This is the last in a four-part series about the 110th anniversary of the Hebrew Ladies Charity Society.
Invitations to the 110th Anniversary Luncheon honoring the ladies who founded the Hebrew Ladies Charity Society in 1902 have been mailed and now is the time to plan to attend.
• Today, you check the Weather Channel to decide what to wear. In 1902, you learn of the first public demonstration of radio, but you don’t have one.
• Today, you shower and wash your hair. In 1902, you would fill the bathtub from a pail to bathe, and you would wash your hair once a month with borax or egg yolks.
• Today, you use your blow dryer to style your hair. In 1902, you would allow your long hair to dry naturally and then knot it on top of your head with hair pins in the Gibson Girl look.
• Today, you put on slacks or a skirt whose hem is somewhere around the knees. In 1902, you crush your body in a whalebone corset and put on a trumpet-shaped petticoat over which you wear a stiffcollared, long sleeve blouse and a skirt that can clear the floor and approach the ankle. The jacket is wool or wool tweed, no matter what the weather.
• Today, after you dress, you get into your car and use your cell phone to call your friend to find out when she is leaving. In 1902, only 8% of homes had a phone, and Teddy Roosevelt was the first president to ride in an automobile that year.
In 110 years, much has changed, but the need for one person to help another is still the same. The Hebrew Ladies Charity Society has always been generous. There is something special about anonymous giving that places the gift on a higher plain, and the luncheon at Beth Sholom Village will celebrate this continuous achievement.
So, wear a hat and gloves (don’t all ladies wear hats and gloves?) and enjoy a modern fashion show by Lili’s of Ghent and Famous Millinery, backed by music reminiscent of the turn of the 20th century.
Consider joining the Hebrew Ladies Charity Society for $15 a year or becoming a life member for $150. Make a one-time donation of $110 to the 110th Anniversary Society to continue the good work of the Freda H. Gordon Hospice and Palliative Care of Tidewater, a joint venture of Jewish Family Service and Beth Sholom Village.
Make sure that the vision continues.
by Rena Rogoff