In the Beginning: 1855
Each week The American Israelite will print an item from the first years.
Albany, N.Y. — The editor of the Israelite is respectfully requested to take notice, that his friend has misinformed him in regard to difficulties existing in the “German Literary Association.” I, attending to all meetings of the society, have not yet found any thing like want of harmony. There is among us peace, a good understanding, and activity. I challenge your friend to produce a fact proving the contrary.
— January 26, 1855
150 Years ago
Foreign Record
– A few weeks ago, there died at Breslau the Rev. Joshua Falk, for upwards of 40 years Rabbinical Assessor of the Jewish community in Breslau.
– The Emperor of Germany has granted corporation rights to the Rabbinical Seminary at Berlin, under the direction of the Rev. Dr. Hildesheimer.
– Jewish mayors are in the ascendant in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A Jewish gentleman, named Grunfeld, has by a large majority been elected of mayor of a Hungarian provincial town.
– A further instance of longevity amounts the Jews is recorded from Tormocz (Hungary), where a Jewish woman recently died at the advanced age of 102 years. She had survived her husband, a certain Rabbi Simon, two years, the latter being 103 years of age at the time of his death. The decades couple had been married 73 years; and Rabbi Simon spent 30 years of his life as a Hebrew teacher.
– The Brighton (England) press has lost one of its principal members by the death of Mr. Nathan Cohen, proprietor and editor of the Brighton Guardian, who died at Brighton on Sunday last.
— January 23, 1874
125 Years ago
– That the emperor Francis Joseph presented to a Jewish congregation in Hungary a large plot of ground to build a synagogue on, and added to it 500 florins in cash, is very nice of him, to be sure, but it does not amount to much for so rich a man as the emperor of Austria.
– Elsa Neumann is the name of the Jewess who is the first woman that received the diploma as Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Berlin. Another knock-out for the German anti-Semites.
Jottings
– At Meridian, Miss., Temple Beth Israel is to be enlarged and remodeled and a handsome pipe organ purchased.
– We are in receipt of the midwinter number of the Los Angeles “Times,” which is a remarkable issue. Its pages number 118 and it contains a full exposition of what is noteworthy in Los Angeles and its vicinity.
– Ex-Chazan Henry Schuhl, who deserted his family in New York some time since, has been heard from in Paris. He has had a stormy career since leaving Cincinnati — about 20 years ago — where he was the cantor of Dr. Lilienthal’s congregation.
– Mrs. Harry Wallerstein is a New York woman of energy and ambition. Not satisfied with a graduation in law and a sound schooling in music and language, she is about to take a course in medicine. Mrs. Wallerstein is the president of the Women’s Legal Aid and Study Society.
— January 26, 1899
100 Years ago
It is a sad commentary upon Democracy that our whole Government, National and State, both Houses of Congress and of the various State Legislatures, no longer command the respect of a large portion of the American people. Whether the fault lies in the lack of statesmanship in the members of these bodies, or whether it is unavoidably due to existing conditions, can not be determined with certainty, but that our government powers are held in low esteem is as true as it is deplorable.
Jottings
– In his latest report, Rabbi Max Drop, Chairman of the Jewish Theological Seminary Endowment Fund Campaign, announces that the total of contributions to date was $875,000.
– Arab representatives requested the Palestine Government to hand over the control of all schools where Arab children are being educated, into the hands of an autonomous Arab body. This has been rejected by the administration. The schools are almost entirely supported by the government.
Editor’s Note: At this time, Palestine was under British control following the fall of the Ottoman empire. Britain would maintain mandatory control of the region until May 14, 1948. The day the British Mandate ended. David Ben-Gurion declared the establishment of the State of Israel.
— January 24, 1924
75 Years ago
Rockdale Celebrates 125th Anniversary at Service and Dinner
More than 500 persons attended the dinner celebrating the 125th anniversary of Rockdale Avenue Temple (Bene Israel) Saturday evening, Jan. 22nd, at the Netherland Plaza.
Dr. Louis L. Mann, rabbi of Sinai Temple, Chicago, delivered the address on “The Paradoxes of Progress.”
Former Mayor Murray Seasongood was toastmaster.
On Friday evening, Dr. Leo Baeck, president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, delivered the sermon in Rockdale Temple. Dr. Maurice N. Eisendrath, president, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, presented the anniversary certificate, accepted by Dr. Leon Saks, Rockdale President.
Dr. Benjamin Fine of The New York Times Is To Talk at HUC Friday
Dr. Benjamin Fine, education editor of The New York Times, will conduct an all-day institute on “The Rabbi and Public Relations” for the student body of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, on Friday, Jan. 31st.
