Biography/History

1940	Madison Jewish Welfare Fund is established to raise money for the United Jewish Appeal, a national organization which distributes funds to Israel and needy Jews worldwide.
1941-1945	Welfare Fund begins to contribute to other national Jewish organizations, to study the needs of Madison's Jewish community, and to provide services.
1946-1947	In cooperation with the Council of Jewish Women, the Welfare Fund sponsors a post-war refugee resettlement program involving ten families.
1948	Welfare Fund legally incorporates “to coordinate, consolidate, and centralize the charitable, educational and cultural fund-raising activities of the residents of the city of Madison.”
1949-1951	First professional director is hired and permanent office space obtained.
1953	The Cultural Series was organized and incorporated to present concerts, debates, forums, and lectures to Madison's Jewish community.
1954	Camp Shalom, a day camp for Jewish children, founded.
1955	A comprehensive study of the needs of Madison's Jewish elderly, sponsored by the Welfare Fund, was completed.
1957	The Community and Public Relations Committee formed to combat anti-Semitism and promote equal opportunity.
1959	The Madison Jewish Welfare Fund changed to the Madison Jewish Welfare Council, in recognition of its increasing role in funding and administering local community services.
1963	Supervision of Golden Age programs for the elderly is transferred from the Council of Jewish Women to the Madison Jewish Welfare Council.
1965	The Welfare Council authorized a study of Jewish Youth activities in Madison.
1969	Welfare Council establishes a public-relations newspaper, the Monthly Reporter, to publicize its objectives and services and to report the activities of Madison's Jewish community.
1970	Gan HaYeled Nursery School founded.
1973	Senior Adult Program begins as a two-year demonstration project to study the needs of Madison's Jewish senior citizens, and coordinate services. Services included visitation and programming for residents of nursing homes, professional counseling, and training volunteers in service to the elderly. Lechayim, a weekly recreational program, provided hot meals, physical exercise, and social and cultural activities. In 1978, Senior Adult Services were incorporated into the newly-created Jewish Social Services.
1973	Women's Service Organization is formed to help coordinate the activities of Jewish women's organizations in Madison, conduct an annual Women's Campaign, provide hospitality to Jewish families new to Madison, assist immigrants from Israel and Russia, and train and recruit volunteers.
1974	Madison Jewish Welfare Council became the Madison Jewish Community Council (MJCC) and receives the William J. Shroder Award for its comprehensive model program of services to the elderly from the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds.
1975	Madison Midrasha, a Jewish high school, is established with a post-Bar and -Bat Mitzvah educational curriculum created by the Madison Jewish Community Council, Temple Beth El, Beth Israel Center, and B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation.
1978	Jewish Social Services of Madison (JSS) is formed by the Council to coordinate social services provided to the Jewish community, with an emphasis on the needs of older adults.