Orthodox Ladies’ Society for Orphan Support – Jaffa
About the Society
An Arab Christian Orthodox society whose board is elected every two years by the women of the community. It serves the women of the community and represents them in religious and official government forums.
A long-established society founded in 1910, legally registered and falling within the framework of voluntary associations that do not seek material profit. All of the Society’s workers are volunteers.
The Society’s aims
- Representing the women of the Arab Orthodox community in governmental and private institutions, and monitoring and administering the public affairs of the community’s women.
- Supporting the Society’s schools and institutions that have been established and those that will be established in the future by the Society.
- Supporting any social or cultural project or charity initiated by the Society.
- Providing charitable and humanitarian assistance to the needy among the community in Jaffa, in accordance with the Society’s mission and aims.
- Raising donations and membership dues so that the Society’s aims can be accomplished.
- Working to strengthen relations with the other communities in Jaffa.
- Supporting and assisting school students and providing scholarships to some needy university students.
- Preserving the Arab Christian presence in Jaffa without cancelling its role in Jaffa’s communal fabric.
Resources and activities
The Society’s main income comes from events and activities during the year, donations from the people of Jaffa in general and community members in particular, and surplus from trips and celebrations held over the years, allocated to the Society’s aims. These resources do not cover all of its activities and projects, so it also relies on support from the parent body, the Orthodox Philanthropic Society – Jaffa. The Society receives no financial assistance from government institutions.
The Society is committed to enriching the cultural life of the women and girls of Jaffa through activities and events that coincide with all religious, social, and cultural occasions and that suit all age groups in the town. Among the most prominent:
- Activities for older adults such as lectures, cultural and recreational events, and artistic evenings.
- Educational and recreational trips.
- Educational and recreational activities for children, and educational and cultural courses for young women of the community within the Orthodox Club.
- Teaching the principles of the Christian faith and providing religious guidance through lectures and religious instruction.
Presidents of the Society
The names of the presidents of the Orthodox Ladies’ Society for the Support of Orphan Girls over the years:
- Saada Tamari
- Hanna Habib Fabaghani
- Asine Nicola Shamat
- Adele Azer
- Farida Nassar Qahwaji
- Wadieh Abu Minna
- Madeline Azar
- Fadwa Zakkak Tannous
- Vera Abu Minna