National Council of Jewish Women of Australia was founded in Sydney in 1923 by Dr Fanny Reading MBE, becoming a national organisation in 1929. With seven Sections around Australia, NCJWA maintains its position as the only Australian Jewish women’s organisation with a platform working for the general community, the Jewish community and its four different projects in Israel. NCJWA invites membership from Jewish women and associate membership from all interested women and men.

In 1925 NCJWA was affiliated to ICJW (International Council of Jewish Women) which represents over one million Jewish women worldwide. ICJW has representatives speaking on behalf of women’s issues at the UN in Paris, Geneva, Vienna and New York.

In 1929 NCJWA was affiliated to NCWA (National Council of Women).

NCJWA NSW sends a delegate to the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and NCJWA National President sits on the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.

NCJWA is affiliated to the Zionist Federation of Australia. NCJWA NSW, though a non-recipient of JCA funding, has worked as a constituent organisation since JCA’s inception in 1967.

NCJWA NSW President sits on JCA Board of Governors.

NCJWA NSW works with JCA’s and UIA’s Women’s Divisions.

For more information about Dr. Fanny Reading, see: http://judaica.library.usyd.edu.au/photoexhibit/photographs/exhibit18/exhibit18.html

Top image: Rebbetzin Jana Gottshall (seated on right) with National Council of Jewish Women of Australia founder, Dr Fanny Reading MBE (centre) and other NCJWA leaders Vera Cohen MBE and Elsie Goldring (back row) and Ettie Simons (seated on left) at the NCJWA Newcastle Section Jubilee in the 1950s.