Joint Distribution Committee’s Early Stages in Romania: 1916-1921
Joint Distribution Committee’s Early Stages in Romania: 1916-1921

Summary/Abstract: This study, based on new documents, will present and clarify some less known aspects of the support offered by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in Romania during their first years, concentrated around their two main directions – emergency relief and constructive work. The history of the JDC has been divided into several phases, which are reflected by the JDC New York Archives – it comprises of several collections of documents for the respective periods, organized chronologically. While this article also refers to documents in the Collection: 1914-1918 (World War I aid) regarding the JDC activity in Romania, the main emphasis is on the Collection: 1919-1921 (Post-War Emergency). This was the period of the establishment of JDC’s overseas organization, when several units of relief workers were sent abroad. The study goes up to 1921, when JDC decides to end the aid relief in Europe sets the date for the liquidation of emergency programs on 1 July 1921. Afterwards JDC’s focus shifted on activities and programs of rehabilitation and reconstruction. The operational system was reorganized around five functional departments which targeted different areas of need: medico-sanitary improvements, childcare, economic reconstruction, refugee care, and cultural and religious institutions.

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