WRJ Celebrates its Support of JBI International on the Occasion of JBI's 80th Birthday

This past Wednesday JBI International (formerly the Jewish Braille Institute of America) celebrated the 80^th anniversary of its founding. I was delighted to travel to NYC and attend the event along with several other WRJ women including Executive Director Rabbi Marla Feldman, Manager of Development and Special Projects Liz Rosenblum, and former WRJ Board of Directors’ members Cecelia Hauptman, Sandy Abramson, Claire Sauerhoff, and Barbara Jayson. We all enjoyed reminiscing and talking about years spent together on the WRJ Board as well as having the opportunity to get to know Liz, our very new Development Manager. Despite time and space, when women are connected through WRJ service, the bonds transcend time. We picked up where our conversations last ended years ago whether we were talking about careers, family, or WRJ. Women do this instantly when the connection is established. WRJ was gratefully acknowledged as the founding patron of JBI. A short historical video highlighted our first Executive Director Dr. Jane Evans, of blessed memory, speaking at the founding of JBI and how NFTS provided the initial funds. Just hearing Jane’s voice on the video brought back such special memories. Whenever Jane addressed a group, her diction was incomparable and her message articulate! She was a Renaissance woman who was far ahead of any cultural curve. Her leading WRJ as Executive Director for more than thirty years gave our organization an opportunity to have visionary influence in local congregations as well as on the international scene. In the JBI Anniversary Journal's history section, it is written ..."Rabbi (Michael) Aaronson made an appeal to the 1931 Convention of the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods. That group became the founding patron of the Jewish Braille Institute of America..." From 1972-1979, WRJ Honorary President Norma Levitt served as chairman of the JBI Board; Jane from 1979-1995. During those times, many sisterhoods raised considerable sums to support JBI and many were involved with hands-on work with Braille transcripts and recorded books. After the event, I heard from many WRJ Board members and alumni, members of the WRJ Chai Society, which made opening daily e-mail quite special. Jo Thompson of South Carolina shared an e-mail sent from her Aunt Dotty who is 92 years old and ‘as sharp as a tack.” Dotty wrote, “During the late 40’s and 50's and 60's sisterhoods continued to support the JBI. During the 70's NFTS’ big project was the JBI Fragrance Garden. All the plantings were fragrant and there were BRAILLE signs as to what they were. To this day the Garden exists for the Blind. Also, sisterhoods all over the country had members who learned Braille so books in their own area could be transcribed for their local blind people. Sisterhood was also involved in transcribing into Braille Torah portions so blind boys and girls could be bar/bas mitzvah. NFTS/WRJ did some remarkable work for the betterment of mankind. I still get misty-eyed remembering Norma Levitt and Jane Evans describe what was going on at JBI at conventions.” As we begin to initiate our Centennial celebration in 2013, it is important to remember the many lives we have touched in diverse ways throughout our 100 years of service. Women continue to support congregations and local community organizations through financial commitment and hours of volunteer work. We can be proud that we have made a difference in lives around the globe.