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The organization began at a meeting in the home of Dr. James Horowitz, who had been an active participant in the Underground Railroad and was a volunteer surgeon during the Civil War. Among those present were Isaac Glauber; Mathias Buchman, Alexander Buchman, Herman Peskin, Marcus Feder, Sr., and Joseph Metzenbaum.

Called the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, the group’s purpose was to help settle fellow Jews fleeing from persecution in Europe. Many arrived penniless and in desperate need of help. Members of the Board of Directors did all the necessary work, both of investigation and relief—there were no paid officers or other employees.

The group merges with the Hebrew Relief Organization to become the Hebrew Relief Association in the interest of better service to the community, intending “not to pauperize, but to foster and maintain self-respect of the poor.”

When refugees arrived in Cleveland, they were taken in charge by the association, which found homes and employment for them, and supported them until they could manage for themselves.

The Hebrew Relief Association merges with the Russian Resettlement Committee. It distributes about $5,000 a year in relief.

At a meeting of Jewish women led by Rabbi Moses J. Gries, it was proposed that a personal service society be created. Members of the society would visit poor families to counsel and advise them, forming friendly relationships and put them in the way of helping themselves. Cases needing substantial assistance would be directed to regular charities.

The group later becomes the Council of Jewish Women, today known as the National Council of Jewish Women.

Dr. Steiner, the association’s physician, made 1800 calls to the sick. He indicated that sickness can be avoided through good clothing and good food. He recommends that establishing sewing and cooking schools for the young would lead to better lives.

In Supt. Charles Richter’s report to the organization 203 families were provided: 318 shirts, 105 vests, 159 coats, 310 pairs of pants, 741 pairs of shoes, 120 pairs of stockings, 621 suits of underwear, 108 overcoats, 78 cloaks, 315 ladies dresses, 306 waists, 168 jackets, 36 quilts, 30 pairs of rubber shoes, 64 pieces of furniture, 13 stoves, 9 horses and wagons, and 6 sewing machines. He also advocated for the creation of a laundry department for the cleaning and mending of clothing and so that women in destitute circumstances might gain employment.

“It appears to me that every thoughtful Israelite now believes that the permanent salvation of our people lies in their becoming farmers. I would therefore advise that this societ buy or rent a few acres of land in the country where the men who are willing and are able to work might find employment and at the same time gain a taste for country life or at least lose the timid feeling for agricultural work that is natural to every city bred person.” stated Supt. Richter

According to Supt. Richter, “We have tried to make some of the applicants independent by giving them horses and wagons or establishing them in little places of business, and I am pleased to say that we have accomplished a great deal of good. In conclusion, I wish to state that we have not a half-dozen able-bodied, unemployed men on our list at the present time.”

At the annual meeting, it is reported that there is concern over heavy immigration from New York City of poor Jews to Cleveland, given that is the main line of travel westward and as far their means will carry them.

A major concern is the ability to meet sufficiently the needs of this growing population because in comparison to other large cities, the proportion of poor Jewish people in Cleveland is greater while the proportion of those who are rich is smaller.

The Hebrew Relief Association works in tandem with the Cleveland Council of Jewish Women (known today as NCJW) to “assist its needy brethren, in learning a trade, starting in business, obtaining free medical attention and medicines, to be fed, clothed and housed, and last but not least, to become useful and and educated American citizens.” 

Though not considered full members of the Hebrew Relief Association’s Board, the first women elected as honorary members of the association are members of the Council of Jewish Women who are actively working with the HRA. They are Mrs. M.B. Schwab, Mrs. Abraham Weiner, Mrs. Moses Halle, Mrs. Edward Rosenfeld, and Mrs. Marcus Feder.

caption: Mrs. Moses Halle

With funding support from the Hungarian Benevolent and Social Union, the Ladies Charitable Society, and Daughters of Charity, and other benevolent societies, the Hebrew Relief Association is able to send Jewish men and women with tuberculosis to the National Jewish Hospital for Consumptives in Denver Colorado. Denver’s dry and sunny climate had become famous throughout the country for its supposed beneficial effect on TB, which disproportionately affected poverty-stricken individuals.

The afflicted persons are examined by the association’s physician. If it is believed that the sufferer can be helped, application is made to the Denver hospital. In most cases, individuals are not able to pay for their railroad fare. This and other costs are borne by the association.

Since 1900, sixteen individuals have been sent to the Denver hospital

HRA moves to a new location at 294 Woodland Avenue, and opens a medical dispensary providing free treatment to all applicants. The need of a department of this kind in connection with other departments of the association was long needed.

