Finding aid for the Bellefaire Photographs

History of Bellefaire

Bellefaire, a nationally known institution dedicated to the care and treatment of the emotionally troubled child was originally organized in Cleveland, Ohio in 1868 as an orphanage to meet the specific needs of the Midwestern Jewish community. Incorporated as the Jewish Orphan Asylum, the home was the result of the charitable efforts of the B'nai B'rith, Grand Lodge District 2. Several years earlier the Lodge, at its annual meeting held in Cleveland, Ohio, had made the decision to tax all members in the district one dollar per year "in order to create a fund which some time in the near future might be used for the organization of a charitable institute." The American Civil War and the problem of orphaned children which it created encouraged the B'nai B'rith to use their funds toward the establishment of an orphan home.

For 61 years, the Home was located on Woodland Avenue in Cleveland on grounds purchased by B'nai B'rith. By 1929, the Woodland Avenue site was no longer sufficient to meet the growing needs of the home, and new grounds were purchased at Fairmount and Belvoir Boulevards in University Heights. The new home, officially incorporated as Bellefaire in 1942, is still in use today.

For the first 74 years of its existence, the emphasis at Bellefaire was to educate and care for orphans as well as the neglected child. In 1940, with the election of Fred Lazarus, Jr. as the president of the Board of Trustees, Bellefaire broadened its objectives and began to change from a dependency institution to one which served children who could not be helped in foster homes, and who required a therapeutic experience in a residential setting. To further these objectives, Bellefaire began in 1941 to encourage families from outside the Cleveland area to send their children for treatment. The trustees of Bellfaire also elected to work with the Welfare Association for Jewish Children to coordinate their efforts through the Jewish Children's Bureau to insure that comprehensive attention be given to each child.

Over the years, numerous persons contributed to the successful operation of the Orphan Home and Bellefaire. Among these was Dr. Samuel Wolfenstein, who during his tenure as superintendent of the home actively sought to broaden both its educational and physical facilities.

Although Bellefaire is no longer an orphanage, many of the Home's traditions are recalled and discussed by the Orphan Home Alumni Association whose annual reunion allows past residents to see old friends and to reminisce about their years at the home.

Scope and Content

The Bellefaire Photographs, ca. 1870-1970 and undated, consist of approximately 1,750 individual portraits, including staff and superintendents; and group portraits, including general outdoor recreation; swimming activities; baseball, football, and basketball; fairs and circuses; reunions; plays, music, and art activities; interior and exterior views of the Jewish Orphan Asylum and Bellefaire buildings; and Cherry Farm and Camp Wise. Tintypes, carte de visite, and cabinet card photographs are included. All of the photographs are black and white.

This collection will be useful to researchers studying the history of the Jewish community in Cleveland, Ohio, and the operation of Jewish orphanage in the late nineteenth century and the twentieth century.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Access

None.

The researcher should also consult MS 3665 Bellefaire Records; MS 4703 Bellfaire Records, Series II; MS 5100 Bellefaire Records, Series III; and PG 571 Bellefaire Photographs, Series II.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] PG 154 Bellefaire Photographs, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Gift of the Jewish Orphan Asylum Alumni.

Detailed Description of The Collection