Jewish Family Service (Seattle, Wash.)

The Jewish Family Service was founded in 1892 by 37 women, headed by mother and daughter Esther Levy and Lizzie Cooper. The agency changed its name many times over its history to reflect its focus during different time periods.

In 1892, the Ladies Hebrew Benevolent Society was organized by volunteers to help the Jewish poor in Seattle. In 1917, it merged with the Seattle Hebrew Benevolent Association (a closely related organization, composed entirely of men, founded in 1895), becoming the Seattle Hebrew Benevolent Association. In 1929, the organization was renamed the Jewish Welfare Society.

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