides for wom-
the Jewish immigrant women ard girls
and assist them In any way needed. This
agent, who usually Is required to speak
several languages, including Yiddfsh,
Hungarian. Russian or Roumanian, can
ascertain from the girls their plans for
the future. If they are travelling alone
to meet relatives and friends she will see
that they are guided to their proper des-
tination, thus protecting them from the
many dangers that would ordinarily come
to women in a strange country. In most
seaboard towns a list of the women COM
ing alone may be secured, with the per-
mission of the local commissioner, from
the ships manifest, and these girls can
be followed up by friendly visitor to the
addresses to which they have gone There
are many wealthy Jewish women who
spend a. large portion of their time in FOL
lowing up these foreign women and CIV
ing whatever assistance they may need
before becoming permanently established
in some self-supporting occupation
In New York and Philadelphia the
Council of Jewish Women took charge OF
nearly 900
Council Takes Charge Jewish immi-
:, -, grant girls
of Many Jewish Girls. during a pc
riod of three years. their ages ranging
from eleven to thirty years. In the case
of the younger girls provision was maze
for them to enter the public schools.
where they received instruction under the
compulsory education law which fitted
them for a self-supporting position later
on. Positions were found for the older
girls and, for at least year, each was
looked after by some frienu.y woman
who kept in touch with the factory or
other place in which the girl was en-
ployed, securing for her wages in pro-
portion to her skill and helping her In
every possible way. Glasses in English
for these girls, who are too old to attend
the public school have been generously
provided by many branches of the coun-
Gil.
The fact that many employers will not
hesitate to take advantage Of the igno-