Latvian Jewish Health Protection Society “Oze”
(Latvijas ebreju veselības apsargāšanas biedrība “Oze”)
The Society was established in Latvia in 1915 and was initially engaged in providing assistance to refugees and displaced persons. It was officially registered on 26 March 1926 (Valdības Vēstnesis, 4 May 1924, No. 93).
On 27 April 1923, branches were reported to have been established in Liepāja, Jelgava, Ventspils, Tukums, Rēzekne, Ludza, Zilupe, Krāslava, and Daugavpils.
On 9 May 1923, branches were created in Krustpils, Korsovka, Preiļi, Varakļāni, Talsi, Glazmauka, and Bauska.
On 18 January 1927, a branch opened in Alūksne, on 14 August 1929 — in Riga,
and on 1 June 1934 — in Kārsava.
The “Oze” Society was an international organisation, active in Germany, Great Britain, the United States, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Danzig. The President of the International Union of Oze Societies was Albert Einstein (Berlin), with A. Besredka (Vice-President, Paris) and Redcliffe Salaman (Vice-President, London).
As early as 1917, the Society owned a hospital in Daugavpils (on Gaika Street).
After the First World War, its main activities focused on preventive and educational work among Latvia’s Jewish population, as well as providing all kinds of support to those in need or in ill health.
To achieve these aims, the Society:
conducted research into the observance of sanitary and hygiene regulations among Latvia’s Jewish residents, collected and analysed statistical data,
published research studies, distributed educational materials on hygiene,
issued popular health books, organised public lecture series and exhibitions.
The Society could also establish sanatoria, hospitals, consultation clinics, and children’s summer camps.
In Riga and its branch in Liepāja, “Oze” maintained a consultation centre for infants, where a nurse conducted home visits, kept statistics, and arranged regular check-ups for Jewish schoolchildren, including vaccinations. The Women’s Committee of the Society separately assisted the poor, purchasing clothing, footwear, and soap for them.
In Liepāja, with the Society’s support, a mobile dental unit operated actively in 1938, visiting 180 schools and kindergartens and providing dental treatment.
In Daugavpils, the Society organised children’s summer camps in 1937 and 1938. That same year, sculptor Naum Aronson donated 10,000 lats to the Society for the purchase of the so-called Leonov summer house in Stropi, near Daugavpils.
In 1939, the summer camp operated under the name “Latgalian Central Children’s Holiday Home in Daugavpils ‘Stropi’, named after sculptor N. Aronson and his parents L. and K. Aronson”, hosting 175 children and directed by A. Aronson.
Summer colonies were also held in Krāslava in 1931, 1932, 1933, and 1939 — the latter accommodating 10 boys and 15 girls. In 1939, another colony operated in Rēzekne (in Upesciems Primary School No. 1), running for 62 days and attended by 65 children (29 boys, 36 girls).
In 1939, the Liepāja colony at the “Bate Linas-Hatzedek” rest home hosted 35 children, and a semi-colony for 35 children was organised in the Livani district. That same year, in Ludza, a playground was established at the Ludza Jewish Primary School, attended by 49 children.
Among the board members and active participants at various times were:
Dr Isaak Efroimovich Rabinovich, Eng. J. Berzs, Dr Saul Dubinsky, Dr Boris Rosenblum, Dr Ruvin Gurevich, Dr Solomon Gordin, Dr Iosif Tsvi, Dr Ber Rosenberg, Dr E. Falk, Lazar Zalenhaler, Meir Okun, Moisey Sviransky, Hirsch Shtein, Dr Garingol, Zh. Vovsi, Sh. Ginzburg, Dr M. Movshezon, Mordukh Zand, Khaim Fonarev, Tuviy Tsatis, Kaplan, Klummel, Solomon Slutsker, Semel, B. Rapoport, A. Freinklein, Esfir Khachians-Rafaëlson, Noah Beylinzon, Samuyl Karpus, D. Slutsker.
Women’s Section:
I. Rapoport, F. Zand, S. Treger, R. Adelberg, S. Vovsi, G. Vovsi.
Archival sources:
Latvian State Historical Archive (LVVA):
Fond 1536, inventory 11, file 235, p. 1473; Fond 6511, inventory 1, files 130, 243, 244, 246, 254, 266, 333.