In the Beginning: 1855
Each week The American Israelite will print an item from the first years.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Our correspondent informs us, that an organ will be bought for this synagogue in a short time. The choir is in full operation. The progressive ideas are on the ascendency and find but little opposition. There is a prospect of re-uniting the two congregations. It pleases us to learn that our brethren in Syracuse are going ahead, and we can only encourage them.
— January 19, 1855
150 Years ago
Items
- Farjeon, since Dicken’s death the most popular writer of Christmas stories, is a Jew and adheres to the Israelite faith.
Editor’s Note: Eleanor Farjeon’s most famous work is the hymn “Morning Has Broken,” later made famous in 1971 by Cat Stevens. - Journalism is lively in Connecticut. One editor calls another an unnaturalized idiot. He should be naturalized at once.
- Several French Jewish families have been plunged into mourning through the wreck of the Ville du Havre.
Editor’s Note: The SS Ville du Havre provided passengers with round trips between France and New York City. After leaving New York in November of 1873, the Ville du Havre hit another ship and began to sink. While there were lifeboats available, many were unusable as a fresh coat of paint had adhered them to the ship’s deck. Of the 313 passengers on board, only 87 survived. - According to the Berlin journalists, the Poles in Western Prussia are throwing every possible obstacle in the way of the teachers, who, in accordance with recent instructions, confine themselves to the use of the German language in schools. Parents, it is stated, prohibit their children from speaking German, endeavor to intimidate the teachers by anonymous threats, and throw the German school-books into the fire.
Local and Domestic
- In consequence of the absence of the editor of the ISRAELITE from the city, all personal letters addressed to him must remain unanswered for the present. All such letters will be attended to on his return next week.
- Our friends of Bay City, Mich., have a worthy enterprise on hand. They wish to build a synagogue and purchase a burial-ground. The gentlemen entrusted with the management of the affair are highly recommended by responsible parties, and well known to a large circle as gentleman of candor and honorable principles. The enterprise deserves the consideration of all friends of the good cause.
— January 16, 1874
125 Years ago
- Because Rabbi S. Schulman asserted that he believed Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were in heaven in spite of having several wives, a report is going the roads of the press that the Rabbi is a defender of polygamy.
- The celebrated Egyptologist, Prof. Wm. Groff, is a native of Cincinnati, who made his academic studies in Paris, and for the last eleven years has resided in Egypt. Most of his interpretations of Egyptian inscriptions appeared in the Paris Revue Egyptologe, and in various volumes. The Professor delivered a lecture before the University of Cincinnati, which was not published. Tuesday last he delivered another lecture before the Hebrew Union College on Bible texts found in Egyptian records, the abstract of which, together with the thanks of the college, will appear in next week’s ISRAELITE. Prof. Groff is a non-sectarian Christian. His main researches are directed to the end of establishing the historical accounts in Genesis and Exodus, as far as Egypt is concerned, in which he is remarkably successful.
Jottings
- The “American Hebrew” issued a special number last week, commemorative of its one thousandth issue, which was very handsomely gotten up and extremely creditable in every way.
- Rabbi Jacob Voorsanger of San Francisco is quite freely mentioned in that city as a possibility for the presidency of the University of California. Dr. Voorsanger, however, states that his ambition does not lie in that direction and that he intends to devote the remainder of his life to his ministerial work. Dr. Voorsanger has been so successful in his ministerial and editorial work that there is little danger of anything tempting him to leave it. It would be a very great loss to American Israel should he ever do so.
— January 19, 1899
100 Years ago
Engelhardt Boasts Jewish Mayor
Toronto, (JCB). – Engelhardt, Ontario, has re-elected David Korman Mayor. It is perhaps worth mentioning that Engelhardt boasts only six Jewish families, of whom the Kormans are naturally the leaders.
Jottings
There was rather a peculiar experience in this office the past week, namely the ISRAELITE’s New York and San Francisco exchanges reached it at the same time, and those from both cities before the Chicago exchanges came in.
- A Jewish weekly newspaper published in a nearby city, carries a Ford advertisement, a sordid action, for which its subscribers would be justified in canceling their subscriptions. In case this were done, however, it is probable that the publisher will plead with Shakespeare’s apothecary in “Romeo and Juliet,” that his poverty and not his will consents.
Editor’s Note: The publishers of The American Israelite are lambasting another Jewish newspaper that ran ads for the Ford Company. Henry Ford was a rabid antisemite, and published antisemitic material in his paper, The Dearborn Independent. - From time to time our Protestant Christian religious exchanges are protesting at the unfairness of the stage presentation of clergymen of their denomination. For some reason or another, the Protestant parson is often presented as a comic character, which the editors claim is never done in the case of priests or rabbis. Perhaps this is due to the fact that as long as they are decent, priests and rabbis do not interfere with the personal habits of their parishioners, or put a ban on reasonable enjoyment and recreations.
