In the Beginning: 1855
Each week The American Israelite will print an item from the first years.
In reply to our valued friend, Sam Goldstone, we would say, that we received his letter with much satisfaction, and beg to assure him that we shall be much pleased to hear from him at all times, and shall place him among the list of our regular correspondents. Any news or information from the Gold regions on the state or prosperity of Judaism will always be welcome to the Israelite. — Ed. Is.
— May 4, 1855
150 Years ago
Items
– The man who remarked that the Prince of Wales was born with a crown on his head, was not aware that all children are so born.
– Dr. Brown Sequard, in a recent lecture stated that he once successfully grafted a cat’s tail into a rooster’s comb.
– Germany has now 50,000 Old Catholics, organized into 92 societies, which are minister to by 31 priests.
– There is an old story that St. Peter, when revisiting the earth, was obliged, amid the multitudinous changes on every hand, to have a guide through most of Europe, but on entering Spain he then dismissed him, “for here,” said the saint, “everything is just as I left it.”
– Since the death of Ali Pasha in the latter part of 1871, there have been six grand viziers in succession in Turkey. The present one, Hussein Avrid Pasha, is said to be the bets general office in the Ottoman service. He was a Minister of War under the last administration and instituted the reform in the army.
– There is a difficult gentleman in Kalamazoo, Mich., who refuses to pay his school tax. He takes the ground that schools have no right to teach any language save the English, and that when French and Latin are taught, nobody is obliged to pay any part of the expense. The courts will teach this gentleman something, and make him pay for his education in the bargain.
— May 1, 1874
125 Years ago
– One Jewish paper in this country, at least, must be flourishing, and that is the Pittsburg, Pa., Jewish Criterion. Its editor, Mr. Charles H. Joseph, has started a subscription in the Smoky City to build a Jewish hospital and headed it with a personal donation of $1,000. Mr. Joseph must have discovered the secret his colleagues have long been searching for in vain.
– W.M. Jacobs, the cigar manufacturer of Lancaster, Pa., whose huge frauds upon the Internal Revenue are just now the talk of the country, is not a Jew, as many might be lead to suppose erroneously from the name. There are probably as many Christian as Jewish Jacobs in the country. Cincinnati and Louisville have each had Mayors of that name who were good Christians, and excellent mayors, by the way.
Jottings
– The Brooklyn Hebrew Asylum cared for 321 last year, at a cost of $42,848.17.
– The laws of the Colorado Humane Society have been transplanted into Hebrew and notices put up on the various synagogues.
– Mr. Sinai Hospital in New York cared for 3,287 patients for an average of 23.08 days each, in the hospital; had 92,720 consultations in the dispensary and filled 82,359 prescriptions there, at a total cost of $124,328.63.
— May 4, 1899
100 Years ago
Finding in Jerusalem a Trench of 3,000 B.C.
Professor MacAllister, who already has made a number of archaeological discoveries at Jerusalem on the site of the City of David, announces in The London Telegraph another discovery of great topographical and historical importance, which he says carries back the history of the city in all probability at least 500 years behind the furthest point hitherto attained.
The discovery takes the form of a section of a great trench sunk in a rock, eight feet in depth and eleven feet in breadth. It is older than the Jebusite wall previously found.
When the trench had passed out of use as a factor in the defenses of the city it was allowed to fill with silt and rubbish, in which many potsherds were discovered, all uniformly belonging to the middle Bronze Age, or roughly 1500 B.C.
The broken steps, cleared of the soil that has encumbered them from before the time of Abraham, probably record a previously unknown siege of Jerusalem.
The discovery of this trench further definitely fixes the exact line of the northern boundary of what was probably the first emplacement of Jerusalem. Professor MacAllister refers to what he believes to be actually the discovery of a Jebusite or pre-Jebusite sanctuary in the rock surface of the trench, where there are some cup marks on an area about thirty feet square. These were no doubt made here for an industrial purpose, such as pressing olives or grapes, or watering cattle. This cult site is certainly by far the oldest place in Jerusalem.
Editors’ Note: The trench described in this news story, excavated at first by MacAllister, is now part of what is known as the “Stepped Stone Structure” in the City of David site in Jerusalem. This report by MacAllister, in which he describes this area as a Jebusite/pre-Jebusite installation, would be challenged publicly by many scholars, including the famous W.F. Albright., who accused MacAllister of many misteps, including the incorrect dating of pottery. Today, the function of the Stepped Stone Structure is still debated, and it is not entirely clear when the structure and the installations around were initially built nor is it entirely clear what their function might have been.
