In the Beginning: 1855
Each week The American Israelite will print an item from the first years.
Sardinia. — The Jews in Turin are, in every respect, placed on an equal footing with their Christian fellow-citizens. Thus the municipality granted lately to the congregation ground for a cemetery, precisely on the same terms on which it is granted to other bodies.
Holland. — The Jewish population of that kingdom amounted in 1850 to 58,541 souls; of these 55,359 were Ashkenasim, and 3,182 Sephardim. But the number has since increased.
— May 11, 1855
150 Years ago
The editor of the Jewish Messenger is afflicted with the fear that we are losing our mental equilibrium. We would bid our friend of the Messenger to calm his fears concerning us. He need not entertain any apprehensions of the kind, as we are still tolerably sane at the present time, and intend to retain our sanity long enough to induce a few more Eastern congregations to join the Union. If anxiety on our account should keep the Messenger man from sleeping at night, we advise him to read a few of his editorials; they certainly contain sufficient narcotic qualities to produce the desired somnolency.
Items
– Self-made men are very apt to worship their maker.
– An absolute power, whether usurped by the crown or the cassock — whether attempted to be sustained by armed force or secret machinations — is inconsistent with the rights and privileges, and odiously insupportable to the independent spirit of mankind.
– They have a good deal of wind in Holland, and the people make a good use of it. There are 12,000 windmills in operation, each doing a six or ten horse power service through the twenty-four hours. These mills are kept at an annual cost of $4,000,000, and they perform all the service required of steam engines at one-twentieth the cost.
— May 7, 1875
125 Years ago
Jottings
– We notice, says the Cincinnati Journal and Messenger, that a daughter of the late A. Ben Oliel, formerly of Morocco, and then of Jersualem, is delivering lectures on Bible countries, manners, customs, etc., in various parts of the country. For aught we know to the contrary, she may be an excellent young woman, honest and sincere in her desire to be helpful to the churches, as well as to provide for her own needs; but we can not advise our people to accept all she says and offers without question. Her father did not win universal respect and confidence, and his career was not such as to make his memory fragrant of good. We trust that the daughter is of better character.
– The Hebrew Union College received a donation of $1000 from Mr. Jacob Schiff, of New York this week. This is a purely personal contribution, and has no connection with what the committee for the Wise Memorial Fund, of which.Mr. Schiff is a member, is doing.
– The Russian Jews of Haverhill, Mass., are building a handsome $10,000 synagog. It is designed after the Baldwin Street Synagogue of Boston.
– Rev. Dr. William Rosenau has been requested to become a contributor to the Jewish Encyclopedia planned by Dr. Singer, to be published by Funk, Wagnalls, & Co.
– According to its annual report, the Brooklyn Jewish Orphan Asylum has 818 inmates. The charges for maintenance during the year were, $35, 708.13. Its net assets are 187,670.01.
— May 10, 1900
100 Years ago
Bible-Reading Bill Vetoed
Governor of Ohio A. V. Donahey has justified the expectations of an overwhelming majority of justice loving liberal-minded citizens of the State by vetoing the bill which made Bible reading compulsory in its public schools, which was passed by the Ohio Legislature, almost at the close of the session after a fierce struggle.
The bill was sponsored by the Ku Klux Klan, backed by the influence of the Clerical bloc. Together they brought every possible pressure to bear upon weak-kneed legislators to compel them to vote favorably upon the bill. The members of the Senate and House of Representatives were threatened with defeat at the polls should they become candidates for re-eleection to the legislature, or for any other office.
In the meantime, Governor Donahey has earned the gratitude of all fair-minded men and women in the State by being fearless and just and correctly interpreting the real meaning and purport of the traditional and fundamental principle that underlies our form of government, that there shall be absolute severance of Church and State, and that there should be no clerical control, or even clerical meddling with any State institution, and above all, that our public schools should be left free from all sectarian practices that might interfere with the absolute freedom of religious belief of invade its sanctity.
Jottings
The first four days of the campaign for $1,350,000 for the Mount Sinai Hospital, which is being conducted at Cleveland, O., netted over one million dollars in cash. The largest single contribution came from the Richman Brothers, wealthy clothing manufacturers of that city, who contributed $100,000.
– A petition requesting the removal of the chief of police of Niles, Ohio on the ground that he gave protection to members of the Ku Klux Klan during Klan riots in that city, has been handed over to Governor Donahey, by Geo Swerigan and Fred Henderson, two prominent citizens of Niles. The petition carries the signatures of a large number of residents of the city, which was the scene of a heated battled between the forces of the Klan and their opponents about a year ago. The movement for the removal of the chief of police was started by the Reverend Robert K. Ketchum, Baptist minister.