Its new location is situated in one of the most congested areas of the city, where the need for a dispensary is great. A number of drug stores have promised to donate medicines for use in the dispensary.

HRA is designated a charter member agency of the newly formed Federation of Jewish Charities. It receives $10,000 in funding to continue its work. All but $300 is spent.

One of its founding policies is that if a beneficiary agency receives contributions directly, that amount will be deducted from the Federation’s donation. The thinking at the time was that no one charity can profit by private gifts at the expense of others. Another policy banned the use of bazaars, fairs, balls, etc. to raise funds or charge more than $3 a year for membership fees.

A.S. Newman, a graduate of Chicago University, is retained as the new superintendent and is the first paid professionally trained social settlement worker. The hiring of A. S. Newman as the first professional superintendent marked a shift towards more structured social work practices. Under his leadership, the association implemented casework methodologies, including interviewing and investigating prospective clients and organizing “friendly visits” by volunteers to recipients’ homes.

Seen as a progressive, Newman shared his opinions about the evolution of charity work.

“The old idea of private individuals can dispense charity in a manner to do the most good is a mistaken one. Charity must be dispensed by those who understand what is the best thing to do, by those who have made a study of social conditions and a study of charities.”

He also believed that applicants for urgent relief should not have to wait for a committee to meet to discuss their case. “People only make application as a last resort. It is unjust to ask them to wait, perhaps starve, until the members of the committee meet.”

A new location at 2554 E40th Street is dedicated as the Isaac N. Glauber Memorial Home. The larger space is needed to support the “constant and increased immigration” to Cleveland.

During the Great War, the association’s services encompass providing financial assistance for essentials such as food, clothing, and housing; supporting refugee resettlement efforts, and facilitating employment opportunities. There are jobs for all who want to work and many people work two shifts per day.

During the war, servicemen and their families were cared for by the American Red Cross. The aftermath of the Great War and the cessation of Red Cross assistance brings an increased load to the association.

Following a Jewish community survey, the Hebrew Relief Association name is changed to the Jewish Social Service Bureau reflecting the change from a relief agency to promoting better family life.

Since 1922, the agency constantly increased its ability to provide material aid in the form of monetary allotments of food, clothing and shelter, but also for instructing and guiding families with problems such as unemployment, problem children, sickness, diet, moral standards, and the interrelation between the different individuals in the family unit.

During this period, terms “charity” and “relief” give way to “welfare” and “social service,” reflecting a growing emphasis on prevention and professionalized social work.

Violet Kittner is appointed as the agency’s first executive director.  A native of Defiance, Ohio, she was educated at the School of Applied Social Science at Western Reserve University and the New York School of Social Work.

in 1917 she joined the Cleveland Chapter of the American Red Cross, where she was the first field case worker. During her tenure with the Red Cross, she is credited with establishing the first mental hygiene clinic in Cleveland.

Affiliation with Western Reserve University School of Applied Social Services for field training of caseworkers is established.

Over a two-year period, Jewish students wishing to become social workers receive their practical training at JSSB and at the same time receive their technical training at the School of Applied Social Services.

The first two women to participate in the program are Miss Margery Black and Miss Gertrude Grossman.

A similar collaboration was undertaken with Smith College School of Social Work, where the JSSB served as field site for the placement of students.

Jewish Big Brother and Big Sister Associations affiliate with JSSB.

Big Brothers are volunteers, business men, professional men, who work with boys to help prevent many of the problems of youngsters which result from the lack of adult guidance. The friendship of an older person often helps a young person to grow up better.

Big Sisters are given course instruction by the agency director and are required to complete a period of training in field work before any assignment are made.

One of the benefits of this affiliation is that it provides a “continuous supply of newly trained volunteer workers, who are not only valuable in a supplementary manner in the case work of the agency, but are aides in interpreting accurately the work of the family agency and social work efforts, in general, to the community,” according to the Jewish Federation.

The JSSB, a private agency, begins to disburse the first public public tax funds that were available for general relief as no public agency exists at the time.

A state examiner questioned the practice of giving cash relief.

The agency replied, “Our purpose is to build and maintain good citizenship. To crush a man’s morale by taking away his pride as head of the family is a very dangerous proceeding. It is our hope to permit men to carry their heads held high so they may again take their place in society as self-maintaining individuals.”

The JSSB experiences a 50% increase in the number of families requesting aid. Two factors are  noted to cause this significant increase: Hundreds of independent Jewish merchants have been forced out of business due to competition; and according to a Plain Dealer article “racial pride caused Jews to scorn charity for as long as possible.”

