Akela Nettie de Leeuw (centre, in grey robe) with girl scouts of the Weizmann Girls Vendel in Enschede, ca. 1952-53. Front row, left to right: Chelly Slagter; Nechamah Hirsch; unidentified; Grietje de Leeuw. Top row, 4th from left: Chaja Slagter. The motto on the flag is היה נכון, Hebrew for the Scouting motto ‘Be prepared’.
During the first half of the 1950s, scouting was popular amongst Jewish youngsters in The Netherlands and their parents. Joodse Padvinders in Nederland (‘Jewish Scouting in The Netherlands’, the Tsofioeth) was a section of the country’s Jewish Youth Commission. Local chapters were divided into Oforiem for 8-12 year olds, Tsofoth for girl scouts, 12-16 year olds, and Tsofiem, 12-16 years. In Enschede Jewish scouting was founded in December 1949 by Mefakedeth Kitty Deen. One year later some sixteen girls were member of this Weizmann Vendel. At the time, Tsofioeth had groups in seven other cities: Amsterdam (3), The Hague (2), Haarlem (1) and Hilversum (1).
[picture (c) LoewenhardtFoundation Archives]
Do you perhaps recognize persons in the pictures? Or do you own documents of members of this Weizmann Girls Vendel? If so, please let me know by writing to John@LoewenhardtFoundation.org.
Source: Nieuw Israëlietisch Weekblad, 1949-54.
Edited 26 September 2020
