In the Beginning: 1855
Each week The American Israelite will print an item from the first years.
Rev. Dr. Lilienthal’s Hebrew and Classical Boarding School
Dr. Lilienthal begs leave to inform his friends and the Israelites of the several parts of the United States, West Indies &c., that he has established a Boarding School in this city for the instruction of the Jewish youth.
The school is situated at 307 Tenth street, on the north side of Tompkin’s Square, one of the most healthy locations in the city. The house is very large, and has baths and every modern improvement.
The course of instruction comprises religion, the Hebrew, English, German and French languages, the Ancient And Modern History of the World, Geography, Mathematics, Book-keeping, Composition, Writing, and also Drawing, Music, and Dancing when required.
Particular attention is paid to the English education of the pupils; five hours daily being devoted to the exclusive study of that language.
The scholars are required to converse in the English, French and German languages respectively, with the teachers of the same, all of whom reside in the house.
Every attention is paid to the religious instruction, morals, and comfort of the pupils, and all are treated as members of the family.
— January 26, 1855
150 Years ago
Items
– French bank notes are no longer to be destroyed by burning, but are to be torn into shreds, and afterward used for making fresh paper.
– There are eight metals — indium, vanadium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, uranium, osmium, and iridium, — more valuable than gold, because of their scarcity.
– The criminal statistics of New York are alarming. The total number of persons arrested last year was 84,821 — 44,777 for drunkenness, 18,264 for disorderly conduct, 3,139 for vagrancy. The amount of fines collected was $71,287.25. There were 13,477 females arrested for intoxication, 6,305 for disorderly conduct, and 1,388 for vagrancy. And New York wonders!
– It was recently noted that a Massachusetts town sent off nearly twice as many letters on Monday mornings as on any other day, showing how people employed themselves during Sunday.
— January 22, 1875
125 Years ago
Jottings
– At Pottsville, Pa., Moses Cohen, a veteran of the Spanish-American war, was buried on January 10th.
– The Jews of Marinette, Wis., will begin to build a $5,000 synagog as soon as the weather permits.
– At the Yonkers Home for Aged and Informed Hebrews Max Brunswie, one of the oldest inmates, committed suicide by inhaling illuminating gas.
– The American Book Co. has gotten out a very serviceable calendar for 1900, one of which any teacher or school officer can have for the asking.
– Although three American college presidents have committed themselves to the statement that the twentieth century began January 1, the director of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England, has announced in accordance with the usage of astronomers that the twentieth century will begin January 1, 1901. The pope also speaks of the coming year as the one that “will usher in the new century which will begin one year hence.”
— January 25, 1900
100 Years ago
Jottings
– Dr. Oscar Leonard, of St. Louis, who recently donated three cases of books containing more than 400 volumes valued at about $2,000 to the National Hebrew Library in Palestine, has received a letter from Dr. Hugo Berman, the director, thanking him for the gift which he characterizes as extremely valuable.
– A handsomely bound, beautifully printed, new and enlarged edition of the “Book of Poems for Young Judeans” has just been issued by National Young Judaea in New York City. The book is rich in material for recitations at Jewish entertainments, festivals, parties and gatherings of all sorts. This volume fills a great need in Jewish school and club life. The principles upon which these poems have been selected are Jewish content, artistic form and recitability. This last element is of extreme importance for all public affairs and has been successfully elected in all the recitations included.
– In order to bring American agricultural implements into greater vogue in Palestine, Nathan Straus, of New York, sent a substantial check to Colonel Kisch, of the Zionist organization. The money will be used to purchase agricultural implements which will be distributed free of charge among the communities of Palestine. The first consignment of implements will be ready in time for shipment to Palestine on the initial voyage of the Jewish steamer, the President Arthur, which leaves for the Holy Land on the 12th of March. In his letter to Colonel Kisch, Mr. Straus directed that the distraction of farm implements should be made without distribution against any race or creed.
— January 22, 1925
75 Years ago
Lester A. Jaffe Elected Board Chairman of HUC-JIR, Sole U.S. Reform Seminary; Merger of 2 Institutions Is Completed
Merger of the Hebrew Union College of Cincinnati and the Jewish Institution of Religion New York, which was initiated as a modus vivendi by the boards of both institutions June 16, 1948, was completed Wednesday, Jan. 25, at the first meeting of the consolidated Board of Governors, at HUC.
Lester A. Jaffe, Cincinnati attorney and formerly chairman of the College’s Board of Governors, was elected chairman of the Board of HUC-JIR at the organization meeting Jan. 25.
