Founded in 1929 as The Zenobia Club, the Lebanese Syrian American Junior League began when Edna Bayouth, a secretary with the YWCA in Lebanon, encouraged a group of young Cleveland women of Lebanese and Syrian descent to come together in service and fellowship. (Zenobia was a warrior queen of ancient Syria.)

 

Over the decades, the organization evolved in name and scope, becoming the Lebanese Syrian American Junior League in 2009—while remaining deeply rooted in its founding mission of charity, community, and connection.

 

In 1948, under the leadership and vision of Edna Shalala, the League established its Scholarship Program, which continues today, supporting students throughout the Greater Cleveland area. The League’s history is also shaped by dedicated leaders such as Jerri Haddad, who helped establish the cherished Debutante Ball, and founding member Tillie Mady, whose legacy lives on through the preservation of League archives underwritten by her daughters, Lucy Salhany and Jane Seidman.

 

In recognition of its lasting impact, the Lebanese Syrian American Junior League’s records are proudly archived at the Western Reserve Historical Society, preserving letters, photographs, meeting minutes, and historical documents that tell the story of the League’s contributions to Greater Cleveland for future generations.

 

For nearly a century, generations of women have carried this work forward—honoring the past while continuing to serve, support education, and strengthen the community.