During this period, the Jewish community was facing the fallout from World War I: A flood of European refugees and the devastation of the homelands they’d left behind. Numerous aid societies were operating simultaneously to handle all the relief efforts among the immigrants. It became clear that a central organizing body was needed to rationalize fundraising and coordinate social and philanthropic services for the Jews of Montreal. Thus was born, in 1917, the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies.
The founding agencies included the Baron de Hirsch Institute, Mount Sinai Sanitarium, Ladies Hebrew Benevolent Society, Herzl Dispensary and Hospital, Montreal Hebrew Orphans’ Home, Montreal Hebrew Sheltering Home, Ladies Jewish Endeavour Sewing Society, Young Women’s Hebrew Association, the Beth Israel Day Nursery and Infants’ Home, Hebrew Ladies Aid Society, and Friendly League of Jewish Women. The first fundraising campaign, a three-day affair from January 2 to 5, 1917, was a huge success, raising $150,000 – more than double the amount that the agencies had collected on their own the previous year.
A journey through 100 years
