Bill Text: NJ SJR22 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Designates January 14 of each year as "Hannah G. Solomon Day."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Passed) 2016-01-19 - Approved P.L.2015, JR-14. [SJR22 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-SJR22-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator LORETTA WEINBERG
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Designates January 14 of each year as "Hannah G. Solomon Day."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution commemorating the birthday of Hannah G. Solomon and designating January 14 of each year as "Hannah G. Solomon Day."
Whereas, Hannah Greenbaum Solomon was born in Chicago on January 14, 1858; and
Whereas, Hannah Solomon and her sister became the first Jewish members of the prestigious Chicago Woman's Club in 1876; and
Whereas, In 1893, Hannah Solomon and the Jewish Women's Congress met for four days in Chicago and discussed multiple possibilities and goals for a national Jewish women's organization, a type of organization that had not existed in the past; and
Whereas, At the conclusion of the meetings, delegates of the Jewish Women's Congress founded the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) and unanimously elected Hannah Solomon as its inaugural president; and
Whereas, As the president of NCJW, Hannah Solomon guided the organization through a massive growth period, with an initial membership of 93 women in 1893 swelling to over 4,000 in 1896, and to more than 50,000 in 1925; and
Whereas, The NCJW dedicated itself to religious, philanthropic and educational endeavors, viewing themselves as guardians of the Jewish faith, joining together with their non-Jewish counterparts in supporting the notion that women shouldered the responsibility for safeguarding religion in the home and teaching children moral values; and
Whereas, Hannah Solomon was a progressive thinker who understood that an organized, effective national coalition of Jewish women would likely not be well-received, especially within her own male-dominated Jewish community, as women traditionally held a more subservient role to men; and
Whereas, Displaying a level of determination that can only be described as ahead of her time, Hannah Solomon sarcastically warned members of the NCJW to be prepared for critics to "mourn over our neglected children, and wonder how our husbands manage without us"; and
Whereas, During the early part of the 20th century, the NCJW pioneered many arenas of Jewish philanthropy and general immigrant aid, with the New York chapter of NCJW assuming a leading role in aiding new arrivals at Ellis Island, with a particular focus on the needs of female immigrants; and
Whereas, Hannah Solomon was a courageous leader of the NCJW, fearlessly taking on members of her own community and fighting for the rights of young Jewish girls to be educated in the Jewish traditions; with many programs created by NCJW eventually being absorbed and accepted by the larger Jewish institutions in the country; and
Whereas, Hannah G. Solomon's legacy as a pioneer of women's rights within the Jewish community, and society as a whole, makes it entirely fitting and appropriate that the Legislature commemorate and honor the anniversary of her birth; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. January 14 of each year is designated as "Hannah G. Solomon Day" to commemorate the anniversary of the birth of Hannah Solomon, a founder and the inaugural president of the National Council for Jewish Women.
2. The Legislature requests the Governor to annually issue a Proclamation calling upon public officials and the citizens of this State to observe "Hannah G. Solomon Day" with appropriate activities and programs.
3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This joint resolution commemorates the anniversary of the birth of Hannah G. Solomon, founder and inaugural president of the National Council for Jewish Women. In 1893, Hannah Solomon and a the Jewish Women's Congress met for four days in Chicago and discussed multiple possibilities and goals for a national Jewish women's organization, a type of organization that had not existed in the past. At the conclusion of the meetings, delegates of the Jewish Women's Congress founded the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) and unanimously elected Hannah Solomon as its inaugural president. Under Hannah Solomon's stewardship, the NCJW dedicated itself to religious, philanthropic and educational endeavors, viewing themselves as guardians of the Jewish faith. Hannah Solomon led the NCJW to join together with their non-Jewish counterparts in supporting the notion that women shouldered the responsibility for safeguarding religion in the home and teaching children moral values.
In addition, during the early part of the 20th century, the NCJW pioneered many arenas of Jewish philanthropy and general immigrant aid, with the New York chapter of NCJW assuming a leading role in aiding new arrivals at Ellis Island, with a particular focus on the needs of female immigrants. Hannah Solomon was a courageous leader of the NCJW, fearlessly taking on members of her own community and fighting for the rights of young Jewish girls to be educated in the Jewish traditions; with many programs created by NCJW eventually being absorbed and accepted by the larger Jewish institutions in the country. Hanna Solomon's role as a pioneer of women's rights within the Jewish community, and society as a whole, makes it entirely appropriate that the New Jersey Legislature commemorate and honor the anniversary of her birth.
