Mrs. Felix M. Warburg, vice-president of the Young Women’s Hebrew Association, 31 West 110th Street, New York, on the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of its founding, announced a gift of $25,000 to a building fund for a larger building.
Recalling the history of the early days of the association, Mrs. Warburg stated: “The pioncers imbued with the spirit of social communion of their own faith and tradition were the inspiration that spurred the beginnings of the Y. W. H. A. One sees the missionaries and the neighborhood churches with their social attractions tinged with the color of Christian religious dogma offering our Jewish youth the fulfillment of their normal desire for group and personal companionship. Our Jewish people had not yet felt the responsibility of providing our youth with opportunities for a wholesome social atmosphere. The large influx of central and Eastern European immigration crowded the already densety populated East Side Conditions of living, overcrowded homes, with the girls thrust in the economic whirl of this age, forced new standards upon the community The streets, the dance hall, the corners became the rendezvous of the young.
“The present home of the ‘Y’ gives the youth a center in a new setting, quick?ning their imagination and rekindling their love for Judaism. The first building was rented for $44 per month. In 1911 came the gift of Mrs. Jacob H. Schiff which grew into a building fund for the present building. One hundred and seventy-two girls are resident in the building. Our religious work is the keynote of our endeavors. All Jewish festivals are observed and the high holidays find several synagogue servies in progress in the building.” Mrs. Warburg paid a tribute to Mrs. Israel Unterberg, one of the founders and first president of the Association.
Mrs. Benjamin Marshall, secretary of the Association, announced that a $5,000 scholarship fund was created by the House Council of the Y. W. H. A. as a tribute to Mrs. Israel Unterberg and her accomplishments in the interest of the institution.
A letter was read from Vera Scott Cushman of the Y. W. C. A., conveying the greetings of that organization.
Sol M. Stroock, president of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropic Societies of New York, announced a donation of $5,000 towards the building fund as a memorial to his mother and sister. A contribution of $5,000 was also made by Mrs. Israel Unterberg.
Felix M. Warburg said: “Success has followed the social service among our Jewish girls in increasing measure every year since the start of the ‘Y’ More and more girls and young women are clamoring to be admitted and I hope that the new building, as well as the new buildings in other parts of the city, will provide for them. I shall be sympathetic and helpful in the future as I have been in the past, in the program and work of the Young Women’s Hebrew Association. I wish to pay a tribute to the fine work and deep sense of responsibility with Mrs Ray F. Schwartz, the Executive Director, conducts the work and supervision of the girls in the Y.”
Telegrams and cables were read from Dr. Judah L. Magnes and Miss Sophie Berger of Jerusalem, Mrs. Daniel P. Hays Adolph Lewisohn. Mrs. Jacob Wertheim. Dr. Cyrus Adler. Dr. Maurice B. Hexter and Dr. H. Pereira Mendes.
Following the addresses, a pageant illustrative of the work of the various departments of the “Y” was given.
Among those present were: Dr. Lee K. Frankel, Ludwig Vogelstein. Dr. Samuel Schulman, Dr. Moses Hyamson, Dr. Jonah B. Wise and Israel Un-terberg. Mrs. Jacob II. Schiff, Hon. Samuel Greenbaum, Dr. Solomon Loewenstein.
The officers of the organization are: Mrs. Israel Unterberg, president; Mrs. H. Pereira Mendes and Mrs. Irving Lehman, honorary vice-presidents; Mrs. Jerome J. Hanauer, Mrs. Samuel I. Hyman and Mrs. Felix M. Warburg vice-presidents; Mrs. Simon Liebovitz, treasurer; Mrs. Benjamin Marshall, secretary and Mrs. Ray F. Schwartz, executive director. On the Board of Directors are: Miss Mattie Blogg, Mrs. Samuel Derecktor, Mrs. Waldemar Dorfman, Mrs. Morris Golde, Mrs. Adolph Guggenheim, Mrs. Henry S. Hendricks, Mrs. Moses Hyamson, Mrs. Edwin Kaufman, Mrs. Alfred E. Kornfeld, Hon. Isaac Kubie, Mrs. Eva Levy, Mrs. Isaac Liberman, Mrs. A. J. Marcuse, Mrs. Bernard Naumburg, Mrs. David de Sola Pool, Mrs. Arthur J. Rosenthal, Mrs. Edgar Rosenstock, Mrs. Abraham A. Silberberg, Mrs. Albert Stern and Mrs. Jonah B. Wise.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