Dr. Nelson Glueck, who was named president of the Hebrew Union College in 1947 and president of the Jewish Institute of Religion in the fall of 1948 on the retirement of the late Dr. Stephen S. Wise, becomes officially the president of HUC-JIR. The merged institution, Dr. Glueck announced, will maintain both of the graduate rabbinic seminaries in Cincinnati and New York.
Cincinnati Social and Personal
– Mr. Sydney Cornell has been named commercial production manager of WKRC’s television station.
– Mr. Robert Lazarus, of Columbus, Ohio, has been named to the 10-member executive committee of the Ohio Sesquicentennial Commission, to plan observance of the state’s 150th anniversary in 1953.
— January 26, 1950
50 years ago
Rabbi Goldman is Honored on His Birthday by Members of Wise Temple, Other Friends
Friends and members of Wise Temple greeted Rabbi Albert A. Goldman at Plum Street Temple Friday night, Jan. 17, as he celebrated his 60th birthday anniversary during the Sabbath Service in his honor.
Faculty members from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion were present.
Two of his professors, Sheldon H. Blank and Dr. Jacob R. Marcus were on the pulpit. Dr. Blank is a professor of Bible and Dr. Marcus is distinguished professor of American Jewish History and director of the American Jewish Archives.
On the pulpit also were Mayor Theodore M. Berry; Sen. Robert A. Taft; Father Edward B. Brueggeman, S.J., professor of theology at Xavier; and Dr. Victor E. Reichert, rabbi emeritus of Rockdale Temple.
Apollo Art on Display
The Apollo Student Art Show is on display at the Golf Manor office of Apollo Savings & Loan. There were three age groups of competition: (1) 10-12 years old; (2) 13-15; (3) 16-18.
Each group competed for cash prizes and ribbons in three categories: (1) oil, acrylic or watercolor; (2) ink, pencil or charcoal drawing; (3) other types of paintings and drawings.
In each medium category and each age category there were first, second and third place cash awards totaling $315.
Shown is Mike Brann, 17-year old first place winner from Deer Park High School, with Robert Imbus, secretary manager of Apollo. The winning art with be on display at the Golf Manor office until the end of January.
— January 23, 1975
25 Years ago
Weiland to lead trip to Israel
Richard A. Weiland is chairing next month’s legislators’ trip to Israel, sponsored by the Combined Generations of the Holocaust. The list of attendees includes virtually all present and future leadership of the Ohio legislature.
Among the activities will be a visit to Yad Vashem; a meeting with the Ohio Israel trade representative; visits to an Ohio based business, Standard Textile; a meeting with the distinguished archaeologist Avrahom Beran at Hebrew Union College, a Saturday night dinner with Simcha Dinitz, former ambassador to the U.S.; and a meeting with a former Columbus Sheila who is now spokesperson for the IDF.
The trip is designed for goer stronger ties between the Jewish community and our elected officials. No state has even sent a larger delegation of elected officials to Israel.
Judge Kraft elected to serve for fourth time
Judge Robert S. Kraft has been elected Presiding/Administrative Judge of the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas for the year 2000. This will be the fourth time he has served in this capacity.
He has been a judge in Hamilton County since February 1967, serving on the Municipal court Bench until January, 1971, at which time he became a common pleas judge where he has saved up to the present time.
— January 27, 2000
10 Years ago
Rockdale Temple offers three-part course on the Jewish experience in Spain
Why do some Jews still identify themselves as Sephardim– Spanish Jews–over 500 years after being expelled from Spain? Rabbi Matthew Kraus will explore these and other related topics through a course titled The Jewish Experience in Spain, scheduled for three Wednesday evenings in February at Rockdale Temple. The course is part of Rockdale’s Rak Limud Adult Education Series and is open to all at no charge.
Werner Coppel, Holocaust survivor, to share his story
Werner Coppel, Holocaust survivor and 60-year resident of Cincinnati, will share his story of survival several times this month.
On January 23rd at 6:30 p.m., he will speak during Friday evening services at his home congregation of Temple Sholom. The public is invited to attend. On Thursday January 29th at 5:30 p.m., Mr. Coppel will speak at the Opening Reception at the Freedom Center for the exhibit “Unlocking the Gates of Auschwitz: 70 Years Later.” There is a fee to attend the evening reception. The exhibit is presented by the Center For Holocaust and Humanity Education in partnership with The Museum Center and The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. The exhibit will run from January 30-May 26.
Werner Coppel, now 90 years old, continues to tell his story of working in a slave labor camp, marching in a death march and escaping the Nazis during World War II. He has spoken to packed audiences of adults and thousands of school groups locally and throughout the state.
— January 22, 2015
