Jewish Women's Association Zürich Archive Israelitischer Frauenverein Zürich Archiv

Copyright Holder: Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich. Archiv für Zeitgeschichte - Archivleitung Records of the Israeli Women's Association (Israelitische Frauenverein Zürich, IFZ): Statutes, minutes of the Board of Directors and the General Assembly, minutes of the meetings of the Children's home in Heiden, reference files handwritten by the association's presidents: Berty Guggenheim-Wyler, Sonja Weintraub, Myrthe Dreyfuss, correspondence and people dossiers relating to the care for children’s home, refugees, the poor, child and youth welfare, debt recovery of the Kinderheims Wartheim in Heiden, newspaper and magazine articles on the IFZ and Kinderheim Wartheim, photos, and delivery notes. The Israeli Women's Association (Israelitische Frauenverein Zürich. IFZ) was founded in Zurich in 1878. Original duties of the association of Jewish women was to care of the poor and the sick, and for the assistance of the dying. After the changes of the statutes in 1931, the Israeli Women 's Association was transferred to the Commission of the Israelitischen Cultusgemeinde Zürich (ICZ), and undertook charitable activities for the Jewish community. An important task of the IFZ was the management of the Kinderheims Wartheim in Heiden AR. On the initiative of the then President Berty Guggenheim, the nursery was opened on 9 February 1927. The Augustin-Keller-Loge offered the IFZ free of charge a property in Heiden for the children's home. In return, the IFZ undertook to organize the holiday colonies. In the Second World War the home also served as a refugee home for children. E.g. 40 children from the 300 children's campaign of the Swiss Relief Society for Children of Emigrants (SHEK) were admitted. Because of the declining community need, the Kinderheim Wartheim closed in February 1987. This development was probably due to the fact that new pedagogical models, which tended to allow children to grow up in their own families instead of home care, had prevailed. The Israelitische Frauenverein Zürich is still an independent association and pursues a charity work. He pursues interests of Jewish women with courses and lectures. Jewish traditions are very well maintained.