About J.D.I

Job’s Daughters International is an organization of young women with members in the United States, Canada, Australia, the Philippines and Brazil.  We have fun together at activities such as swimming parties, dances, family picnics, slumber parties, miniature golf, marching in parades, travel . . . well, you get the picture.  By working closely together, you will make new friends that will last a lifetime.

We also help others. Throughout the year, we perform service projects to help our community, the less fortunate, and other charities. We actively support the Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment (HIKE) Fund, which purchases hearing assistive devices for hearing impaired children.

By holding various offices in Job’s Daughters, you will gain valuable leadership experience, be a part of a team, and learn democratic principles. Job’s Daughters can qualify for various scholarships that are offered on a state-wide and a national level.  All Job’s Daughters are members of a local chapter called a Bethel. Members of a Bethel elect their own officers, decide their own activities, and plan their own events.

In short, Job’s Daughters International offers the qualities that today’s young women want and need from organizations that earn their commitment . . . fun, friendship, helping others and the chance to learn organizational and leadership skills.

Leadership

Exciting opportunities await young girls today. As a member of Job’s Daughters, you can learn skills that will help you meet life’s challenges.

Job’s Daughters is a self-governing group. Each Bethel elects an Honored Queen and the Officers to lead them for a six-month term. The Queen and Officers help to run the group and take care of business such as keeping track of finances, planning events like fund raising, social and fun activities, all with the guidance of adult volunteers.

The experience you get as a member of Job’s Daughters will help you now and in the future. Job’s Daughters learn how to work together to achieve their goals, how to raise money and spend it wisely, how to speak to an audience, the fundamentals of parliamentary procedure and how important community service is to everyone.

Education is very important in Job’s Daughters. None of our activities should interfere with schoolwork or home responsibilities. Each year the organization awards scholarships at the international and regional level to help deserving girls achieve their educational goals.

Most importantly, Job’s Daughters teaches members about friendship and respect for other people and cultures. Job’s Daughters has over 20,000 members in Canada, Australia, the Philippines, Brazil and the United States. As a member, you have the opportunity to travel and meet girls from other lands.

Heritage

Job’s Daughters International is the ONLY international organization for girls that requires ALL OF ITS MEMBERS to have a relationship to a Master Mason, and while it is no part of the Masonic Fraternity, this pre-requisite ties it closely to the Masonic Order. (A daughter of a Majority Member shall also be eligible for membership)

In general, the Book of Job teaches us a Masonic optimistic lesson – Not to fall in despair; it shows that Masonic ideas are imperishable. We see this exemplified in Job’s life. Job saw the growth and upbuilding of his home, he also saw its ruin. but again he beheld its revival and reconstruction.

Special emphasis is given to the thoughts that “To Be Fair Is to Do Good” and “Virtue Is a Quality Which Highly Adorns Woman.”

This organization is truly International in scope. At present there are Bethels in the United States, Canada, Australia, the Philippines and Brazil with other countries expressing interest.

The International Order of Job’s Daughters is operated in a democratic manner, similar to Masonic lodges as well as other Masonic Family organizations. In Bethels, adult co-workers known as the Bethel Guardian Council (consisting of a Bethel Guardian, Associate Bethel Guardian, and others) supervise each Bethel and are appointed yearly – with special consideration given to recommendations from the members of the Bethel.

The International Order of Job’s Daughter’s official charity is The HIKE Fund, Inc. (The Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment Fund). The purpose of HIKE is to provide hearing devices for children with hearing impairments between the ages of newborn and twenty years whose parents are unable to meet this special need financially. An estimate of 100 children are provided with hearing devices each year.

The Supreme Guardian Council as well as many State Grand Jurisdictions and other Masonic Organizations present college scholarships to deserving young members of the Order. In some cases (but not always) special consideration is given to scholarships for certain fields of study. In all cases, the goal is to assist young women in becoming the business, social, and government leaders of tomorrow.

 Tradition

Job’s Daughters has a rich heritage and tradition. The group was founded in 1920 to provide an opportunity for young women to work together, to learn about themselves and to help others. Job’s Daughters is open to girls ages 10 to 20 who have a Masonic Heritage. We do not follow any specific religion, but do require that our members have a belief in God.

For over 75 years, Job’s Daughters has been actively promoting friendship and service. The organization was founded by Mrs. Ethel T. Wead Mick in Omaha, Nebraska. The group takes its name from the Book of Job, and in particular to a reference in the 42nd Chapter that says, “And in all the land were no women found so fair as the Daughters of Job.”

Meetings follow a long tradition of order. The Officers wear traditional Grecian robes, symbols of democracy and equality, provided by the Bethel. Other members wear dresses to meetings. Meetings are held twice a month. Programs are planned and conducted by the members with the help of adult volunteers.

To become a Job’s Daughter does not involve an embarrassing ritual or test of courage. Initiations are solemn, meaningful ceremonies presented by Bethel Officers. Parents are welcome at initiations and all of the meetings.

To be a member of Job’s Daughters is to be part of a group that promotes friendship among young women and confidence in themselves. As a member you will learn skills that will help you throughout your life. You will become part of an organization that serves the community. Most importantly, you will have fun.