In the Beginning: 1854
Each week The American Israelite will print an item from the first years.
A Strong Letter
Mr. Wm. S. Rayner of Baltimore wrote us a very strong letter, i.e. he sent us a list of ten subscribers accompanied with thirty dollars cash. Such letters are strong supports to a paper.
— October 20, 1854
150 Years ago
Foreign Record
– The Prussian Minister of Public Worship has directed his attention to the improvement of school books. He has ordered that, in the future, no lesson books of a religious character are to be used in schools.
– The members of the Commission directing the examination at the Academy of St. Cecilia in Rome, have awarded a diploma of merit to a Jewish young lady who presented herself for examination with the object of obtaining a diploma of musical merit. Two fugues, one by Clementi, the other by Bach, and a sonata of Beethoven, three difficult pieces, were executed by the candidate from memory with rare precision. Signorina Elena Basevi, the young lady refereed to, is not yet fifteen years of age.
To Our Subscribers
Every one of our subscribes has been sent a bill, in July last, and kindly requested to pay up to July or January next. We must earnestly request every one of them to remit at once, either in postal orders, drafts, or checks on commercial cities, as the books of this establishment must be balanced in January next.
A paper is a cash article, which by all means out to be paid in advance; but we have trusted and do trust every Israelite who orders our papers. We must not be disappointed this time, however, payment must be made before January next, after which time all balances over one year will be placed in the hands of magistrates for collections. All balances being paid up by January next, we will considerably enlarge this journal, and give to the reader one of the largest and best Jewish papers, so that no country shall be able to boast of better Jewish press.
— October 23, 1874
125 Years ago
Jottings
– At Columbus, Ga., Mrs. M. Simons, a prominent and greatly beloved mother in Israel, died on October 16, aged 69 years.
Editor’s Note: The term “mother in Israel” is an honorific one, also used to describe Deborah in Judges 5:7.
– The Jewish ladies of Augusta are arranging to hold a fair, beginning November 20th, in Masonic Hall, for the purpose of raising money to pay the debt of the congregation. Mrs. S. Lesser is the president.
– At Wapakoneta, O., Benj. Frankenstein, a Jew who had papers on his person when arrested showing that he had been converted from Judaism to Christianity, has just been sentenced for the Mansfield Reformatory for horse stealing and larceny.
– One of the provisions in the last will of the late Baroness Nathaniel de Rothschild was a legacy of $1000 a year to the Paris Academy of Arts for the benefit of talented artists who are impoverished through blindness or some other bodily infirmity.
– At a recent meeting of the New York Academy of Medicine Dr. Lee K. Frankel, manager of the United Hebrew Charities, said that thirty percent of the applicants to his organization were suffering from consumption, and that there were at the present time on the books of the organization 400 cases of tuberculosis.
— October 26, 1899
100 Years ago
Jottings
– A short time ago everything German was taboo in the United States. But when the International German Loan was announced, on extremely advantageous terms, and with apparently safe guarantees, the one hundred and some odd millions allotted to the United States were subscribed for and over subscribed for in a very few minutes. Sentiment is all right, but it is not allowed to interfere with pecuniary interests. “Business is business.”
– A recent report says that Ford has withdrawn his offer for the Muscle Shoals plant, which he said has become a political affair. He went on to say that he was not in politics, but in business, and does not intend to be drawn into politics. Presumably his previously announced endorsement of President Coolidge for re-election is not politics as Mr. Ford understands the term. One wonders whether that endorsement has not also been withdrawn. But then a man with as much money as Mr. Ford has need not be consistent or have his life and actions governed by the same rules as ordinary men.
– The Western Christian Advocate (Methodist) announces that it has had a very substantial growth in subscribers during the last few years. It ascribes this largely to the cordial support that it is receiving from the pastor. The Advocate is more fortunate in getting the support of the minsters of its Church than are the Jewish papers, which only in rarer instances has the cooperation of the rabbis and are expected to give their space without renumeration to congregations and other Jewish institutions. The rabbi and officers of congregations might well follow the example set by our Methodist brethren.
– A report says that the offices of the Yiddish daily, “Forwards” was recently robbed on $11,358 in cash. It is pretty hard to believe that any Jewish newspaper, Yiddish or English, ever had such an amount on hand. But it is so stated, and of course, it must be accepted as fact.
— October 23, 1924
75 Years ago
CCAR Urges Separation of Church, State
“To invade this principle (of separation of church and state) by the government supplying such auxiliary services as heath, transportation and textbooks to private schools, is to risk the basic principle as such,” says a resolution adopted here by the Executive Bard of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (Reform).
