In the Beginning: 1855
Each week The American Israelite will print an item from the first years.
A Fable
An old man was toiling through the burden and heat of the day, in cultivating his field with his own hand, and depositing the promising seeds, into the fruitful lap of the yielding earth. Suddenly there stood before him under the shade of a huge linden tree, a divine vision. The old man was struck with amazement.
“I am Solomon,” spoke the phantom, in a friendly voice. “What are you doing here, old man?”
“If you are Solomon,” replied the venerable laborer, “how can you ask this? In my youth you sent me to the ant; I saw its occupation, and learned from that insect to be industrious and to gather. What I then learned I follow out to this hour.”
“You have only learned half of your lesson,” resumed the spirit. “Go again to the ant, and learn from that insect to rest in the winter of your life, and to enjoy what you have gathered up.”
— March 16, 1855
150 Years ago
– Germany—The attacks of the Ultramontanes on Jews and Judaism have lately become so virulent that the United German Congregations, whose administration is situated at Liepzig, has deemed it necessary to appeal to the Minister of Justice in order to check the spread of the calamities intended to raise hatred to the Jews.
The Emperor forwarded Baroness Louise de Rothschild, sister of Baron Lionel, now staying in London, the insignia of the Louise-order conferred on her by the Emperor, together with a note couched in the most gracious terms, written by the Empress herself.
– Switzerland—This country was for several centuries one of the most tolerant in Europe. Only in our days have the laws been repealed which excluded the Jews from the republic. It required a good deal of pressure from without before the several cantons yielded. It was especially the several treaties of commerce which the republic concluded with other countries that opened her eyes to the incompatibility of such intolerant laws with modern progress. Several countries, such for instance as the United States of America and Holland refused point blank to conclude any treaty with Switzerland unless Jews were included in it. Switzerland, having once yielded, established full religious liberty.
— March 17, 1876
125 Years ago
– Notwithstanding the jaundiced pessimism of Zionistic leaders, the condition of the Jews the world over has improved vastly during the past century. It is still bad enough as it is, but with the impetus of accumulated progress, there is every reason to hope that the ratio of improvement will be infinitely greater during the coming century. An honest comparison of the past with the present gives every reason to look forward to a hopeful future.
– Accustomed though the country has become to Andrew Carnegie’s large benefactions, there can be no doubt that even the mot stolid was startled by his two great gifts of five million dollars each, the one to the city of Pittsburgh for the benefit of disabled or aged employees of the iron works in which he has made his vast fortune, and the other to the City of New York for the establishment of sixty-five branch libraries. Truly he is a worthy custodian of the great wealth which he as amassed. He has often spoken of the duty of the rich man, and now he is giving point to this words by his acts.
Jottings
At Boise, Idaho, Rabbi Stephen S. Wise of Portland, Ore., gave a lecture on “Judaism and Its Relation to the Affairs of the Present State,” at Temple Beth Israel. The house was crowded and the lecture was well received.
— March 21, 1901
100 Years ago
Jottings
– More than 100 Jewish students at the University of Chicago have organized the Philo-Judaes Club, which will study Jewish history and culture, provide religious contracts for Jewish students away from home and perform social work among the children of Chicago’s Jewish quarter.
– Cardinal Silj, recently deceased, believed that the way to world peace was to convert all Jews to Catholicism. He was right. When all Jews will become converts to Catholicism then there will be no more war. By the way, the converse of that is also true. And when all Catholics becomes Protestants then there will be more no more war, either. Only such contingencies will take so long that it is not safe to rely on them as paths to peace. We might better join the League of Nations first—American Jewish World.
– Houdini is becoming quite a national character by the fight he is making against fake mediums, clairvoyants, fortune tellers and others who announce that they are able to foretell the future and accept money for their services. Houdini contends they are utterly unreliable and one and all of them essentially fraudulent, and he appeared before the Senate Committee of the District of Columbia in support of the Bloom-Copeland bill for the suppression of these frauds. While giving his testimony, he exposed many of the tricks of clairvoyants and mediums. Houdini, by the way is a Jew, the son of a rabbi.
— March 18, 1926
75 Years ago
Correspondent Gives Report on Israel to Leaders in Drive
A group of earnest, enthusiastic workers has been enrolled on the Initial Gifts Committee for the Cincinnati Jewish Welfare Fund campaign, Sidney G. Rose, chairman, reported to Harold K. Goldstein, general chairman of the campaign, last week.
Analysis of preliminary initial gifts discloses an increase average more than 30% above those of 1950, it was announced.
The committee executives and aides have held several meetings. More than 80 attended a meeting at the Hotel Alms Sunday, March 11, to heard Dr. J. L. Teller, newspaper correspondent, author, lecturer and authority on Israel and the Middle East.
Bar Mitzvah
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Rubin, of 567 Prospect Place, announce the forthcoming bar mitzvah of their son, David Paul, Saturday morning, March 31, at the Ohav Shalom Synagogue, 425 Forest Avenue.
A reception will be held in his honor Sunday, April 1, from 7:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., at Ohav Shalom Synagogue. Relatives and friends are invited. No cards.
— March 15, 1951
50 years ago
Bas Mitzvah
The Bas Mitzvah of Carol Ann Lessure will take place Friday, April 2, at 8:30 p.m. at Temple Adath Israel in Evansville, Ind. Carol is the daughter of Dr. And Mrs. Alfred P. Lessure and the granddaughter of the late Lillian and Harry Lessure of Cincinnati.
Bar Mitzvah
We take great pleasure in announcing the forthcoming Bar Mitzvah of our son, Stanley, on Saturday, March 20, at 9 a.m., at Congregation Ohav Shalom, 1834 Section Road.
All of our friends and relatives are cordially invited to worship with us on this happy occasion and attend the Kiddush following the services.
There will be no invitations.
Stanley is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Morris Hazen, Mrs. Nellie Lepsky and the late Dr. Harry O. Lepsky.
Jack and Beryl Hazen
— March 18, 1976
10 Years ago
Faculty prize awarded to Rabbi Richard S. Sarason by Women of Reform Judaism
Rabbi Richard S. Sarason, Ph.D., Director of the Pines School of Graduate Studies at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in Cincinnati, has received the Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) Faculty Award in recognition of his support of WRJ and his scholarship and commitment to the Reform Movement.
“Dr. Sarason has inspired generations of Reform leaders and his work has deepened our understanding of, and appreciation for, liturgy. His influence has been felt not only in the classroom but also through his scholarship and leadership,” stated Rabbi Marla Feldman, WRJ Executive Director.
— March 17, 2016
5 Years ago
Rabbi Meredith F. Kahan elected Senior Rabbi of Rockdale Temple
At a special congregational meeting on March 14, 2021, Rabbi Meredith F. Kahan was elected as the tenth Senior Rabbi of K.K. Bene Israel/Rockdale Temple, the oldest congregation West of the Allegheny Mountains.
Rabbi Kahan is a lifelong Cincinnatian. She began her Jewish education at Rockdale Temple and was ordained in 2013 on the Cincinnati campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR). While she was a student, she was Rockdale’s Rabbinic Intern for two years under the mentorship of Rabbi Sigma Faye Coran, z”l.
— March 18, 2021
