It was an offshoot of the Committee for Special Jewish Affairs [nl] (Dutch: Comité voor Bijzondere Joodsche Belangen - CBJB), which was founded in 1933 by Abraham Asscher and David Cohen.

The abbreviation CJV is generally applied to the Amsterdam Committee, which managed work permits, entry visas and identity passes.

The CJV also represented the provincial committees to the Dutch government and to the other organizations that supported the refugees both in the Netherlands and abroad.

The composition varied greatly, since the staff was largely recruited from the ranks of the refugees, and they would succeed in emigrating or return to Germany.

Everyday affairs of the CJV were managed by Raphael Henri Eitje and Gertrude van Tijn-Cohn.

[6] Eitje was from the Hachnosas Ourechim, an organization that provided help and shelter in Amsterdam to Jewish refugees.

[10][11] van Tijn was from the Jewish Women's Organization (Dutch: Joodse Vrouwen Organisatie).

[12][13] Cohen focused in particular on his work for the CBJB, which meant that he brought refugee interests to the attention of the Dutch Government and contacts with other Jewish organizations.

van Tijn was responsible for the initial reception of refugees, i.e. the intake interviews and registration, housing and food distribution.

Then she was responsible for managing the finances, she headed the department for emigration and professional training and became the contact person for foreign aid organizations.

[14] Two other key employees within the CJV were Marianne van Stedum, who was involved in social work,[15][16] and J. de Miranda who looked after the general affairs.

[5] After the Kristallnacht pogroms in Germany and Austria on 9–10 November 1938, there was a great increase in the number of refugees coming to the Netherlands.

Dr. Erich Rosenberg, who had been working privately to facilitate the emigration of Jews away from Germany,[17] joined the CJV as Head of the Welfare Department at this time.

[21][22] The events in Germany and the measures taken by the Dutch government had influence on the work of the Committee for Jewish Refugees.

By wielding strict criteria for admission, the CJV could give greater help to those that were eligible for support.

The CJV mediated with the Dutch government for residence and work permits and ensured the periodic renewal of these licenses.

The representation of the interests of these people, provision of clothing, a cash allowance, and advice on possible emigration was the task of the Camp Division.

Following Kristallnacht in November 1938, a Kindertransport was organized to move children - without their parents - to countries outside of the German Reich.

In the Netherlands, Truus Wijsmuller-Meijer negotiated an agreement with the Dutch government to accept 1500 children who were en route to Great Britain and other countries.

On 14 May 1940, the very last group of 74 children departed from IJmuiden port (near Amsterdam) on the SS Bodegraven [nl; de].

Wijsmuller-Meijer and Gertrude van Tijn from the CJV accompanied the children to the ship, and then returned to Amsterdam.

16 to 25 year olds were trained in agriculture and horticulture with a view to emigration to Palestine, which was called "Hakhshara".

[35] In 1936 at the initiative of the CJV and the Jewish Women's Organization a clubhouse (Dutch: clubhuis) was opened where German refugees could spend their afternoons and evenings.

The committee did not influence the number of refugees who would be allowed, but it was asked to financially guarantee the shelter in the camps.

Within the three days required by the Dutch government, the CJV was able to underwrite the operating expenses of the camp with a sum of one million guilders.

[37][29] The Central Refugee Camp (Dutch: Centraal Vluchtelingenkamp) was built in Hooghalen near Westerbork.

The Dutch government's policy was aimed an encouraging refugees in the Netherlands to leave as soon as possible, either by returning to their home country, usually Germany, or by emigration.

[39] After the German occupation in May 1940, the committee's employees remained active, but no archival material was preserved to document their work.