The JDC Story: A Brief History
Administrator February 13, 2007 - כ"ה שבט תשס"ז
The Jewish Deaf Congress, Inc. was established as the National Congress of Jewish Deaf in New York City in July, 1956, when Jewish deaf people across America realized a need for an organization to bring together individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and provide opportunities to study and learn about Judaism in an educational and religious environment. Leaders in the fields of education, finance, social work, and law supported this effort. Deaf people who were instrumental in the founding included Leonard Warshawsky of Chicago, Alexander Fleischman of Washington, DC, and Bernard Teitelbaum of Pittsburgh.
Supporters who were hearing included Judge Montefiore Levy, Simon Osserman and Tanya Nash of New York, Rose Olanoff of Philadelphia, Helen Coblenzer of Baltimore, and Dr. Irving Fusfeld of Washington, DC. With Philip Hanover as chair and Harold Steinman as secretary, a committee was formed to make arrangements for a national convention. The work was financed by Anna Plapinger, who had great faith in the undertaking. The committee decided on a name: The National Convention of Jewish Deaf, and selected Hotel Manhattan Towers as the site of the gathering with the Hebrew Association of the Deaf of New York as the host. Much to the committee’s surprise and delight, people from all parts of the United States, Canada, and Israel attended the panel meeting on the first night and the convention events that followed. The panel involved the audience in exploring the various facets of Jewish life and heritage. The Sabbath service was conducted in sign language; for many deaf and hard of hearing people, this was their first time to experience a service conducted in American Sign Language. The long-cherished hope for a national organization crystallized during the first meeting when a permanent governing body was appointed. The Hebrew Association of the Deaf of Philadelphia hosted the second gathering in 1958. During the intervening two years, a constitution and by-laws were drafted. Atlantic City, New Jersey, was the locale of the 1958 convention. The constitution and by-laws were ratified and a new name, The National Congress of Jewish Deaf, was adopted. A committee under the leadership of Harold Steinman was created to investigate ways and means whereby a deaf person could be admitted to rabbinical studies. The NCJD Quarterly was established as the official NCJD publication with Alexander Fleischman as its first editor. At the 1960 convention in Chicago, the Endowment Fund was created for the purpose of assisting rabbinical candidates in the pursuit of their studies to become spiritual leaders among Jewish people who are deaf or hard of hearing. The Rabbinical Committee reported that a graduate of Gallaudet College, Alton Silver of Texas, influenced by the growing interest in Judaism among deaf persons, had enrolled for rabbinical studies at the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. The 1962 convention was held in Washington, DC, under the sponsorship of the Jewish Deaf Society of Baltimore. This successful convention featured Student Rabbi Anton Silver conducting his first Sabbath services for convention goers, and a program for teenagers was initiated. President Fleischman appointed Alton Silver as Chaplain of the NCJD.
The 1964 Convention returned to New York City, birthplace of the NCJD, for a convention held in conjunction with the World’s Fair. Most significant was the presence of Alton Silver, who assisted Dr. David J. Seligson of Central Synagogue in conducting an inspiring Sabbath service. The NCJD affiliated with the Council of Organizations Serving the Deaf (COSD).
Joining deaf and hard of hearing Jewish individuals at the 1966 Cleveland Convention were a sizable number of hearing persons. Plans were outlined for the NCJD to conduct a workshop on “Orientation of Jewish Religious and Community Leaders on Deafness and Vocational Rehabilitation.” In the two years prior to this convention, founding President Philip Hanover and Student Rabbi Anton Silver had passed away; their absence was deeply felt. President Fleischman extended to all rabbis working with deaf persons the title of “honorary chaplain.” NCJD went west and convened in Los Angeles in 1968. The highlight of this convention was worshipping in the first synagogue to be owned and fully operated by Jewish deaf and hard of hearing people. Creating a prayer book and invoking the Convention Plan for the 1972 Convention were the highlights of the Convention.
In 1970, Chicago again greeted convention goers. Student Rabbi Douglas Goldhamer of Hebrew Union College led the worship services. The newly edited prayer books were used on Shabbat. The youth held a conclave, resulting in the formation of a youth committee.”
The Convention Plan was invoked for the first time when NCJD met at Atlantic City in 1972. Two visitors from Israel attended, and the convention went ‘Israel-minded.’ A contribution was made to the Helen Keller Home Building Fund. In addition, NCJD explored the possibility of sending young people to a kibbutz in Israel and selected President Fleischman to represent the NCJD at the Fourth Conference on Deafness of the World Federation of the Deaf held in Tel Aviv.