ABSTRACT
Rebecca Gratz was born to a wealthy Jewish family in Philadelphia in 1781. From the time she was in her early twenties, Gratz was involved in charitable work. In 1801, she founded the Female Association for the Relief of Women and Children in Reduced Circumstances and was selected as its first secretary. She also helped to found the Philadelphia Orphan Asylum and served as its secretary for more than 40 years acted as its secretary. Gratz later established the Female Hebrew Benevolent Society, the Jewish Foster Home and Orphan Society, the Fuel Society, and the Sewing Society. Through all this, she raised her sister Rachel’s nine children after her death in 1823.