At the same time, the JSSB faces a shortage of trained social workers. Currently, each social worker carries an average of 56 cases representing between 280 and 300 individuals. A lack of funds prevents hiring ‘amateur’ workers.

Because of availability of public funds, JSSB discontinues cash relief, which is contrary to the agency’s philosophy and practice.

“The practice of giving relief in kind has definitely undermined our standard…The constantly imposed restrictions of public officials make it increasingly difficult to function with the purpose of maintaining sound family life.”

Most cash relief cases are transferred to the Cuyahoga County Relief Administration and the JSSB returns to its mission of family casework and education.

Executive Director Violet Kittner states “The Jewish Social Services Bureau believes its work to be in the fields of prevention and re-construction: salvaging families from the disaster into which social conditions have plunged them; preventing those on the margin of economic breakdown from entering that realm; and guiding boys and girls so that they will not need to know the sorrows of broken homes.”

JSSB develops the Homemaker Service and is one of five social services nationally to establish this unique service for families needing to plan for the care of small children when the mother is out of the home or too ill to assume their care herself. Working with the professional social workers, the Homemakers help to keep the families together until the mother can resume her own duties.

The homemakers are carefully chosen for individual assignments to replace as closely as possible the personality of the absent mother. A major successful qualification for the “mother” demanded is the ability to give an understanding, efficient service with an intuitive knowledge of how to get along with children and adults, often under trying situations.

“She  must be able to inject herself into the home in a way that she may be a steadying force through a crisis,” says Mrs. Elinore Woldman, director of the service. “As a rule trained nurses who married and raised  families of own are best  suited for the work,” she says.

With the successful demonstration at the JSSB of the need for and the value of vocational guidance and placement service, Jewish Vocational Services  is established and JSSB staff became a part of this newly formed agency. JVS counselors keep in close touch with employers through an extensive field visiting program.

It places 1,220 workers its first year.

(caption: A JVS counselor checks on  an employee’s progress on the job.)

Upon the death of Violet Kittner, Rae Carp is appointed Executive Director.

A graduate of the University of Toronto, she served with the Jewish Social Service Bureau of Detroit from 1928 to 1933. She is most recently associated with the  Jewish Board of Guardians in New York and joined the Jewish Social Service Bureau in Cleveland as a case consultant, before succeeding Kittner.

(caption: (left) Violet Kittner (right) Rae Carp Weil)

The Cleveland Coordinating Committee for Immigrants becomes a formal part of the family casework service of the agency and is renamed Refugee Services. It works with the newly formed JVS to find employment for new immigrants.

According to Maurice Bernon, JVS president, the principal need is for the Jewish community to provide openings for the middle-aged men good business and industrial backgrounds.

“These men, without political ties to a cruel fatherland, are anxious to become good Americans and a part of our American economic life. They bring with them energy, loyalty and a capacity for effective work.”

With the entrance into World War II, draft and defense preparations are bringing new and intensified problems to the agency.

Of the many tasks directed to the JSSB as a result of the war, the agency is responsible for assisting aliens of enemy nationalities (Germany, Japan and Italy) to complete applications for certification of identity.

Throughout the duration and following the war, the agency  also serves as the local central resource for  displaced persons seeking relatives in the Cleveland area.

The war, through increased opportunities for employment, has, for the time being solved or eased financial problems in many marginal and sub-marginal cases but it has also had serious disruptive effects in the life of many families.” according to Edward Rosenfeld, JSSB Board Chair

(caption: Edward Rosenfeld, JSSB Board Chair)

JSSB is renamed Jewish Family Service Association to better indicate the nature of services offered.

A fee system is established to make services more accessible to people who would normally hesitate to accept free service.

The Heights Referral Office on the corner of Lee and Cedar Road opens on October 1, in response to the marked need in the community for confidential consultation service to people of all income groups and provides an expansion of services to the community.

“The strains and dislocations caused by a war to peace society,” states Mrs. Benjamin Levine, vice president, “have made it doubly it important at this time for the benefits of social service to be brought to the entire Jewish community, regardless of income.”

Mrs. Hedgwig Peiser Levine is elected the first woman chair of the board of directors.

A member of the board since 1929, she is most active with the Refugee Service Committee.

“I am much in favor of volunteer work for women who can give service without neglecting their families. They have proved they have a flair for organization and a gift for social service. They can do much to help make their community a spot in which they want their children to grow up,” she states.