Hadassah-WIZO
The local Hadassah-WIZO organization was formed in 1928 as the Edith Sylvia Chapter, named in honour of Edith Schacter and Sylvia Adams, the deceased daughters of two charter members. The chapter began with 15 members. From the 1930s until the 1960s the organization primarily raised funds through social teas and other events such as bazaars and card games. Shirley Hockman played a key leadership role for 33 years. Gertrude Brown was the president in the early 1950s. At Chanukah celebrations, Hadassah would auction off box specials prepared by the women, an event remembered as a boisterous affair with bids and counter bids and much spirited heckling. Jean Ennis Brown, wife of Alderman Morris Brown, was remembered for her involvement in the Israeli fashion shows, which was a popular event for the entire community. Other active members included: Leah Brown, Buddy Kizell, Pearl Rosenberg, Evelyn Maizin, Paula Silver, Beverly Rosenberg, Bona Wiserman, Mona Rosenberg and Ruth Black, who also participated in the Israeli fashion shows.
Shirley Hockman was presented with a life membership in the Edith Sylvia Hadassah chapter for both her work as president and 25 years of service to the organization. Such ceremonies as this silver ceremony were reported in the local society pages of the North Bay Nugget. The chapter was renowned for its cookbooks Our Favourite Recipes, printed in 1962, and Another Cookbook, printed in 1979 and reprinted in 1981, in conjunction with fundraising activity of a Northern Ontario Jewish community’s campaign, called “Northern Noshes.”
In the 1970s the group began having Chanukah dinners at the shul. Other contributions included campaigns to support a child in Israel for one year of daycare for a child in Israel, raffles of gourmet dinners by a team of Hadassah cooks to be held at the winner’s home and the ever-popular dessert raffle, whose winner won a cake per month for 12 months. Hadassah often shared space at community flea market events, where the group held bake sales and sold preserves in conjunction with other North Bay charity groups, including North Bay’s church auxiliaries. While the organization is still active, it is considerably smaller now than it was in its heyday and now hosts much smaller fundraising events.