The institute will consist of two sessions, one from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on “The Principles of Public Relations,” and the other from 2 to 5 p.m. on “The Techniques of Public Relations.”
Dr. Fines’ series of articles on the teaching of American history in schools and colleges in the United States which appeared in The Times in 1943 won for that paper the Pulitzer award “for the most…meritorious public service rendered by an American newspaper” in that year.
Cincinnati Social and Personal
The B’nai Shalom of the Burnet Ave. Synagogue is having a turnabout dance on Sunday, Jan. 30th, at 7:30 p.m. Leo Arnstein is general chairman, assisted by Fay Boksenbaum, Shirley Wollin, Beverly Funk, Ina Bershadsky, Esther Phillips, Jerry Schilmeister, Harold Sndler and Stanley Zeidman. An entertainment will be presented.
— January 27, 1949
50 years ago
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 kiddush following the service.
– Mrs. Milton Malof is happy to announce the forthcoming Bar Mitzvah of her son, Scott Jacob, on Feb. 2nd at 10:45 a.m., at Temple Sholom, Longmeadow and Ridge Roads. Friends and relatives are cordially invited to worship with her and to join the Kiddish immediately following services.
Scott is the son of the late Dr. Milton Malof and the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Lucius H. Riggs and the late Mr. and Mrs. Jack Malof.
– Mrs. Louis Linch and Mr. Jerome Linch announce the forthcoming Bar Mitzvah of their son, Randy Scott Linch, Saturday, Jan. 26, at 9 a.m., at Gold Manor Synagogue, 6442 Stover Avenue. Friends and relatives are cordially invited to worship with the family and attend the Kiddish following the services.
Randy is the grandson of Mrs. Rose Linch and Mr. Harold Perry, both of Cincinnati.
– 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 the family 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 24, 1974
25 Years ago
Cincinnatians on Reform movement task force
By Brian L. Meyers
Assistant Editor
Discussion about whether Judaism’s Reform movement needs a philosophical face-lift has been gaining momentum in recent days. Three members of the Cincinnati community traveled to New York last week to participate in an advisory task force discussion on a new platform for the movement.
Rabbi Richard Levy, president of the reform movement’s Central Conference of American Rabbis, was asked to organize the task force at a CCAR board meting in late November specifically to discuss his document, “Ten Principles for Reform Judaism — A Draft Proposal.”
Levy chose three Cincinnatians to join the group of 15, which includes rabbis, lay leaders and one student: Dr. Michael Meyer, professor of Jewish history at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, Isaac M. Wise Temple Senior Rabbi Lewis Kamrass and HUC rabbinical student Leah Cohen.
Levy’s ideas for the new platform have touched off fears that the Reform movement of coming years will not be the Reform movement of your father.
Although it’s not a particularly new notion to want to steer the movement toward including more tradition and ritual — according to Kamrass, that discussion has been going on for about 30 years — Levy was the first to articulate the concept publicly. The third draft of his document appeared in the winter 1998 edition of Reform Judaism magazine.
— January 28, 1999
10 Years ago
JCC Jewish Film Festival returns to Cincinnati
The Mayerson JCC Jewish and Israeli Film Festival returns with eight films that organizers say are the best of the best. The Festival features the best of Israel’s thriving film industry from contemporary dramas to documentaries, from established and emerging filmmakers, as well as a selection of Jewish interest films produced outside Israel.
“Variety was important to us when we carefully selected films for this year’s Festival. We included dramas, comedies, and documentaries, with plots ranging from a family-friendly coming of age tale to part romantic thriller, part vigilante action film. There is something for every taste and interest,” said Cathy Heldman, Mayerson JCC Cultural Arts Manager.
The organizing committee watched over 50 films before deciding on the perfect ones.“When picking films, we search for ones that create an instant connection with the viewer. Whether they are documentaries or fictional stories, it is vital that you feel invested in the events that are unfolding on the screen in front of you. If that happens, then we have done our job,” Heldman said.
Robbed of Our Name: Hip Hop and Holocaust Memorial dance concert
Temple Sholom, Elementz Center for Hip Hop and Respect, and the Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education proudly present a unique artistic and educational event, free-of-charge. “Robbed of our Name – Reimagining ‘Never Again’” is an original dance performance commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Cincinnati’s Studio Kre8v of Elementz performs five original Hip Hop dances inspired by music, artifacts and encounters with survivors of the Holocaust. “This is not just a show for the audience, but a show with the audience,” explains Dance Director Kasib Hasan. The performance on Saturday, January 25, 2014, 7:30 pm at Temple Sholom’s Frisch Hall interprets several lessons of the Holocaust through dance. The event includes survivors of the Holocaust, post-performance conversation with Studio Kre8v artists, and a dessert reception.
— January 23, 2014
