Hannah G. Solomon Dared to Make a Difference

I didn’t know anything about Hannah G. Solomon, the founder of the National Council of Jewish Women, until I became an active member of the NCJW-San Francisco section.

I recall attending my first awards luncheon and listening to the impressive achievement of the woman who won the Hannah G. Solomon award, the highest award given by NCJW.

Who was Hannah G. Solomon? She must have been quite special. My curiosity was piqued, but other writing projects kept me busy until six months later at the annual NCJW Hanukkah party. One of the members had compiled a history of our section, NCJW-San Francisco. I took my complimentary copy home and read it in one sitting.

Only a page was devoted to Hannah G. Solomon, but it was enough to rekindle my interest. I discovered there was no single adult biography or any children’s book about her. I knew then this would be my next project.

I love doing research, probably because I’ve spent 25 years as a college reference librarian. Almost the first document I found was her autobiography available on the Internet Archive. This

find was a treasure trove. In her own words, I became acquainted with her parents and her siblings; hers was a close-knit and loving family. Her father and mother became role models for her by demonstrating Jewish values through their civic and volunteer work.

With so much original information my first problem was what to include and write about for a 6- to 9-year-old audience? So, I asked myself what would they be interested in? The answer to that question became the beginning of the book: the 1873 World’s Fair Columbian Exhibition in Chicago. Everyone loves a fair, especially one in which the Ferris wheel first premiered. Working backwards from her important contributions in the Parliament of Religions at the World’s Fair, I was able to share how her interest in helping others began in her childhood, as well as highlight other important pieces of history, like the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, which personally affected her family who provided for so many who lost everything in the fire. These events proved to be rich for the illustrator, Sofia Moore.

Hannah’s achievements were many, and I selected those that I felt children would appreciate, like her founding the first free, public nursery school and playgrounds. Her focus on improving the lives of women and children, especially immigrants, and her belief that women could make a difference in the world, was the thread connecting her story.

As a new children’s author, I was overjoyed when Kar-Ben’s editor wanted to publish it. And the NCJW women really promoted it among our members. I only hope my next children’s book will be as rewarding as writing this one.