Councils and Federations
On 8 December 1935, the representatives from the three existing women’s organizations – Ladies Aid Society, Hadassah and the Sisterhood – met in order to establish a new entity that would enable them to unify their activities. Mrs. M. Revzen chaired that meeting. This decision was likely prompted by the members’ interest in creating one organization to serve as an umbrella organization to help unify these groups. The Council of Jewish Women was officially formed on 21 April 1936. Its first president was Mrs. J. Cooperman. The group established a constitution that outlined the functions that the 3 organizations would jointly support. It also stipulated how the funds that the groups raised would be split into three parts in order to properly serve the specific needs of each organization. The Council functioned until April 1944, when the local Hadassah chapter and the Hebrew Ladies’ Aid Society introduced a motion at a meeting of withdrawal from the Council. This motion led to the demise of this umbrella group.
Another important entity that served a similar purpose in town was that of the St. Catharines Federation, which was formed in 1938. Its role was to serve as a centralized agency that would raise funds within the community to support local, national and international Jewish causes and organizations. It was similar to those established in Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton and other cities. However, St. Catharines was likely the smallest community in Canada at this time to establish its own Federation. The first campaign brought in $2,000. By 1948, the community raised over $31,000, which was a substantial sum of money at that time.
Following the war, the community established a third entity called the Council of Jewish Organizations. The Council embraced the Lord Melchett Lodge and Chapter, Hadassah, the congregation, the Sisterhood and Federation. Its mandate was to oversee all matters of public relations, war efforts, Jewish adult education and any other issues of concern to the Jewish community of St. Catharines.
The Council coordinated dates for fundraising for the various organizations, donated books to the district libraries and sponsored inter-faith meetings. It also arranged for special lectures, concerts and film showings for community members. They also raised funds for United Israel Appeal. In 1958 their campaign raised $18,900, and in 1961, they were able to bring in approximately $20,000. Finally, it published a monthly newsletter called the Jewish Review. This publication was edited by Rabbi Pappenheim during his tenure during the early 1950s.
