In the Beginning: 1854
Each week The American Israelite will print an item from the first years.
JERUSALEM — Messrs. Sachs and Hausdoerfer assure the editor of the A.Z.d.J. that the Jews of Palestine seek eagerly opportunities to work and toil, and are anxious to see that some plan be adopted, to give them an opportunity to apply their energies to agriculture; especially at present do they desire this, the Turkish government has granted them the right to buy or rent land. As a proof of their assertion, the writers mention the fact that two hundred Jews work in the employ of the English consul.
— November 17, 1854
150 Years ago
Local and Domestic
– Last week was consecrated at Poultney, Vt., the first Jewish burial-ground in that State.
– Rev J.K. Gutheim, of New Orleans, has introduced Friday evening lectures in his temple.
– Being Impossible for me to respond to all telegrams on this subject, I take this method to return thanks for all the sympathy manifested and to state that Mrs. Wise fell out of the window, from the second story of our residence, Sunday, November 2, fractured her leg twice, but escaped miraculously further injuries, and is now doing well, better than could be expected after so serious an accident.
The Cheap Bible
“We must have a cheap edition of an English Bible for Israelites, I.e., a correct translation for the house and school,” is the demand of many sensible and debit Israelites. They are perfectly right. We do possess English versions of the Bible written by Jews, viz., Leeser, Benish, David Levy, Kalish Raphall, etc., but they cost too much money. A Bible must not cost more than fifty cents to one dollar for the school and ordinary use, and this is the most necessary edition. Besides, we have not the least doubt that those versions could be decidedly improved. We have not before us so large a bulk of new and sound researches on Bible topics, that, as Julius Fuerst has shown, improvements could be made.
Editor’s Note: Julius Fürst was a Jewish German scholar and chief editor of “Der Orient,” a publication which provided studies of Hebrew linguistics, as well as analyses of Jewish history and literature.
— November 14, 1873
125 Years ago
The Hebrew Shin became S in the Greek version of Scriptures. So became of King Shalom the grecized Solomon; the heroic Shimshon was turned into Samson, and Shimeon, the son of Jacob, became Simon. Later on the names as corrupted into Greek were adopted by the Hebrews, like Isaac instead of Yitzchak, Solomon instead of Shalomoh, and Simon instead of Shimeon. The Rabbi Simon plays a prominent part among the ancient authorities of the Talmud, especially in Yom, more as a preacher (hagadist) than as a jurist (Halachist). So, exactly, is the case with the Bible, first it was misinterpreted by Christian theologians, and now the Jewish teachers are guided by those very authorities almost exclusively.
Jottings
– In Baltimore, Judge John Dobler refused to hold a session of the Criminal Court on Saturday in the trial of a case which involved the attendance of a large number of Jewish witnesses.
– The congregation which has been winning such scandalous notoriety in Reading, Pa., is composed of recent immigrants. All the natives and older settlers are members of Cong. Oheb Shalom and are respectable and most highly respected citizens.
– Mr. David Kahnweiler, inventor of the cork jacket life-preserver, died in New York last week. Mr. Kahnweiler was born in 1826 in Bavaria, and came to this country in 1847. Besides being the inventor of the cork jacket, now known the wold over, he invented a metallic life raft and a cash-carrier system for use in stores.
— November 17, 1898
100 Years ago
A shocking act of vandalism was recently committed at Minneapolis, Minn., where a Jewish cemetery was invaded during the night time, monuments overthrown and damaged and a mausoleum broken into. A similar occurrence took place nearly half a century ago in Pine Bluff, Ark., but none since. It is hardly believable that there should be in the United States even hoodlums who would be guilty of so despicable an act. Comment would be superfluous. It is to be hoped that the civic authorities will ferret out the miscreants and inflict upon them the punishment they so richly deserve.
Jottings
– Through an appeal to Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, Miss Belle Baruch, daughter of Bernard M. Baruch, representing the Speakers’ Bureau of the League of Nations Non-Partisan Association, gained the consent of former President Wilson to give a ten-minute talk to be transmitted over the New York and Washington radio stations of the telephone companies.
– The October number of “The Immigrant,” the monthly bulletin of the Department of Immigrant Aid of the Council of Jewish Women, contains a number of contributions to the Society’s prize essay contest. These contributions are furnished mainly by young girls who have been in this country a short time. They are noteworthy because of their American spirit, the love of their adopted country which the evince and the knowledge of the vernacular which they have acquired in so short a time. The pamphlet is an exhibit well worth the attention of the Immigration Bureau at Washington.
– Jews, Congregationalists, Universalists, Ethical Culturists, Unitarians and Quakers took part in a gathering in Chicago on October 28 for the formation of a “Federation of Religious Liberals.” The aim of the movement is to bring into “one big church” every religious liberal of the United States and Canada, “so that men and women may live truly religious lives, socially, industrially, professionally, and politically, under modern conditions, instead of trying to live divided.” The federation is supported in its movement by the general conference of the Religious Society of Friends, and the American Unitarian Association, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and the Universal General Conference.
