| | Manuscript Collection | Requires cookie* | | 1 | Title: | Florence Azoff Wish Papers
| | | | Creator: | Gift of Elliot Azoff | | | | Dates: | 1913-2010 | | | | Abstract: | Florence Meschan was born January 29, 1918 in Cleveland, Ohio, the daughter of Helen Anna Gordon and Julius Meschan. Florence was valedictorian of Glenville High School in 1936. After graduating from the University of Chicago, she returned to Cleveland in 1941 to marry Martin Azoff. She became a social worker for the local welfare office and for the State Aid to Aged Division. In the 1950s, she co-founded two Hebrew programs that survive as of 2019, Ganon Gil Nursery School and Camp Oneg. She also served as president of the Cleveland Hebrew Schools, Oneg's parent organization. In 1962, she became the first president of the women's association of the Jewish Orthodox Home for the Aged in Cleveland. Widowed in 1964, Azoff returned to work as the first woman professional at the Jewish Community Federation, serving in its women's division. In 1967, she became the Jewish Home's activities director. A year later, she helped launch Menorah Park. She later researched, designed and oversaw its Senior Day Care Center, one of Ohio's first and biggest, with more than 80 clients per day. She married Milton Wish in 1969. Eight years later, at age 59, she earned a master's degree in social work from Case Western Reserve University. She finally retired from Menorah Park in 2000, at age 82. Widowed again in 2000, she began to volunteer at Menorah Park. She finally moved into its new Wiggins Place in 2005. There she became a tenants' association officer and chaired the social action committee. At 91, she joined a group of Wiggins women in a bat mitzvah ceremony. The Jewish coming-of-age ritual is usually for 13-year-old girls, but was uncommon in the 1930s. The Wiggins event drew nationwide publicity. Florence Azoff Wish died on July 15, 2010 at age 92 in Cleveland. The Florence Azoff Wish Papers collection consists of agreements, applications, awards, brochures, correspondence, financial records, guidelines and regulations, an invitation, meeting minutes, a memo, newspaper clippings, notes, photographs, a speech, and a yearbook. | | | | Call #: | MS 5449 | | | | Extent: | 0.8 linear feet (2 boxes) | | | | Subjects: | Wish, Florence Azoff, 1918-2010 | Jews -- Ohio -- Cleveland | Social workers -- Ohio -- Cleveland | Older people -- Services for -- Ohio -- Cleveland | Menorah Park, Jewish Home for Aged (Cleveland, Ohio) | Jewish Community Federation (Cleveland, Ohio) | Cleveland Hebrew Schools
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