Hebrew Ladies' Aid Society records

Hebrew Ladies' Aid Society, also called the Jewish Ladies' Aid Hospital Society was founded on March 6, 1870. Earlier in 1865 the Jewish Women of Rochester, who until then had worked individually with the Hebrew Benevolent Society formed their own Society called the Hebrew Ladies Benevolent Society. A number of Jewish Women felt that their activity could be more differentiated and thereby made more useful, adding at the same time a social feature which would bring the different classes into closer communion, and so on March 6, 1870 thirty of them met and found the Jewish Ladies Aid and Hospital Society. It was a valuable help and did very faithful work in the relief of the poor.

The first officers were the following:

President: Mrs. E.S. Ettenheimer

Vice President: Mrs. S.M. Benjamin

Treasurer: Mrs. Henry Michaels

Secretary: Mrs. Samuel Rosenblatt

Asst. President: Mr. E.S. Ettenheimer

Asst. Secretary: Mr. Joseph Cauffman

Trustees: Mrs. Abram Wile, Mrs. Jacob Ettenheimer, Mrs.Isaac Sloman, Mrs.Sol. Cohn, Mrs. Jacob Katz

Committee to draft by-laws: Mrs. M. Van Bergh, Mrs. S. Guggenheimer

The object of the Society as stated in the Constitution was: "To assist poor and needy women and orphans and to maintain an interest in the Rochester City Hospital, to visit the Jewish ward at the Hospital and to report conditions from time to time."

The members decided to hold sewing meetings for the poor at the different houses, which was later changed, to twice a month, and devoted themselves to charitable activity with great zeal. They confined their work not to Rochester alone, but sent substantial donations to other communities stricken by great calamities.

In May 1871 they furnished a room in the new wing of the Rochester Hospital and have maintained it ever since. In October 1871 they sent a large box of clothing and shoes to Chicago after the great fire which had made many families homeless. In April 1872 they sent a donation to the Perisan Famine sufferers, and in October 1873 to the sufferers from the yellow fever at Memphis and Shreveport. Each year they made large contributions from their fund to the Hebrew Benevolent Society.