— November 15, 1923
75 Years ago
DC Camps’ Publications are on Exhibit at HUC; Student’s Work Shown
The work of Mrs. Johanna Spector, a graduate student of the Hebrew Union College, is prominently featured in an exhibit of publications of Jewish Displaced Persons Camps in Germany, it is announced by Isaac Goldberg, administrative secretary of the Hebrew Union College Library.
Mrs. Spector spent five years in concentration camps in northeastern Europe, and edited a collection of Ghetto songs from Latvia and Lithuania, entitled “Ghetto — und KZ. Lieder.”
Also in the exhibit are examples of the literary output of the homeless Jews now living in the Displaced Persons Camps in Germany. Included are newspapers, magazines, and scientific journals. “The thirst for knowledge and culture of these people,” said Mr. Goldberg, “not only for themselves but for their children, can only be appreciated by a recognition of the almost insuperable difficulties they had to overcome. In a land of material shortages, where printing types were not deemed essential, these people, when Hebrew type as not available, used Latin type and printed their papers in transliteration”
The educational needs of the DP’s have been filled in large part by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, which has been instrumental in furnishing textbooks and other pedagogic aids. Supplying a grim reminder of the youthfulness of the servitors of the German concentration camps are several volumes entitled “Sharit ha-platah,” which contains lists of the survivors, their places of birth, and their dates of birth.”
— November 18, 1948
50 years ago
Bas Mitzvah
Our daughter, Sylvia Elise, will read a portion of the Haftarah on the occasion of her becoming a Bas Mitzvah on Friday evening, Nov. 23, at 8 p.m., at Northern Hills Synagogue, Congregation B’nai Avraham, 715 Fleming Road.
We would be honored to have our relatives and friends worship with us and join us for the Oneg Shabbat following the services.
Sylvia is the granddaughter of Mrs. Max Cariski and the late Mr. Max Cariski and the late Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Kugelman.
Ruth and Irwin Kugelman.
Bar Mitzvah
– Dr. And Mrs. Burton A. Kleinamn cordially invite you to participate in the services at the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Jeffrey David, Thursday, Nov. 22., at 9 a.m. at the Cincinnati Hebrew Day school, 7855 Dawn Road, and to the Kiddush following the services.
Jeffrey is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Zuckerman of Panorama City, Cali., and Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Kleinman of South Euclid, Ohio.
– Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Reis announce the forthcoming Bar Mitzvah of their son, Daniel Allyn, on Saturday, Nov. 24, 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 Kiddush following the service.
Daniel is the grandson of Mrs. Jack Barra and the late Mr. Barra and Mrs. Sam Reis and the late Mrs. Gertrude Reis.
— November 15, 1973
25 Years ago
German to retire after 17 years with JFS
Lee German, coordinator of family life education for Jewish Family Service, will retire Nov. 30 after 17 years with the agency. German, a licensed social worker, has been instrumental in developing programs such as Making Good Marriages Better, Teen Esteem, Mothers-in-Law and Daughters-in-law, Interfaith Couples, Parents of Interfaith Couples and the Muddled, Marvelous, Middle Years.
“We wish Lee all the best as she begins a new chapter in her life,” said Phyllis Tobias, director of professional services for JFS. “We will surely miss her and her dedication to key causes and issues that are critical to the community.”
Brush to become new director
Sally Brush, who joined Jewish Family Service in September as director of the Alan R. Mack Parents Center, will also become director of family life education upon the Nov. 30 retirement of Lee German.
— November 19, 1998
10 Years ago
The completed Benjamin Felson archives now open for research
The University of Cincinnati’s Henry R. Winkler Center for the History of the Health Professions received two generous donations, from Nancy Felson and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine’s Department of Radiology, to process the “Dr. Benjamin Felson papers”.
Dr. Felson was an expert radiologist and inspiring teacher who served as the director of radiology at Cincinnati General Hospital for over 20 years. This important project has recently been completed and is now open for research purposes.
In honor of what would have been Dr. Felson’s 100th birthday, and in conjunction with the opening of this collection, the Winkler Center is hosting an exhibit on the history of radiology through December 31, 2013.
Dr. Felson is rememberd fondly by many of his students and colleagues at the University. Correspondence received so far has shown how much his opinion was respected by his peers and sought after by his students.
One letter indicated two points that were most important to Dr. Felson: that if you learn it, you’ll like it; and any method will fail if done poorly and will succeed if done well. Furthermore, Dr. Felson believed that enthusiasm was the best attribute for a teacher, better than erudition and better than research expertise.
— November 14, 2013
