Overview of the Collection
Western Reserve Historical Society
NA'AMAT USA
NA'AMAT USA Cleveland Council Records and Photographs, Series III
1.50 linear feet (2 containers and 1 oversize folder)
NA'AMAT USA is a Labor Zionist women's organization originally called Pioneer Women. The Cleveland Council of NA'AMAT was founded in 1926 in Cleveland, Ohio, one year after the national organization came into being. As the organization grew, it was divided into numbered chapters. At its peak, there were fourteen chapters. In 1999, there were four chapters in the Cleveland Council, serving 650 women. Pioneer Women was organized to provide training, educational services, and social services to women, children, and families in Palestine. The Cleveland Council raised funds and sponsored programs that informed the Cleveland community of social service and educational needs in Israel. The national organization also promoted Habonim, a youth organization, and sponsored Jewish and cultural activities. In 1985 the name Pioneer Women was changed to NA'AMAT USA, in order to more closely match its sister organization in Israel, NA'AMAT. The collection consists of agendas, awards, brochures, calendars, cards, certificates, correspondence, flyers, forms, handbooks, ledgers, lists, magazines and magazine clippings, minutes, negatives, newsletters, notes, photographs, press releases, programs, receipts, and schedules pertaining to the membership and operations of Pioneer Women and, later, NA'AMAT USA.
MS 5380
The records are in English
closed stacks1936-2012
History of NA'AMAT USA, Cleveland CouncilNA'AMAT USA, Cleveland Council (f.1926) is a Labor Zionist women's organization originally called Pioneer Women. In 1925, the year that Pioneer Women was founded in New York, a representative was sent to Cleveland to help organize a similar group. The Cleveland Council was founded the following year by twelve women. As the organization grew, it was divided into numbered chapters, which indicated whether the group's business was conducted in Yiddish or English. The English speaking chapter was eventually divided into groups named for their Cleveland neighborhoods. When Pioneer Women was at its membership peak, there were fourteen chapters, named after Israeli towns where there were Pioneer Women child care centers. In 1999 there were four chapters serving 650 women.
Pioneer Women was organized to provide training, educational services, and social services to women, children, and families in Palestine. The Cleveland Council raised funds to help these projects and sponsored educational programs that informed the Cleveland community of social service and educational needs in Israel. Two children's centers built with Cleveland donations were the Cleveland Children's Home in Qiryat Avoda and a community center in Lod.
The Cleveland Council is part of a national organization which also promotes Habonim, a youth organization, and sponsors Jewish and cultural activities. It is the only women's Zionist group with a sister organization in Israel, the Organization of Working Women and Volunteers (in Hebrew, NA'AMAT, an acronym of this name). In 1985 the Pioneer Women name was changed to NA'AMAT USA to more closely match the Israeli organization. Two Cleveland members, Rose Kaufman and Sara Allen Halperin, also served as NA'AMAT national officers.
Scope and ContentThe NA'AMAT USA Cleveland Council Records, 1936-2012 and undated, consist of agendas, awards, brochures, calendars, cards, certificates, correspondence, flyers, forms, handbooks, ledgers, lists, magazines and magazine clippings, minutes, negatives (approximately 38), newsletters, notes, photographs (approximately 678), press releases, programs, receipts, and schedules pertaining to the membership and operations of Pioneer Women and, later, NA'AMAT USA.
The collection is of interest to researchers studying volunteer women's groups from the 1920s to the present which are established to enhance the quality of life for women and children. It is also of interest to researchers studying the history of the Cleveland Jewish community's contributions to the Zionist movement and to the advancement of Israeli social, educational, and legal services. A photograph of former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir with NA'AMAT members is of particular interest.
Statement of ArrangementThe collection is arranged in two series.
- Series I: NA'AMAT USA Cleveland Council Records is arranged alphabetically by document type and then chronologically.
- Series II: NA'AMAT USA Cleveland Council Photographs is arranged in three sub-series.
- Sub-series I: Portraits is arranged alphabetically by portrait type (group or individual) and then chronologically..