Dr. Jacob R. Marcus, of Cincinnati, president of the CCAR, announced that the Executive Board adopted the resolution in session in Cincinnati Tuesday, Oct. 18.
The text of the resolution follows:
“The fundamental principle of the separation of Church and State is today under attack.
“The Central Conference of American Rabbis reaffirms its undeviating support of this principle.
“To safeguard this long cherished principle, we are resolutely opposed to the effort of any religious body to seek financial support, directly or indirectly, altogether or in part, from the treasury of our Federal or State governments The individual citizens, through their respective, private religious institutions, must bear the whole burden of the cost of maintaining all their church or synagogue activities.”
Cincinnati Social and Personal
– Cincinnatians who recently received the degree of Fellow of the American college of Surgeons include Drs. Aaron L. Grollman, Barnet R. Sekler and Edward Woliver.
– Mr. Max Getz has been elected to the Board of Governors of the Hebrew Union College.
– The Hebrew Union College Students’ Wives Association is holding its first meeting this season Saturday, Oct. 29. Mrs. Robert Marx, 341 Terrace Avenue, is hostess.
— October 27, 1949
50 years ago
Bar Mitzvah
– Mr. and Mrs. Herschel Ostrov take great pleasure in annoucing the forthcoming Bar Mitzvah of their son, Steven Neal, on Saturday morning, Nov. 2, at 10:45 a.m., Isaac M. Wise Temple, Eighth at Plum.
Friends and relatives are cordially invited to worship with the family and attend the Kiddish following services. Steven is the grandson of Dr. David Seligson and the late Mrs. Seligson, of Detroit, Mich., and Mrs. Samuel Ostrov, and the late Mr. Ostrov, of this city.
– Mr. and Mrs. Perry Liberman announce the forthcoming Bar Mitzvah of their son, Howard Martin, on Saturday, Nov. 2, at Adath Israel, Ridge and Galbraith Rd.
Friends and relatives are cordially invited to attend the service and Kiddish.
Howard is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Gutterman, Las Vegas, and Mr. and Mrs. Isidor Schifria and the late Mr. Mitchell Liberman.
Bas Mitzvah
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lee are pleased to announce the forthcoming Bas Mitzvah of their daughter, Sally, Saturday, Nov. 2, at 9 a.m., at Northern Hills Synagogue, 715 Fleming Road.
Sally is the granddaughter of Mrs. Mollie Rothman of West Palm Beach, Fla., and the late Mr. Jack Rothman and Mr. Jacob Levy of Wilkes Barre, Pa., and the late Mrs. Sara Levy.
Relatives and friends are cordially invited to worship with the family and attend the Kiddish following the service.
— October 24, 1974
25 Years ago
Holocaust center planned for Cincinnati
Hebrew Union College-Jewish institute of Religion and the Combined Generations of the Holocaust of Greater Cincinnati have announced the creation of a permanent Holocaust education center on the College-Institute’s Cincinnati campus. Its mission will be to teach future generations about the Holocaust and its lessons for contemporary society. The Center will promote scholarly research; train graduate and seminary students, religious leaders and educators, sponsor public awareness programs including teacher training and curriculum development, exhibitions, seminars and symposia; encourage young people to combat antisemitism and prejudice; and preserve the memory of those who were murdered by the Nazis and their sympathizers. Dick Weiland, who has spearheaded the funding drive, already raising some $1.7 million for the project, is hoping to increase that total by at least $150,000 before the dinner to be held in his honor by HUC.
— October 28, 1999
10 Years ago
JVS Career Services adds two more certified professional resume writers to their staff
Adding to the list of professional career development services available at JVS Career Services, the Professional Association of Résumé Writers and Career Coaches recently awarded the Certified Professional Résumé Writer Certification (CPRW) to Dedra Perlmutter and Michelle Pinsky, after successful completion of the CPRW Certification Program.
CPRWs are the career industry’s leading experts in the development of strategic résumés. Since 1991, CPRWs have demonstrated their knowledge, talent and writing expertise in meeting the industry standard of excellence.
Northern Hills to screen ‘The Dybbuk’
In keeping with the spooky spirit of the season, Northern Hills Synagogue will show the classic Yiddish horror movie “The Dybbuk.” The screening will take place on Wednesday, October 29, beginning at 6:30 pm, as part of Northern Hills’ pizza/movie night series.
In the film, boundaries separating the natural from the supernatural dissolve as ill-fated pledges, unfulfilled passions, and untimely deaths ensnare two families in a tragic labyrinth of spiritual possession. Based on the play by S. An-ski, the film was shot on location in Poland in 1937, and evokes the cultural richness of both shtetl communities and Polish Jewry on the eve of World War II.
— October 23, 2014
