Le Toit Familial:
A home that’s more than a home
A haven for almost 100 years
Founded in 1904 in Paris, Le Toit Familial (which literally means ‘The Family Roof’) was a home for young girls and women offering accommodation and education, in a building donated by Baroness Adélaïde de Rothschild (1853-1935), wife of Edmond de Rothschild (1845-1934).
In the 1950s it became a center of Yiddish philosophy and a meeting point for young Jewish students from abroad. It closed in 2000.
It’s a sad fact that women and girls are often the group hardest hit by poverty and the related absence of opportunities. While today advances have been made (although there is still much to do), historically, this was even more so. In patriarchal societies, females who lacked or lost the support of a male protector often struggled with the basics of day-to-day life, such as employment and housing.
And their situation could be even more difficult if they belonged to a minority group in the society they were living in.
Practical solutions for poverty
Like her husband, Baron Edmond de Rothschild, Baroness Adélaïde de Rothschild devoted much of her time to philanthropy, focusing in particular on the plight of Jewish women and children. In 1899 she donated the building at 9 rue Guy Patin to the Comité de Bienfaisance Israélite de Paris (CBIP) for the Israelite Home for Young Girls, renamed Le Toit Familial by the Board of Directors in 1904.
CBIP was created to centralize charitable efforts being done from the mid-19th century to support the 1 in 5 Jews in the French capital who were then living in extreme poverty. It provided food, clothing, heating fuel, financial assistance, rent payments, and community meals, while healthcare came through doctors and midwives along with a 12-bed hospice. Orphanages and foster homes were also established; in 1874, Baron James de Rothschild funded an orphanage for 100 children. Provision was made for the elderly, such as a retirement home for Jewish women, set up in 1883 and administered by the CBIP from 1888.
More than a roof,
a family home
Le Toit Familial aimed to provide housing for young women aged 18 to 28, protecting them from material and moral dangers and enabling them to receive training for a range of employment options including teachers, governesses, arts instructors, sewing teachers, commercial and industrial employees or accountants.
Although it was primarily for Jewish women, it was also open to non-Jewish residents.
Inhabitants had either temporary or permanent private rooms, took their meals in a common dining room, and were able to spend free time together. Some women paid a small fee, while others were fully subsidized. Residents were expected to maintain their rooms and adhere to strict schedules, including bedtimes and outings.
This family provided a sanctuary for many women, along with opportunities that they might not otherwise ever have had. It wasn’t simple charity – it was an approach that opened doors and minds and led the way to helping women gain self-respect and the ability to contribute themselves in a meaningful way to their society and surroundings. This integration of women into the job market was a proactive step towards greater equality, rights, and freedom.
In 1921, Le Toit Familial acquired a country lodge, Le Masse Abri, in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, where the women could enjoy fresh air and rest.
A center of cultural and academic diversity
Upon her death in 1935, Adélaïde left a significant amount of money to the institution, which continued its mission for the next 65 years.
In the post-war period, the building housed Yiddish writers, journalists, and artists, turning it into a cultural and artistic center. People like Yiddish scholar Rachel Ertel, lived there from 1948 to 1952 with her family when they emigrated from Eastern Europe. In 1952, it became a residence for Jewish students, especially those who had come from abroad to Parisian universities, serving as a meeting point open to all students in the capital.
Le Toit Familial closed in 2000 having housed and guided hundreds of people, a place whose impact reached far beyond its four walls and roof.
“The door to our room was always open to everyone, whatever the time or day…”
Rachel Ertel, Yiddish scholar and one-time resident of Le Toit Familial
Curious to learn more?
Find more details about the history of Le Toit Familial here. Learn about a contemporary initiative that helps women fulfill their academic potential, supported by Edmond de Rothschild Family Philanthropy, the Ariane de Rothschild Women’s Doctoral Program, supported by the Edmond de Rothschild Foundation-Caesarea.