In the Beginning: 1855
Each week The American Israelite will print an item from the first years.
Mr. P. Rosenthal — This gentleman has addressed to us several private letters on different subjects, not falling under his care. We do not know what right he has, to trouble us with his opinions which he out to know, are after all of very little importance.
Knowing the arrogant and ignorant tenor of those letters, as for instance the one in which we were told a matzot are chametz because the dough was too large — we read none of them, but throw them into the fire as they come. Let the gentleman spare himself the trouble of writing letters to us. Cincinnati has been humbugged long enough by men who learned the Gemorah Nigen in some corner of Poland; we have made up our mind to regard such sapient gentry for what they are worth. Spare your trouble, gentleman, you talk and write in vain; your day has gone by in Cincinnati, your sham-piety is exposed, your pretensions to learning are ridiculed, your business has become miserably poor, you had best pack your bundle and go to some other city, Cincinnati can be humbugged no longer.
—April 27, 1855
150 YEARS AGO
Egotistic Talkers
Almost every circle is blessed with the egotist, who exercises a kind of dictatorship over it. Are you in mistake as to a matter of fact? He cannot suffer you to proceed till you are corrected. Have you a word on the end of your tongue? He at once comes to your relief. Do you talk bad grammar? He quotes rules and gives examples like a pedagogue. And yet he never takes the lead in conversation, nor advances an original thought. It is his business to come after and pick up the words which others let slip in a running talk, or to check their impetuosity that he may point out to them their mis-steps. Had he lived in the days of Solomon he would have flattered the royal safe with an intimation that some of his proverbs were but plagiarisms; or, had he been a contemporary of Solomon’s father, would have felt himself bound to give the slayer of Goliath some lessons on the use of the sling, and hinted to the sweet singer of Israel his private opinion that the shepherd bard did not perfectly understand the use of the harp.
—April 25, 1873
125 YEARS AGO
Jottings
The Jewish young men of Cincinnati are enlisting in large numbers in the volunteer service.
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There is a Jew, a native of Litsk, Russia, living in the East End of London, who has fasted for twenty years, his sole daily diet during that time consisting of six pints of milk three pints of beer and a half pound of Demerara sugar. His name is Morris Fox. He is an excellent Talmudical scholar, and in spite of his frugal meals, he is the most healthy, intelligent, and wide awake person in his quarter. He is now over forty. At the age of seventeen, it appears, he caught some lingering fever, which shattered his constitution and entirely destroyed his digestive organs. He took many kinds of treatment from many physicians, until his stomach became inured to all medicine. At the Kieff Hospital they vainly tried the care for him by sponging and electrolysis; at Vienna his physicians included the well-known Drs. Albert and Northnagel. His treatment at Carlsbad was a failure; then he traveled to Koenigsberg, when the physicians decided that he must live on sugar, milk, and beer. He adopted their prescription, and soon regained normal health. For twenty years, no solid food has passed his mouth.
— April 28, 1898
100 YEARS AGO
Pretend They Fear Jewish Attack
Jassey, (JTA) — Grave misgivings have been cause there by the arrival of a number of student agitators identified with Professor Cuza, who is at the head of the anti-Semitic movement in the Romanian schools. They uneasiness was aggravated by the rumors which circulated yesterday that Jewish students arrived from Chernowitz, to avenge the recent anti-Jewish attacks. Professing great alarm, the anti-Semites appealed to the police for protection and a military cordon was drawn around certain sections of the city. The patrol kept watch all night in an evident attempt to defend persons who are known as pogromists agents a fantastic Jewish attack. Jews here feel the fiend alarm displayed in anti-Semitic circles is to provoke a fresh attack, but thus far nothing has happened.
Jottings
That was a neat hit that Mr. Adkins, M.P., made when speaking on Lady Astor’s prohibition bill, he said: “American people are divided into two classes, those who still have a little and those who have a little still.”
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Reports arriving at Riga from Moscow are to the effect that the Soviet Political Department is subjecting the Most. Rev. Dr. Tikhon to electrical shocks, hoping to exhort from him a declaration that he recognizes the Soviet Government as Russia’s legal government and Communist doctrines as compatible with the highest religious principles. The Soviets are evidently following the example set by the Spanish Inquisition.
— April 26, 1923
75 YEARS AGO
U.S. Willing to Share Palestine Trusteeship; Would Not Do Job Alone
Lake Success, N.Y. (SPL) — The United States is not prepare to act alone in the matter of effecting a temporary trusteeship in Palestine, Warren S. Austin told the United Nations today.
Unless other UN nations commits themselves to sending troops and supplies to Palestine, the United States will not feel bound to send troops to the Holy Land to support a trusteeship, he emphasized.
But if other selected countries do give that cooperation, his nation will participate, he said.
American officials plan to exclude Russia from such cooperation, according to reliable sources.
Mr. Austin submitted the draft of an American plan for UN trusteeship over Palestine. The proposal calls for a goernonr general of Palestine.
