The Denver Jewish news., 1922-04-19
1870 Orphans Cared for
by Hadassah
YOUNG WOMEN ORGANIZE FOR
THE FINANCIAL ADOPTION OF
ORPHANS AS SPECIAL CHARGE.

Hadassah, last year became the par.
ent organization of Junior HadaSsah
Units. The call of the orphan in Pal
cstine made n strong appeal hut hav-
ing been forced to use all its energies
toward the Medical Work TO which it
to overturcs made by groups OF young
women between the ages If Is and 21
found that it could answer the appeal
by organizing these groups for the
iinaIh.ial adoption of orphans as thc
specific charge. One hundred and
eighty orphans were in this way sup
ported last year and this year thar
number has been far exceeded by 30
Junior Hadassah Units busily engaged
in devising ways and means of increas-
ing their charges.
The affiliation between our young
American Jewish yomen and the or
rhans they financially adopt at the
cost of 500 per year per orphan. is
closer than just the financial o'liga-
lion. ~ ptrSuiiHi iH'''tNi III 'hc '"'''
adopted grows and direct communica-
tions lead to parental devotion.
The Chairman of the Junior IIadas-
sah Units Is Mrs. Jacob Sobel. who
dcvotcs herself unstintingly to organic
ing and doing propa sandn work.
The task has been made somewhat
no-io, hv fhn foct that the improved
economic situation in Palestine and
Syria had made it possible for certain
communities TO undertake their share
OF the orphan work. notably Haifa
and Damascus The May disturbances
with the attendant loss of life and OF
property have caused II delay how
ever in the assuming of n similar re-
sponsibility by Jaffa and. certain of
the Jewish colonies. Decreased cost
of living has permitted II correspond
ing decrease in the maintenance OF the
orphanages and kitchens and in month
ly grants of relief to, half orphans,
Moreover, the generosity OF the Hadns-
sall women in America providing the
major portion of the rhilhren's cloth
ing was of inestimable assistance.
The decrease in the number OF
wards is due. partly to the tracing
of missing relatives. but chiefly 10 the
cbildren's becoming self-supporting as
II result of their trade apprenticeship.
The comparatively few cases where re
lief WAS withheld as being mneces
sary have been an outstanding feature
Of the work.
Whereas several more of the chill
dren will have completed their trade
training by May of this year. morr
will have tinished by November-per
haps two hundred in all. The fact.
however. that there are eight hun
dred and fifty orphans between the
ages of eleven and fourteen is evidence
lie continued for at least another three
wears. in order that the trade training
of this group likewise may be COM
rleted. If the economic conditions Of
Palestine further improves. the Jew
ish residents themselves will be able
al the end of that time to provide for
the remainder of these war orphans.
As to the details of the work at pres
cnt. the Palestine Orphan committee
i maintaining six orphalages. four in
Jerusalem, one in Safed, and one in
hnft1n fnt.
boy apprentices in Safed, and it gives
n monthly grant towards the support
of ten orphans in the Institute for the
Blind. Jerusalem.
The practice in all OF the orphanages
is to have the children do much of the
actual work of the house and the
garden. under the supervision and with
the assistance of their instructors.
The language is Hebrew. and Jewish
traditional ohscrvances are adhered
to strictly.
This branch of the work must con
tinue. for the children in the or
phanagcs are full orphans; the major
.ity of them being below ten years of
ago. Within year. or two years mt
the most when the few older girls
will have left. the two girls orphan
ages in Jerusalem may he united and,
it is hoped. moved to one of the col
Onies.
Over thrce-fifths of the children
now under the care of the Palestine
Orphan committee are living in Je-
rusalcm in private homes. the majority
of them with their widowed mothers
In addition to providing clothing ana
school books. six home visitors togeth-
or with their supervisor look after
the health. cleanliness and general