NEW YORK, N.Y. – On June 5, 12 noon – 5 p.m., the Center for Jewish History, in partnership with the Jewish Women’s Archive, will host the third Women in Jewish History Wikipedia Edit-a-thon. Volunteers are invited to spend the afternoon improving Wikipedia’s coverage of Jewish women and organizations run by female Jewish leaders. No experience is necessary and volunteer editors may come and go throughout the day. Training of volunteers to edit and create new entries for Jewish women and the organizations they spearheaded will take place at 12:30 p.m.

The event’s hosts have already identified 48 women and organizations to be added to Wikipedia, and at least 216 entries that would benefit from an update and added detail. Since the Center for Jewish History began hosting edit-a-thons, it estimates to have made 39 new Wikipedia entries, improved 60 entries, and added over 300 links from entries to relevant archival and library resources.

“By expanding the coverage of Jewish women on Wikipedia, the Center for Jewish History is helping to correct imbalances that have historically minimized women’s work, narratives, and influence,” said Miriam Haier, director of public programs at the Center for Jewish History. “We are trying to rescue the stories of Jewish women who were social pioneers, educators, philanthropists, communal leaders, artists, homemakers, activists, soldiers – and those whose identities and experiences defied categorization.”

The Wikipedia Edit-a-thon will be held at the Center of Jewish History at 15 West 16th St. in Manhattan. A tour of the Center will be given at 2:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided. Although no Wikipedia editing experience is required, volunteers should bring their own laptops.

For more information: cjh.org/event/2881; (212) 868-4444.

CAP: Women in Jewish History Edit-a-thon, May 2014