Rose I. Bender
Rose I. Bender’s work as a Zionist leader reached its high point when she became the first female executive director of the Zionist Organization of Philadelphia in 1945. Bender was a descendant of the Gaon of Vilna and was trained in the Talmudic tradition by her family. Interested in Zionism from an early age, she organized the first Young Judea Club in America while in high school. Bender began work for Hadassah in 1927, eventually becoming the organization’s national chair of fundraising. She was a delegate to the 1939 and 1946 World Zionist Congresses.
Article
field_section_text_value
AJYB 66:572.
Bender, Rose I. Papers, 1929–1946. MSS. 20, Box 1, Folder 1, Balch Institute, Philadelphia, and MS 80–774, American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
NYTimes, November 5, 1964, 45:5.
More Like This
Double your impact to amplify Jewish women’s stories—
All gifts matched up to $35,000
Before you close this article, please consider supporting the Jewish Women’s Archive and uplifting Jewish women’s voices.
At JWA, we preserve the voices of Jewish women and gender-expansive people past and present, share them freely with millions online, and empower a new generation of Jewish feminists to lead with courage, creativity, and conviction.
But none of this happens without you. JWA is an independent nonprofit— we rely on people, like you, who believe that history belongs to all of us and that the voices of Jewish women must remain powerful, and heard.
This month, a generous JWA board member will match every gift dollar for dollar—up to $35,000—through June 30. Your contribution goes twice as far right now.
Every contribution—no matter the size—helps us document, teach, and inspire through Jewish women’s stories.
It takes less than a minute to make a difference.
Thank you for being a part of the JWA community,
Judith Rosenbaum, CEO
