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Women and ORT - Resources and Documents

There aren’t many documents in the archive which specifically address the theme of ‘women and ORT’. However, in addition, the general ORT history books there are several series/sub-series of documents that allow a longitudinal study of the courses and subjects targeting women in ORT programmes. In addition, these general resources also follow the activities of womens’ organisations within ORT, such as WAO, Mexican Women’s ORT, etc.

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WO/1/3/5/1      World ORT reports submitted to governing bodies, 1935-1997.

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WO/6/4/2/3/9 ORT Bulletin 1947-1975. Comprises Vol 1, No. 1 (December 1947) - Vol. XXIX, No. 3 (Winter 1975). Includes illustrated news reports from the World ORT Union global network, as well as items focussing on US events and personalities.

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WO/6/4/1/4 ORT - The magazine of the World ORT Union, 1980-1993.

Leadership: There are three (unidentified) women in the founding Congress photo from 1921. [psa0731]

Ida Mowshowitch was instrumental in founding ORT UK (1920-21) and heavily involved in other ORT business. [see d10a021 Draft of the History of British ORT 1919-1973 by Cecily Zimmerman]

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Women’s American ORT was founded in 1927.

d05a112 = History of Women's American ORT [WAO], Part I, by Mrs. Ferdinand Kaufmann, New York;

ORT Bulletin

Archive RefDigital RefTitle/ description
WO/6/4/3/1 

Women's American ORT newsletter [later news], 1948-1954

WO/6/4/3/3 The Reporter, 1950-2006 (Incomplete set)
WO/1/3/5/2/6 WAO report to WOU 90th anniversary Congress, 1970.
WO/1/3/5/2/7d05a068Women's American ORT (WAO) Six-Year Overview, 1986  - addendum to the World ORT Union 1980/86 report.

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Opportunities for women:

‘In 1930-1936… ORT was also instrumental in creating supplementary income for needy Jewish farmers by providing opportunities for the employment of women. These programs called for short-term vocational courses, conducted in 41 kolkhozy, including courses in tailoring, knitting, and toymaking. In 1934 the programs in Crimea and Ukraine had 1,150 trainees in 50 kolkhozy; in 1936, 2,560 trainees in 58 kolkhozy.’ [Source: Shapiro book, p. 156]

d17a007 = Poster ‘A Noble Profession for Women’ advertising ORT-OSE school for nurses, Argentina, 1948.

d05a030_pp.132-133 = ‘ORT Centre for the Training of Vocational School Instructresses (Women's Section of the Central Institute)’, in Report of the ORT Union for the years 1949-1955. Submitted to the ORT Congress, Geneva, June 26th-29th 1955 on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of ORT.

‘ORT, Striving to Reconcile Curriculums and Revelancy [sic], Attracts More Women interested in Education’, New York Times, 17 July 1977.

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ORT views re women:

Archive RefDigital RefTitle/ description
 d20a014Syngalowski: The Jewish Woman and ORT, Berlin, 1930 [draft].
 d20a015Syngalowski: The Jewish Woman and Professional Life, Geneva, 1955 [draft].
WO/7/4/2/3/8d19b224Women's American ORT and Career Education by Kenneth B. Hoyt, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, 1978.