Jottings
The headquarters of the Jewish National Fund has issued an appeal to Jewry to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the death of Herzl, which occurs on Tammuz 20th (July 22nd) as a day of national rememberance. The 20th of Tammuz, the appeal says, ceases now to be a day of mourning. The Jewish youth should hold on this day gatherings, sports meetings, rambles, etc. Artists, writers and actors should take part in the celebration.
— May 1, 1924
75 Years ago
Zionists Will Celebrate First Year of Israel
The Cincinnati Zionist Council is sponsoring a celebration of the first anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel in a program at the Cox Theatre Tuesday evening, May 17.
Tributes will be paid to the United States and to those men and women who made possible the new state.
Dr. James G. Heller announced appointment of Calman Levine as general chairman. Dr. Samuel Wohl is assisting.
Shoshana Damari and Joseph Goland, musical revue stars of Israel, will be concert artists in “Israel Fights, Sins and Smiles.” Moshe Wilensky, Israel composer, will be pianist.
Speakers will be announced.
Tickets are being sold though Zionist organizations. All Jewish organizations will be invited to take part.
— May 5, 1949
50 years ago
Bar Mitzvah
– Dr. and Mrs. Ernest Zimmerman are pleased to announce the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Stephen Isaac, on Saturday, May 11, at 10:45 a.m. at Temple Sholom, 3100, Longmeadow Lane.
We will be delighted to have you worship with us and join us for the Kiddish immediately following the services.
Stephen is the grandson or Mr. and Mrs. Israel Lahman and Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Zimmerman of Washington, D.C.
– Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Fish, 9653 Lansford Drive, are happy to announce the forthcoming Bar Mitzvah of their son, David Louis, Saturday, May 4 at 10:45 a.m. at Temple Sholom, 311 Longmeadow Lane.
David is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Roth and the late Mr. and Mrs. Max Fish.
We would be honored to have friends and relatives to join us in this happy occasion.
– Mr. and Mrs. Martin Slavney are happy to announce the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Steven Jay Slavney, on Saturday, May 11th, at 8:30 p.m., at Adath Israel Synagogue. Mincha service will be held.
Steven is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Slavney of Madison Wisc.; Mr. and Mrs. Abe Rosen of Cincinnati, and the late Mr. Ben Hochhauser.
It will give us great pleasure to have our family and friends worship with us and attend Shalosh Seudos.
— May 2, 1974
25 Years ago
Teens attend Judaism Institute
Teens from Cincinnati left the Jewish Community Center on April 15 to attend the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization annual Judaism Institute. More than 100 teens from around the Tri-State region spent their weekend learning and socializing at Camp Joy.
The tree of the convention was “Think for Yourself.” Discussion topics included drugs and alcohol, peer pressure, stress and lashon hara (malicious gossip). The weekend also included a Saturday night dance, as well as Shabbat and Havdallah services. Meredith Pensak from Cincinnati and Mike Joffee from Dayton coordinated the weekend events.
— May 6, 1999
10 Years ago
Creating a new culture of security in Cincinnati
By Beth Kotzin
Assistant Editor
“See something, say some- thing.” This motto is a national movement, and it’s something we should be living by, according to Mark Dowd, Director of Community Security at the Jewish Federation.
Keeping Jewish Cincinnati safe and secure has never been higher on the list of priorities than it is right now. Approximately two years ago, the Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati initiated a program to improve the security of the Jewish Community in the greater Cincinnati area. The Foundation partnered with the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati to oversee and administer the program. SAFE Cincinnati was created through the Federation’s efforts. Roughly six months ago, Mark Dowd, a retired FBI agent was hired as the Director of Community Security for SAFE Cincinnati.
Cedar Village residents show they’re never too old to help others; two national associations honor residents’ group for volunteering
Several times a month, at an age when many of their peers lead sedentary lives, a group of people in their 80s and 90s volunteer for various nonprofit organizations in Greater Cincinnati. They help children, families, people with disabilities and even other older adults.
They’re called the Chesed Corps, and they live at Cedar Village Retirement Community in Mason.
By performing Chesed — a Hebrew word meaning “acts of loving kindness” — these older adults are defying expectations for people their age. Often, seniors are the ones perceived as needing the help.
Among the places they’ve volunteered: the Center for Respite Care, which serves homeless adults with medical needs; Crayons to Computers, which provides free school supplies to teachers; and the Halom House, a residence for people with developmental disabilities.
— May 1, 2014