— May 7, 1925
75 Years ago
HUC Students Urge A Program of Social Service For Patients
Three Hebrew Union College students are speaking before various Jewish women’s organizations in an effort to gain support for a program of social service to Longview Hospital.
Of the 32,000 patients at Longview, more than 3% are Jewish. The maintenance furnished by the state cannot hope to minister to the needs of these people, and many of them have been inflicted and forgotten by their families and by the Jewish community, it is said.
“Mental illness takes time and treatment,” the announcement said. “It also takes commiseration, indulgence, care and interest. These cannot be given by the overworked nurses, attendants and handful of social workers who are available. They can be given by volunteers.
“The biweekly service and holiday programs, how provided by the Jewish community, should be expanded into an integrated program, including visits, entertainment, general and ward parties. To carry out this plan, the creation of a permanent committee for Jewish Social Service to Longview is envisaged. This central body would schedule activities, their effort in working out the details.”
Cincinnati Social and Personal
– Mrs. Robert E. Segal, newly elected president of the Newton (Mass.) League of Women Voters, attended the League’s recent national convention at Atlantic City. She is a former Cincinnatian.
– A display of Costa Rican stamps was shown by Mr. Sol Kaplan at the Metropole Hotel to the Cincinnati Philatelic Society, Thursday evening, May 9.
— May 11, 1950
50 years ago
Bas Mitzvah
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Timoner are pleased to announce the forthcoming Bas Mitzvah of their daughter, Harriet, on Friday evening, May 16, at 8:30 p.m., at the Northern Hills Synagogue.
Harriet is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Parkin of Cincinnati and Mrs. Clare Timoner of Pompano Beach, Fla. Friends and relative are cordially invited to worship with the family and join them for the Oneg Shabbat following the services.
Bar Mitzvah
– Robert B. Mittenthal, son of Mr. and Mrs. Stuart R. Mittenthal (Edie Graller), of Huntington Woods, Mich., will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah on May 31, 1975.
A reception at his home will follow the services. Bob recently returned home form a visit to Israel in honor of his Bar Mitzvah.
He is the grandson of Dr. and Mrs. David L. Graller and great grandson of Mr. Ben Chasanov, all of Cincinnati.
– Mr. and Mrs. Charles Docter, of Washington, D.C., announce the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Michael Warren, Saturday, May 10, at Congregation Beth El in Bethesda, Md.
Michal is the grandson of Mr. Nathan Kaplan of Kensington, Md., and the late Mrs. Kaplan and Mrs. Alfred Docter of Cincinnati and the late Mr. Docter.
— May 8, 1975
25 Years ago
Adath Israel sculpture to be dedicated
“Artist Ray Miller has given Adath Israel a beautiful gift,” Kurtz added. “The sculpture, outside the entrance, is entitled ‘The Minyan.’”
“We have been holding some Friday evening services outside the past few years, “ Rabbi Irvin M. Wise, Adath Israel Spiritual Leader explained. “This beautiful sculpture will enhance our outdoor davening.”
“One of the core rituals of traditional Jewish faith is daily prayer. Much of this daily ritual is a personal experience and yet it connects you to the endless thread of Jewish history,’ Miller explained. “It establishes you as a member of the Jewish community. For many saying the Kaddish is another fundamental ritual, practiced during time of grieving and loss.”
“The sculpture reminds us that being part of a religious community and davening together is as natural as the trees and the grass,” Rabbi Wise added.
— May 11, 2000
10 Years ago
Cedar Village Retirement Community holds first-ever Senior to Senior Prom
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Cedar Village Retirement Community enjoyed their first–ever Senior to Senior Prom on Sunday, May 3, 2015, all thanks to Mason High School Seniors and the hard work of Sonia Rayka, Senior Class Secretary.
The students were inspired after caroling during the holidays at different retirement communities around Cincinnati; after seeing how elderly residents appreciated their presence, they decided it was time to do something else to make a positive impact on the lives of those residing in long–term care facilities. Rayka wanted to do something that would truly “connect with the residents” and got her fellow classmates excited about the Senior to Senior theme.
So on Sunday night, over 25 Mason High School seniors decorated the Cedar Village Cohen Center with a 50s theme, complete with jukebox murals, records on the tables and old school candy in goody bags for everyone. They all dressed up in poodle skirts, letterman jackets and Converse sneakers, and DJ Fred Poock, of Powerhouse Music, spun tunes from way back in the 30’s all the way up to today’s latest hits; residents were able to dance the night away to everything from “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” to “The Cupid Shuffle.”
— May 7, 2015