Personals
Mr. Amiel Wohl, a son of Dr. And Mrs. Samuel WOhl, won first prize in an oratorical contest sponsored by the Cincinnati chapter of the Sons of the America Revolution when he spoke on ‘The Bill of Rights” Saturday, April 17th, at a luncheon at the Cincinnati Club.
On Friday, April 24th, he will participate in the state contest at Mansfield, Ohio.
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Mr.a nd Mrs. Benjamin S. Katz of Indian Hill left for New York on April 19th, stopping at the Hotel Gotham. They sail for Europe on the Queen Mary, April 22nd, with a few days to stop over in Paris en route to Switzerland, where Mr. Katz will visit the Gruen Watch Co. factory.
Mr. and Mrs. Katz plan to return home in late May or early June.
Editor’s Note: The Gruen Watch Company was originally founded in Columbus and later moved to Cincinnati. In 1922, when Gruen merged his company with several other watch manufacturers, the organization moved to Switzerland.
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A mathematics book, co-authored by three University of Cincinnati professors, has been adopted for use in almost 50 colleges and universities in this country and Canada and is going into a fourth printing in less than a year since its publication, University authorities learned Thursday.
This volume, “Unified Calculus,” was written by Dr. Howard K. Justice, professor of mathematics and assistant dean. Dr. Edward S. Smith, professor of mathematics, and R. Meyer Salkover, associate professor of mathematics, all in the U.C. College of Engineering. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York City, is the publisher.
— April 22, 1948
50 YEARS AGO
Bas Mitzvah
Dr. and Mrs. Leonard A. Burgin announce the Bas Mitzvah of their daughter, Cynthia Rosa, on Friday, May 4, at 8:15 p.m., at the Isaac M. Wise Temple, Reading Road and N. Crescent Avenue.
Relatives and friends are cordially invited to worship with the family and to attend the Oneg Shabbat following the services.
Cindy is the granddaughter of Mrs. Lester A. Jaffe and the late Mr. Lester A. Jaffe, and of Mrs. Samuel Burgin and the late Mr. Samuel Burgin.
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Dr. and Mrs. Herbert Kraus announce the forthcoming Bas Mitzvah of their daughter, Debbie, Friday, May 4, at 8:15 p.m., at Adath Israel Synaoguge, Ridge and Galbraith Roads.
Relatives and friends are cordially invited tow reship with the family and to attend the Oneg Shabbat following the services.
Debbie is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs Howard Kessel and Mr. and Mrs. David Kraus of this city.
Bar Mitzvah
Dr. and Mrs. Arnold Peck announce the forthcoming Bar Mitzvah of their son, Fred Howard, on Saturday, April 28th, at 9 a.m., at Adath Israel Synagogue, Ridge and Galbraith Roads.
Relatives and friends are cordially invited to worship with the family and to attend the Kiddish following the services.
Fred is the grandson of Dr. and Mrs. Aaron Peck of this city and Mr. Morris Schucalter of Baltimore and the late Mrs. Freda Schucalter. He is the great grandson of Mrs. Anna Peck of Miami Beach.
—April 26, 1973
25 YEARS AGO
Singer to speak at Hillel in recognition of Yom Hazikaron
On Friday, May 1, 1998 the Hillel Jewish Student Center will host author Max Singer, who does public policy research for business, government, and non governmental organizations.
However, Singer won’t be speaking of his experiences as an author or a policy analyst. Instead he will be speaking about his son, Alex, an American in the Israeli army who was killed in battle with terrorists in Southern Lebanon on his 25th birthday.
In recognition of Yom Hazikaron, Max Singer will share his thoughts and stories about his son and feelings he dealt with as he fought for his country.
— April 30, 1998
10 YEARS AGO
AJC honors GE’s David Joyce at May 9 tribute dinner
The American Jewish Committee Cincinnati Regional Office will present its 2013 National Human Relations Award to David L. Joyce, president and CEO of GE Aviation, at a tribute dinner on Thursday, May 9. The award recognizes Mr. Joyce’s outstanding professional achievements, community leadership, and dedication to excellence.
The global advocacy and human rights work of AJC, advances freedom, liberty, tolerance, and mutual respect worldwide.
Wise Temple YoFI celebrates Havdalah in their jammies
Grab your favorite jammies and head to Wise Temple on Saturday, May 4 for a Pajama and Game Night Havdalah! Wise Temple’s YoFI (Young Family Involvement) group is hosting an evening of creative games of all kinds, including Havdalah Twister. All games can be enjoyed in your footie pajamas!
This event will feature an age-appropriate Havdalah ceremony, which marks the end of Shabbat and the welcoming of a new week. As we say good-bye to Shabbat, we say hello to new friends, as we enjoy fun and laughter with other young families.
The creativity of the event co-chairs, Debbie Horewitz and Susan Zimmerman, will ensure plenty of fun, unique games and surprises. Kids and adults alike are encouraged to come dressed in appropriate bedtime attire. When our cheeks hurt from laughter and our voices are tired from song, we’ll settle in for some milk and cookies before heading home to bed… already dressed in our PJs, ready to be tucked in and fully prepared for the week ahead.
—April 25, 2013
