My dissertation examines the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) and its influence on “young family policy” in the United States from 1964 to 2000. Focusing on three key areas— childcare, anti-abuse advocacy and home visiting—the study explores how NCJW, as a civic volunteer organization, navigated and shaped the landscape of social policy in the face of the neoliberal realignment of social welfare policy. Through archival research and oral histories from NCJW’s national office in Washington D.C. and local NCJW sections in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Florida, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky and New York, this dissertation highlights NCJW’s unique position as a non-governmental actor advocating for the expansion of family and child-facing entitlements.

My case study of the NCJW provides a fine-grained analysis of why and how liberal linchpins of the War on Poverty adapted their political and policy orientation to save early childhood programs from the retrenchment of the welfare state. The research delves into the political and ideological shifts that occurred during this period, including the rise of rights-based organizing (especially, for NCJW, as women and as Jews), the renewed emphasis on “states’ rights” and new forms of revenue sharing, and most crucially, the ideological turn from policy rooted in rehabilitation and opportunity, to policy focused on surveillance and accountability. Ultimately, this study contributes to the understanding of the intersection between family policy, non-governmental organizations, and Jewish women’s activism, providing a comprehensive analysis of the NCJW’s role in shaping social welfare policy in the late 20th century.

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Sophie Cornfield is a doctoral candidate in History and Educational Policy Studies and holds an MA in Educational Policy Studies. Prior to arriving at University of Wisconsin, Sophie completed an B.A. in history at Tulane University and an M.S.Ed in Education, Culture and Society from University of Pennsylvania. Throughout her career, Sophie has moved between classroom teaching and historical research to interrogate how policymaking of the past continues to inform early childhood education. She previously taught preschool in New York City (at a private Reggio-inspired Jewish preschool and a Head Start Center) and worked in early childhood policy outreach in West Philadelphia. Her doctoral research focuses on the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) and its influence on “young family policy” in the United States from 1964 to 2000.

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