In the Beginning: 1854
Each week The American Israelite will print an item from the first years.
Mr. Gustavus L. Westheimer. — We take this method to inform this gentleman, that his correspondence and literary labors will always be welcome to the editor of the Israelite. It has been remarked previously, that it is our desire to concentrate in the Israelite the Jewish talents of the Anglo-Jewish community. Every new contributor to the Israelite is one step forward in the realization of our desire.
— November 10, 1854
150 Years ago
Answered. — A civil service committee in Washington asked an applicant for a clerkship what was the distance of the planet Saturn from the earth. The candidate answered that he was unable to state the distance in miles, but did not think it was sufficiently near to interfere with the performance of his duties as a clerk, nor to beget in him a desire to meddle with the rings.
A Female Savior
A female savior and her apostles are creating a prodigious sensation in the southern part of the Russian Empire. The Russian government says the leader of these women, whose name is Anastasia Gabacrewics, claims to have performed a number of miracles, having made the blind see, and the lame walk. A vision first revealed to her that she was the daughter of God, selected to suffer for the deception of her sex, in the same way as Christ suffered for that of the other. Immediately after this revelation she gave up eating meat and drinking brandy, and prepared herself for her mission.
The Holy Ghost then possessed her and gave her the power to work wonders by a mere word. She pretends to be able to resurrect even the dead by simply touching them, and so strong is the faith of the ignorant masses in this prophetess, that the prison in which she has been confined by the authorities has become a place of pilgrimage for thousands. The sick are brought from distant localities to receive the assistance of the inspired woman, and the keepers receive large bribes for permission to see her. Every day new stories of her extraordinary powers are circulated far and wide.
— November 7, 1873
125 Years ago
Jottings
- President McKinley has appointed November 24 as Thanksgiving day this year. His proclamation is a model in its unsectarian impartiality.
- England, with its giant strides of progress in commerce, industry, finance, mechanical improvements and political liberation of the masses of her population, is as conservative in the religious and philosophical spheres as the Pope of Rome ever was. In the religious sphere she is tenaciously conservative. So are the Christians, and naturally so are the Jews. They cannot comprehend the American spirit of progress. The representative men who in late years came to us from England, Prof. Schachter, Joseph Jacob, and now Israel Zangwill, unable to think as well do, preach retrogression. Americans invariably reply to them: Gentlemen, you are a century behind time; we can afford to wait for you till you catch up to us. You will surely come.
- We do not know whether the members of Temple Shore Habrith of Reading, Pa., are orthodox or reform, of Russian, German or English extraction, but we do know that the abominable quarrels in their synagog are a defilement of the good name of their religion and a disgrace to their citizenship. It is a pity that there is not enough of a Jewish Church organization to discipline congregations of this kind.
— November 10, 1898
100 Years ago
The moderation displayed by the propagandists of the various Jewish Institutions in dealing with the Jewish press is much to be admired. All they ask is unlimited publicity, regardless of the space required, to have the organization put upon the paper’s free list and a cash contribution. That’s all.
Jottings
- A Yiddish organization of New York, which has the impudence to call itself the “Jewish” Theater Society, has opened a “studio of the dramatic art,” that is, a training school for the Yiddish theater. The publicity agent, Dr. Abram Gideon, reports a preliminary registration of forty-six pupils. It is to be hoped that the “Jewish” Theater Society will have a short life and a sad one.
- The rabbis of Louisiana recently organized a State Religious School Teacher’s Association, which will hold its first gathering this December, in New Orleans, during the mid-winter vacation. Several out-of-town speakers, experts in Jewish education, will address the meeting. It is hope that many religious schools throughout the state will send delegates, and that the program will be stimulating, suggestive and helpful.
- The Jewish Independent recently sent a questionnaire as to the attitude towards the Ku Klux Klan to a number of the candidates for the Cleveland, Ohio municipal election, who had received the Klan’s endorsement. Of these but two issued a statement directly repudiating the Klan’s endorsement and support. The rest declined to commit themselves. Among these were candidates for municipal clerk, municipal judges and the city council.
— November 8, 1923
75 Years ago
Dr. Leo Baeck Arrives in Cincinnati to Teach at Hebrew Union College
Dr. Leo Baeck, Jewish leader in Germany before and after the Hitler era, arrived in Cincinnati Tuesday, Nov. 9th from London.
