- Part Of
- Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds
- Level
- Fonds
- Fonds
- 86
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1932-1943
- Physical Description
- 23 cm of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- The Jewish Child Welfare Association (JCWA) was formed in 1936 through the amalgamation of the Jewish Children’s Bureau, the Jewish Big Brother Movement, and the Jewish Big Sister Committee. This merger was intended to improve service to families in the community by making one agency responsible for all cases dealing with children and adolescents. The JCWA’s funding primarily came from the Federation for Jewish Philanthropies (later the United Jewish Welfare Fund) and municipal and provincial grants.
- The JCWA’s chairman was Bertram N. Davis and first executive secretary was Anne Gussack. Gussack was succeeded by Freda Manson in 1939 and Aaron B. Feld in 1941. Soon after its formation in 1936, the JCWA became one of the first unionized social agencies in Canada when it formed the Staff Association with the Jewish Family Welfare Bureau (JFWB).
- Located at 179 Beverley Street, the JCWA’s core activities included placing children in foster homes, arranging adoptions, supervising children in their own homes, providing housekeeping services to families, and providing supervision and guidance to unmarried mothers. The JCWA paid for the foster children’s room and board, clothing, and medical care; supervised their religious education; and supplied scholarships for vocational training through its Jewish Children’s Vocational Fund. The JCWA also ran the Foster Mothers’ Parent Education Group, initiated a foster day care program to allow foster mothers to work, and arranged for the placement of children in summer camps. A constant problem for JCWA was the lack of appropriate foster homes. In order to secure more homes, the agency regularly engaged in a foster homefinding publicity campaign.
- The Child Welfare Committee of the Hebrew Maternity Aid Society assisted the JCWA with finding and visiting foster homes, arranging adoptions, and attending to chronic clinical cases. The Hebrew Maternity Aid Society also participated in a Car Corp program with the JCWA by providing its social workers with volunteer drivers to help them travel to different locations.
- The JCWA’s Big Brother and Big Sister Departments provided guidance for delinquent, troubled, and developmentally disabled adolescents through individual and group work. Both departments assisted troubled youth with employment, vocational training, school adjustment, and recreational activities. In 1941, the Big Sister Committee left the JCWA to become affiliated with the JFWB.
- Discussions regarding the co-ordination of services between the JCWA and the JFWB began as early as 1935. Since both agencies worked with children and families, a merger was believed necessary to improve service to the community and ease confusion. In February 1943, the JCWA and the JFWB merged to form the Jewish Family and Child Services (JF & CS).
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of textual records documenting the programs, operation, finances and special projects and studies of the Jewish Child Welfare Association and its predecessor the Jewish Children's Bureau. Included is correspondence, reports, surveys, memos, meeting notices, agendas and minutes, financial records, questionnaires, speeches, client and membership lists, case presentations, news articles, theatrical scripts, event invitations and statistics.
- Fonds has been arranged with one sous-fonds, which contains the records of the Jewish Children's Bureau. In total there are 25 series. The Jewish Child Welfare Association (main fonds) series are: 1. Board of Trustees; 2. Executive Director; 3. Committees; 4. Adoption; 5. Foster care; 6. Summer camp program; 7. Nursery school; 8. Jewish Children's Vocational Board; 9. Finance and accounting; 10. Human Resources; 11. Operational statistics; 12. Special studies and surveys; 13. Publicity; 14. Liaison with other social welfare organizations; and 15. Welfare Council of Toronto. The Jewish Children's Bureau (sous-fonds) series are: 1. Board of Trustees; 2. Executive Director; 3. Adoption; 4. Foster care; 5. Finance and accounting; 6. Human resources; 7. Building administration; 8. Special studies and surveys; 9. Publicity; and, 10. Liaison with other social welfare organizations.
- Notes
- Associated material note: for related records held at the City of Toronto Archives, see also: Children's Aid Society of Toronto fonds (fonds 1001); Welfare Council of Toronto records in the University Settlement House fonds (fonds 1024, series 658); and, Department of Public Welfare records in the Former City of Toronto fonds (fonds 200).
- Name Access
- Jewish Child Welfare Association
- Jewish Children's Home
- Jewish Children's Vocational Fund
- Davis, Bertram N.