- Sub-series II: Subjects is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
- Sub-series III: Views is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
Related MaterialResearchers should also consult MS 4797 NA'AMAT USA, Cleveland Council Records, PG 501 Na'amat USA, Cleveland Council Photographs, and MS 5011 NA'AMAT USA Cleveland Council Records, Series II . The Sara Allen Halperin Papers, MS 4546, may also be of interest to researchers. Sarah Allen Halperin was a founding member of Pioneer Women and helped establish its Cleveland chapter.
Processing InformationProcessed by Whitney Stalnaker and M. Alexander Kaufmann in 2015.
Restrictions on AccessNone.
Preferred Citation[Container ____, Folder ____] MS 5380 NA'AMAT USA Cleveland Council Records and Photographs, Series III, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Acquisition InformationGift of NA'AMAT USA Cleveland Council in 2012.
Indexing TermsThe following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects:Working-women's clubs -- Ohio -- Cleveland.Zionism -- Ohio -- Cleveland.Jewish women -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Societies and clubs.Jews -- Ohio -- Cleveland.Labor Zionism -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Societies, etc.Organizations/Corporations:Na'amat USA (Organization). Cleveland Council -- Photograph collections.Pioneer Women (Organization : U.S.). Cleveland Council.Na'amat USA (Organization). Cleveland Council -- Records and correspondence.Detailed Description of The CollectionNA'AMAT USA Cleveland Council Records1936-2012 undated11Agendas1989-199812Awards, Israel Leadership Award and Golda Meir Child Development Fund Scroll of Honor (oversize materials moved to Oversize Folder 1)1981 undated13Brochure, NA'AMAT: Movement of Working Women and Volunteersundated14Calendars, Pioneer Women/NA'AMAT Cleveland Council1979-198115Calendars, Pioneer Women/NA'AMAT Cleveland Council1981-198416Calendars, NA'AMAT Cleveland Council1987-199217Calendars, NA'AMAT Cleveland Council1992-199618Calendars, NA'AMAT Cleveland Council1996-200019Calendars, NA'AMAT Cleveland Council2000-2005110Calendars, NA'AMAT Cleveland Council2005-2007111Cards, delegate1972112Certificates (oversize material moved to Oversize Folder 1)1936 1990 1997-2000113Correspondence1964-2006 undated114Flyers, NA'AMAT chapter events1962-2004115Flyers, NA'AMAT chapter events2005-2011 undated116Forms1983-2002117Handbook, Recipe for Success: Midwest Area Conference (Akron, OH)1982118Ledger1989-1994119Lists, membership1967-1994120Lists, membership1995-2010121Magazine, Israel Magazine, Vol. VII No. 21975-1976122Magazine clippings, NA'AMAT Woman2001-2007123Minutes1964-2002124Newsletters, NA'AMAT News, Newsletter of the General Federation of Labor in Israel, The Bulletin1951-2006125Notes1964-2002 undated126Press releases1990-1994 undated127Programs1970-2012128Receipts1983-1996129Schedules2002-2003 2006-2007NA'AMAT USA Cleveland Council Photographs1948-2012 undatedPortraits1948-2008 undated130Group1948-2008 undated131Group, unidentifiedundated132IndividualundatedSubjects1975-2012 undated133Annual Meeting1991 2002134Castsundated135Dedication2005136Domestic Violence Program1990137Donor Events1991 2000-2003 2007138Driving Miss Daisy1990139Events1975 1989 1992-1997140Events1998-2001 201221Eventsundated22Installation199323Israeli Nite1995 200224Meetings1990 199925Membership Event199426Menorah Park200227Midwest Area Conference199428Monte Carlo Night199329NA'AMAT Cleveland Council Paid-up Membership2001210NA'AMAT For Choice2004211Pioneer Women1997212School1991213Shore Honour Event2003214Square Dance with Bob Howell at Fairmount Temple1999215Style Show1998 undated216Sunday Musicale2004217Washington DC VisitundatedViews1989-2005 undated218National Convention, Florida2005219Square Dance with Bob Howell at Fairmount Temple1999220Style Show at Point East1998221Unidentified1989 1998 undated