He has accepted an invitation from the Hebrew Union College board of governors and faculty to serve as visiting professor for 1948-49.
Cincinnati Social and Personal
- Dr. David Lilienthal, chairman of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, and Dr. John R. Dunning, the director of the science laboratory, Columbia University, spoke Monday evening, Nov. 8th, at a dinner at the Netherland Plaza.
The affair opened the “Man and the Atom” exhibit at Music Hall.
Mr. Irvin F. Westheimer is chairman of the Mayor’s Committee sponsoring the exhibit.
Some 23,000 school children are to attend the exhibit. - Mr. Sidney Hauer, son of the late Mr. Ervin Hauer, and resident of Bellefaire Home in Cleveland, was credited with discovering a fire in a tavern when returning from a football game. He reported the blaze to the fire department and thereby averted more serious damage to the building which housed 60 tenants.
- Mr. and Mrs. Ben Crownstein, of 337 Forest Avenue, will celebrate their 36th anniversary Wednesday, Nov. 17th.
— November 11, 1948
50 years ago
Bas Mitzvah
We are happy to announce the forthcoming Bas Mitzvah of our daughter, Barri Lynn, on Friday, Nov. 16th, at 8 p.m., at Northern Hills Synagogue, Congregation B’nai Avraham.
We are pleased to invite our friends to worship with the family on this joyous occasion and to join us at the Oneg Shabbat following the service.
Barri is the granddaughter of Mrs. Pauline Bernstein of Kansas City, Mo., and the late Mr. Sam Bernstein and Mrs. Rose E. Sherman of Cincinnati and the late Mr. Ben Sherman.
Charlotte and Bob Sherman
Bar Mitzvah
Our son, Mark Elliot, will be called to read from the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday morning the 24th of November, at 10:45 a.m., at Temple Sholom, Ridge and Longmeadow Lane, Amberley Village.
We cordially invite our friends to worship and rejoice with us on this happy occasion.
Mark is the grandson of Harris and Thelma Tash and the late Max and Martha Sterne. The maternal grandparents are Micael and Hannah Zarwit of N. Miami Beach, Fla.
Judilee and Harold Sterne
— November 8, 1973
25 Years ago
Kurtz inaugurated president of Adath Israel
Mark Kurtz was recently inaugurated president of Adath Israel congregation.
Kurtz has served as vice president of the congregation for the past six years and was also the congregation’s treasurer. He has served on numerous committees and was committee chairman of the dues restructuring committee and co-chaired the rabbinic search committee. He continues to serve on the dues committee and the budget and finance committee.
Fettner to be honored for Holocaust education efforts
Holocaust educator Ellen Fettner of Cincinnati, a retired former teacher at Walnut Hills High School, will receive an Outstanding Educator Award from the Anne Frank Center U.S.A.. Monday, Nov, 16, in New York City.
Fettner, who recently organized Hannah Pick-Goslar’s talks about her Holocaust experiences to almost 15,000 area students, was instrumental in developing Holocaust curricula 20 years ago, when the field of Holocaust studies was in its infancy.
— November 12, 1998
10 Years ago
Jump on over to the J for an inflatable Festival of Lights celebration
Jump on over to the J for the hoppinest, boppinest Hanukkah happening in town when the Mayerson JCC and Shalom Family present the Jump and Jelly Donut Jam: An Inflatable Festival of Lights Celebration, a free event for families in the Jewish community on Sunday, November 24th from 3-5 pm. Children and their families are bound to have a ball at this free event when the Zooperstars, giant 10 ft. tall walking inflatable characters, help kick-off Hanukkah 2013 in style. It all starts with a show-stopping, jaw-dropping performance, featuring characters like Ken Giraffey Jr, and Shaquille O’ Seal, who will bounce on their heads and perform other zany feats on the stage and in the audience. Zooperstars have been featured on America’s Got Talent and entertain in sports arenas and other venues around the world! After the show, kids can play the day away in a variety of interactive bounce houses, slides and other giant inflatables. As always, the JCC will give guests a chance to do a good deed (mitzvah) for children in need this holiday season by collecting new, unwrapped gifts as part of the J’s annual One Candle for Tzedakah Toy Drive.
— November 7, 2013
