Courtesy of NCJW

Hannah Solomon 1858-1942

Philanthropist, civic reformer, and tireless organizer, Hannah Greenebaum Solomon was the founder and first president of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), the first Jewish women's association to be established in the United States. A native of Chicago, she spent her life there promoting the values of unity, collaboration, and education. Solomon brought those values to the formation of the NCJW in 1893 and to her 12 years of service as the organization's president. She also founded Chicago's Juvenile Court, served as president of the Illinois Industrial School for Girls, and established the Bureau of Personal Service to support Russian-Jewish immigrants in turn-of-the-century Chicago.