Dorothy Reitman

Dorothy Reitman, (born 1932) is a Canadian philanthropist and activist who served as the first female president of the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) from the year 1986 to 1989. She was widowed in 2014.

In 1958, her infant son, Joel, was kidnapped by his nanny who held him for $10,000 ransom resulting in the Reitmans going on the radio pleading for his return. Joel Reitman was found unharmed and the nanny was captured and sentenced to seven years in prison.

Philanthropic and advocacy work She took up a number of philanthropic and social causes and was a founding member of the Portage Program for Drug Dependency, served on the board of the Match International Centre, and through the organization worked on a program to help women in Kenya, the Council of Canadian Unity, and Auberge Shalom for Battered Women. She also helped establish Kosher Meals on Wheels in Montreal.

The Cyril and Dorothy, Joel and Jill Reitman Alzheimer Support Centre at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto is named after her and her family's charitable support.

Canadian Jewish Congress Reitman defeated Moshe Ronen, who would later win the position, for the CJC presidency in 1986. She also advocated on behalf of Soviet Jewish refuseniks attempting to leave the Soviet Union in the 1980s. As CJC President she also opposed increased restrictions by the Canadian government on the ability of refugees to enter Canada.

Honours and awards Reitman won the Montreal Jewish Community Leadership Award in 1965 and received the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977. Five years later, she was inducted into the Order of Canada in recognition for her volunteer work assisting women as well as with the Jewish community.