- Gussack, Anne
- Manson, Freda
- Feld, Aaron B.
- Jewish Big Sisters Committee
- Jewish Big Brothers Movement
- Jewish Family and Child Services
- Federation of Jewish Philanthropies
- United Jewish Welfare Fund
- Department of Public Welfare
- Welfare Council of Toronto
- Children's Aid Society
- Subjects
- Charities
- Children
- Families
- Nonprofit organizations
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and the head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing some of the records.
- Related Material
- See also: Jewish Family Welfare Bureau fonds (fonds 87); Jewish Family and Child fonds (fonds 79); Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto fonds (fonds 66); and, United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds (fonds 67).
- Arrangement
- Records of the Jewish Big Sisters Committee, the Jewish Big Brothers Movement and records documenting programs of the JCWA that continued after the formation of JF & CS, such as the Foster Homefinding Campaign and the Foster Mothers' Parent Education Group, are arranged with the JF & CS fonds 79.
- Accession Number
- 2004-1-8
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds
- Jewish Children's Vocational Board series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 86
- Series
- 8
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1938-1942
- Physical Description
- 4 folders of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- The Jewish Children’s Vocational Board was likely established in the early 1930s by the Jewish Children’s Bureau to provide youth with scholarships for vocational and educational training. The Board met regularly to review scholarship applications, discuss the management of funds and arrange publicity. Until 1939, gifts were also provided to wards of the agency on their bar mitzvah.
- In 1938, The Kate Josephi-Amelia Davis Scholarship Fund of the Big Sisters Committee became affiliated with the Jewish Children's Vocational Board. Although the Board continued to operate after the formation of the Jewish Family and Child Services, it likely ceased to function sometime in the 1940s possibly due to financial difficulties or to the fact that other organizations were offering the same service.
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of textual records documenting JCWA's Jewish Children's Vocational Board. Included are meeting notices and agendas, correspondence, client lists and a case presentation.
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing some of the records.
- Related Material
- For records of the Kate Josephi-Amelia Davis Scholarship Fund see the Jewish Family and Child fonds 79.
- Accession Number
- 2004-1-8
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds
- Special studies and surveys series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 86
- Series
- 12
- File
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1939-1940
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence documenting JCWA's survey of the types of Jewish education given to foster children by other Jewish social welfare organizations. Included is correspondence with the Jewish Child Placement Bureau of Detroit, the Welfare Association for Jewish Children of Cleveland, the Sommers Children's Bureau of St. Louis, and the Hebrew Sheltering Guardian Society of New York.
- Accession Number
- 2004-1-8
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds
- Liaison with other social welfare organizations series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 86
- Series
- 14
- File
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1932-1938
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of general correspondence between JCWA and the National Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds. Liaison with the American agency began with the Jewish Children's Bureau and was continued by JCWA. Of particular note is a letter detailing problems in the Jewish Children's Home.
- Access Restriction
- Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and the head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing the records.
- Accession Number
- 2004-1-8
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds
- Liaison with other social welfare organizations series
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 86
- Series
- 14
- File
- 1
- Item
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 17 Feb. 1932
- Physical Description
- 1 letter
- Scope and Content
- Item is an unsigned letter advocating "the use of the synagogue and the congregational group as the unit for Jewish community organization as advocated by Judge Stern." The letter is dated 17 February 1932.
- Notes
- Availability of other formats: Available as a PDF file.
- Subjects
- Synagogues
- Access Restriction
- Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and the head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing the records.
- Accession Number
- 2004-1-8
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds
- Liaison with other social welfare organizations series
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 86
- Series
- 14
- File
- 1
- Item
- 20
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 25 Mar. 1938
- Physical Description
- 1 letter
- Notes
- Availability of other formats: Available as a PDF file.
- Access Restriction
- Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and the head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing the records.
- Accession Number
- 2004-1-8
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds
- Liaison with other social welfare organizations series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 86
- Series
- 14
- File
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1932-1941
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence regarding case load statistics between JCWA and the Bureau of Jewish Social Research of the National Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds. Liaison with the American agency began with the Jewish Children's Bureau and was continued by JCWA.
- Access Restriction
- Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and the head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing the records.