- A recent J.T.A. dispatch from Vienna states that £50,000 have been subscribed by a small number of Vienna businessmen to the Rutenberg project for the electrification of Palestine. It would seem as though a great wrong were being committed by rich, or even well-to-do business men of Austria and Germany, when they subscribed money for Palestinian projects when there is so much suffering in their home countries. Their money would be much better employed for the relief of their countrymen than in sending it abroad for even the best of purposes in the Holy Land.
— January 17, 1924
75 Years ago
Rockdale to Celebrate 125th Anniversary in Program of Jan. 21-22
More than 500 persons are expected to attend the dinner climaxing the two-day celebration of Rockdale Avenue Temple.
The dinner will be held Saturday, Jan. 22nd, at the Netherland Plaza, with Dr. Louis L. Mann of Chicago as speaker and Murray Seasongood as toastmaster.
Dr. Leo Baeck, president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, will deliver the sermon Friday evening, Jan. 21st, in Rockdale Temple. Rockdale and Wise Congregations will worship there jointly.
Dr. Victor E. Reichert, rabbi of Rockdale Temple, will deliver the sermon Saturday morning, Jan. 22nd, at Rockdale. Wise again will worship with the Rockdale congregation.
Several hundred persons attended the first Cincinnati performance of the full score of Ernest Bloch’s Avodath Hakodesh — Sacred Service, in Rockdale Temple, Friday evening, Jan. 14th.
President Truman Sends Greetings to Rockdale on 125th Anniversary
President Harry S. Truman has sent greetings on the occasion of Rockdale Avenue Temple’s 125th anniversary, as follows:
“My hearty greetings to you and through you to all friends of Rockdale Avenue Temple (Congregation Bene Israel) on the happy occasion of the 125th anniversary of its founding.
“This Temple has witnessed stirring events in our history during the past century and a quarter and has made through that long period a contribution of incalculable value to the spiritual life of the community.”
My anniversary message expressed the hope that this Temple through long decades ahead will exemplify the finest tradition of the ancient culture of Israel.”
— January 20, 1949
50 years ago
Bas Mitzvah
Dr. and Mrs. Robert I. Shokler of 1155 Cheyenne Dr. proudly announce the forthcoming Bas Mitzvah of their daughter, Bari Lynn, Friday, Jan. 25th, at 7 p.m., at B’nai Tzedek Congregation at the Jewish Community Center.
Bari Lynn is the granddaughter of Mrs. Ben M. Cohan and the late Mr. Cohan and the late Mr. and Mrs. Morris Shokler.
Bar Mitzvah
- Mr. and Mrs. William S. Magnus announce the forthcoming Bar Mitzvah of their son, David Joseph, on Saturday, Jan. 26th at 10:30 a.m., at Rockdale Temple, 8501 Ridge Road at Cross County Highway.
David is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. J. Willis Taylor of St. Louis and of the late Mr. and Mrs. Julian A. Magnus of Cincinnati.
Relatives and friends are cordially invited to worship with the family and to attend the kiddish following the service. - Mr. and Mrs. Sylvan P. Reisenfeld take great pleasure in announcing the forthcoming Bar Mitzvah of their son, Douglas Michael, Saturday, Jan. 26th, at 9 a.m., at Adath Israel Synagogue, Ridge and Galbraith Roads.
Friends and relatives are cordially invited to worship with them and attend the Kiddish following services.
Douglas is the grandson of Dr. and Mrs. Albert Kaplan, of Hallandale, Fla., and formerly of Cincinnati, and Mr. and Mrs. David A. Reisenfeld of Cincinnati.
— January 17, 1974
25 Years ago
Katz named editor of The American Israelite
By Phyllis Singer
Senior Editor
American Israelite publisher Ted Deutsch has named veteran Cincinnati journalist Raymond L. Katz as the paper’s new editor, effective immediately.
Katz succeeds Phyllis R. Singer, who is leaving The Israelite to make aliyah in the spring with her husband, Allen. Singer will remain as the paper’s senior editor through February and then will become contributing editor.
“During the search process, Randy clearly emerged as the right person for this position,” Deutsch said. “We expect big things in the years to come and we look forward to the community welcoming him. Randy has had numerous jobs in the community and now he’s come home. He’s made aliyah to The Israelite.”
“I’m really very gratified that Ted has given me the opportunity to contribute to the evolution and growth of this historic community newspaper,” Katz said.
— January 21, 1999
10 Years ago
Rabbi Gershom Barnard to retire from Northern Hills Synagogue
After 39 years of service, Rabbi Gershom Barnard, rabbi of Northern Hills Synagogue – Congregation B’nai Avraham since 1975, will retire at the end of June.
Rabbi Barnard, a native of Brookline, Massachusetts, came to Northern Hills as a recent graduate of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. There he earned a Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters, with honors, as well as rabbinical ordination. Since joining Northern Hills as spiritual leader, he has led the congregation through many landmark events, including the embrace of equal rights and responsibilities for both men and women as well as the relocation of the synagogue from Finneytown to Deerfield Township in 2004. As the congregation’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Barnard has encouraged strong support for Israel and social justice, and challenged the members of the congregation to think and act in accordance with Jewish values.
— January 16, 2014
