The National Council of Jewish Women San Francisco has published a history of the chapter, recounting its long record of social action. Researched and written by Victoria Cooper, “The Story of NCJW San Francisco Section: 115 Years of Courage, Compassion and Community Service” includes many archival photos and interviews with NCJW members.
“We wanted to make an effort to preserve our history because we knew that many important projects have been initiated and completed by the council,” said Antonia Lavine, the chapter’s president. “It’s an impressive amount of work.”
Drawing on the extensive NCJW archives housed at U.C. Berkeley’s Bancroft Library, Cooper recounts NCJW’s many social action campaigns and the women who led them, going back to its founding in 1900. Chapters cover the organization’s work on behalf of women and children, immigrants, Israel and in combatting domestic violence and human trafficking.
“What makes the council up to date is that at any single moment that we don’t work specifically on women issues, we work on social justice issues,” Lavine added. “We don’t just look at the small picture.”
The book is available free through NCJW San Francisco, (415) 346-4600 or [email protected].