LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Claire Grunwald upon the occasion of her
designation by the Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush as the
recipient of the Woman of Valor Award at its 30th Anniversary Community
Legislative Breakfast on March 15, 2009

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commend those illustrious individuals of the State of New York whose
purposeful endeavors serve to enhance the quality of life in their
communities; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and fully in accord with its long-
standing traditions, it is the intent of this Legislative Body to
commend Claire Grunwald upon the occasion of her designation for special
honor by the Council of Jewish Organizations (COJO) of Flatbush as the
recipient of its 2009 Woman of Valor, or Aishes Chayil, Award; and
WHEREAS, Claire Grunwald, owner of CLAIRE/ACCUHAIR and distinguished
communal leader, will be honored at the Council's 30th Anniversary
Community Legislative Breakfast, to be held at The Kings Terrace in
Brooklyn, New York, on Sunday, March 15, 2009; and
WHEREAS, Since 1979, the Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush
has coordinated the efforts of all parts of the Jewish community,
including educational, healthcare, religious, social welfare and other
organizations and institutions, and has acted as an advocate for the
communal and individual needs of the entire, increasingly diverse,
Southern Brooklyn community; and
WHEREAS, Its 30th Anniversary Community Legislative Breakfast provides
an opportunity to pay tribute to those who have supported the Council
and have helped to further its efforts, as well as those who exemplify
its mission of improving the quality of life of the citizens it serves;
and
WHEREAS, An astute and perceptive businesswoman, baalabusta par excel-
lence, devoted wife and mother, and generous and compassionate member of
her community, Claire Berkowitz Grunwald was born in Dembreczin, Hungary
before World War II began; during her youth, the Holocaust was raging
throughout Europe, inflicting its ravages and massive persecution on all
European Jewish communities; and
WHEREAS, While still a little girl, she spent more than a year in a
German work camp together with her mother, sisters, aunt and cousins;
the families helped each other survive, keeping the Jewish traditions
and celebrating the Jewish holidays as best they could, never losing
faith and always imbued with a feeling of certainty that Hashem would
rescue them, bringing them to safety; and
WHEREAS, When the war ended, the family returned to Hungary to reclaim
their home and salvage their belongings, then left for Nuremberg, Germa-
ny, where they lived in a camp for displaced persons; while there,
Claire's mother wisely insisted that her then 14 year old daughter learn
a trade and Claire, fortuitously, decided to become an apprentice in a
wigmaking establishment, spending the next three years, before her fami-
ly decided to follow her aunt to the United States in 1949, being
trained in every facet of wigmaking and thoroughly learning the trade;
and
WHEREAS, Once established in Brooklyn with her cherished family, she
was able to immediately get a job in the wig business, where she worked
arduously, continuing to master every aspect of constructing a sheitel,
a wig worn by married Orthodox Jewish women, in accordance with Orthodox
belief, to avoid showing their natural hair; and
WHEREAS, When she married her beloved and devoted husband, Moishe
Grunwald, in 1951, Claire Grunwald realized she herself would have to

wear a wig and, unable to find any stylish enough for the 19 year old
newlywed she was, decided to buy her own wig-setting paraphernalia and
began designing her own styles, working at home while her daughters,
Chaya, Silky and Chana Goldie, were young, laying the foundation for
what would become the well-known and highly acclaimed company,
CLAIRE/ACCUHAIR; and
WHEREAS, Known as a warm, loving, affable and noble lady, Claire Grun-
wald welcomes her family and friends to her home for the Sabbath and
holidays and generously donates some of her wigs to philanthropic caus-
es, such as area Chinese auctions, helping to raise funds for a multi-
tude of worthy communal projects; and
WHEREAS, Claire Grunwald also creates special wigs for men and women
suffering from cancer and devotes two days a week to driving patients in
her van to and from hospitals, rehabilitation clinics and doctor's
offices for the local Bikur Cholim organization; she also takes rela-
tives of hospital patients to visit their ailing family members, often
driving as far as Suffolk or Westchester County; and
WHEREAS, Claire Grunwald is, in addition, a talented poet, an eloquent
speaker on human rights, justice and the State of Israel, and a woman
devoted to her faith and to her husband, children, grandchildren and
great-grandchildren, all of whom are proud to be part of her life and
rejoice in her many achievements; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when individ-
uals of such noble accomplishments are brought to our attention, it is
appropriate to publicly proclaim and commend them for the edification
and emulation of others; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Claire Grunwald upon the occasion of her designation as the recip-
ient of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush's Woman of Valor
Award at its 30th Anniversary Community Legislative Breakfast on March
15, 2009; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Claire Grunwald.