- Accession Number
- 2004-1-8
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds
- Liaison with other social welfare organizations series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 86
- Series
- 14
- File
- 4
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1934-1937
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence between the JCWA and the Jewish Children's Society of Baltimore. Liaison with this agency began with the Jewish Children's Bureau and was continued by the JCWA.
- Accession Number
- 2004-1-8
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds
- Liaison with other social welfare organizations series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 86
- Series
- 14
- File
- 5
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1935, 1937-1940
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- The Jewish Community Centre Association (JCCA) was formed in the fall of 1936 through the coordination of the Jewish Girls’ and Boys’ Clubs to provide cultural, social, educational and athletic programming for members of the Jewish community. Located at 44 St. George Street, the JCCA offered a variety of classes; including, cooking, sewing, journalism, language, dance and art classes. It also ran a home camp and summer nursery school and organized celebrations for Jewish festivals and holidays.
- However, many similar organizations existed in Toronto at the time and the JCCA was absorbed into the larger and growing Young Men's and Young Women's Hebrew Association around 1941. The YM-YWHA initially continued to operate many of the JCCA's programs at 44 St. George Street. Today, the YM-YWHA has evolved into the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre (BJCC) and the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre (MNJCC).
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence and client lists documenting the relationship between the JCWA and the Jewish Community Centre Association of Toronto (JCCA).
- Access Restriction
- Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and the head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing the records.
- Related Material
- See also: The Jewish Family Welfare Bureau fonds 87, series 16, file 9, and The Jewish Family and Child fonds 79.
- Accession Number
- 2004-1-8
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds
- Level
- Sous-fonds
- Fonds
- 86-1
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1932-1936
- Physical Description
- 5 cm of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- The Jewish Children’s Bureau (JCB) was established in the early 1930s. Staffed by professionals, its role was to “provide protection and supervision for neglected, dependent, illegitimate and maladjusted Jewish children.” This included arranging adoptions, placing children in foster homes, supervising children in their own homes, providing housekeeping services and assisting unmarried mothers. Prior to the JCB’s formation, welfare work with children in the Jewish community was performed by untrained staff and volunteers at the Hebrew Maternity Aid Society and the Jewish Children’s Home (JCH). Both the JCB and the JCH were members of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies and received most of their funding from them.
- The JCB’s creation represented a move towards the professionalization of social work, a shift away from institutionalizing children in orphanages to placing them in foster homes, and the Federation’s need to cut costs. The agency’s formation came at a time when the relationship between the JCH and the Federation was poor. Since the late 1920s, the Federation received a grant from the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) for the cost of maintaining children at the JCH. However, CAS had become increasingly unhappy with the policies and practices of the JCH, such as allowing parents to visit children and returning children to their homes after they turned 16. In addition, the Federation and CAS were unhappy that the JCH was resistant to developing a foster home program even though this was becoming the professional norm.
- When the JCB was created the JCH became a subcommittee of the agency. In 1934, the JCB took over control of the JCH’s administration and case work after a Mental Hygiene survey of the JCH’s conditions found that its Superintendent lacked the training necessary for her job. On February 22, 1935, the Federation finally closed the JCH to cut costs and focus on a foster care program. A year later, the JCB amalgamated with the Jewish Big Brother Movement and the Jewish Big Sister Committee to form the Jewish Child Welfare Association.
- Scope and Content
- Sous-fonds consists of textual records documenting the activities of the Jewish Children's Bureau and the closure and operation of the Jewish Children's Home in its final years. Included is correspondence, meeting agendas, surveys, financial records and news articles. Sous-fonds is divided into the following series: 1. Board of Trustees; 2. Executive Director; 3. Adoption; 4. Foster care; 5. Finance and accounting; 6. Human Resources; 7. Building administration; 8. Special projects, studies and surveys; 9. Publicity; and, 10. Liaison with other social welfare organizations.
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and the head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing some of the records.
- Accession Number
- 2004-1-8
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds
- Jewish Children's Bureau sous-fonds
- Special studies and surveys series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 86-1
- Series
- 8
- File
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1933
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of one survey of the intelligence of children in the Jewish Children's Home and an outline of the most beneficial recreational and educational plans for them.
- Access Restriction
- Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and the head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing the records.
- Accession Number
- 2004-1-8
- Source
- Archival Descriptions