From the Pages: October 23, 2025 – The American Israelite Newspaper

In the Beginning: 1854

Each week The American Israelite will print an item from the first years.

The Zion College Association

We cheerfully call the attention of the reader to this noble band of men who have a sublime and great object in view, the establishing of a university in this city, of which the theological faculty should be Jewish.

This establishment will be a proud and lasting monument to the House of Israel, the herald of fame to its founders, an eminent acquisition to our country and a distinguished ornament to our city.

We entertain no doubt that, when the association will come forward with its plans, and convince the public, that they are determined and capable to complete a superstructure on the above basis, every right-minded citizen, both Jew and Gentile, will contribute his might to the work, and exercise his influence in its favor.

— October 20, 1854

150 Years ago

Subscriptions to the Hebrew Union College, in Pittsburgh, Pa.

In our last issue we announced to the readers of the AMERICAN ISRAELITE that Moritz Loth, Esq., would visit Pittsburgh with the “Book of Memorial,” to solicit donations to the sinking fund of the Hebrew Union College, and that gentleman; with his usual promptness, arrived, as per appointment, on Saturday morning in Pittsburgh and was received at the depot by Emanuel Wertheimer, Esq., President of the Rodef Sholem Congregation of that city, who escorted him to the residence of Josiah Cohen, Esq., where he was received and waited upon with genuine Jewish hospitality.

Correspondence

OTTUMWA, IOWA, Oct. 12, 1875

TO THE EDITOR OF THE AMERICA ISRAELITE

It is indeed a refreshing privilege to have occasion to let you hear something from these quarters, and to publicly accord to the Israelites of this town credit for the inauguration and successful efforts accomplished. Although what I have inform you is but premature, it is nevertheless evincing that the good work now begun is destined to mark the era from which good fruits will follow.

This town, a very important and flourishing one, has among its best citizens some few Israelites, who occupy none but prominent positions in the business operations of the place. Last Sunday, Oct. 10, in pursuance to a call, the majority of the Israelites gathered and temporarily effected an organization for the purpose of securing a suitable burial ground.

Mr. Voysey on the Jews

In a sermon treating the connection between religious belief and practical life, the Rev. Charles Voysey says:

“Take, then, as a corroborative illustration the Jewish people since their national ruin and dispersion. Their lives have been good and gentle, even in the darkest period of their oppression, they never turned against their foes, or rendered evil for evil. At this very day they are free from the worst of vices. They do not commit adultery or anything like the scale of European fashion; they are not given to drink; they do not oppress the poor, nor neglect them; they do not kick their wives or trample them to death; they are merciful to their beasts and they are kind to any one in distress.”

— October 22, 1875

125 Years ago

– The Book World for October has an article on “Jews in Literature,” by Rev. Dr. Madison C. Peters, who not long since came into prominence as the author of “Justice to the Jew.” Dr. Peters shows much familiarity with his subject, and does justice to it as far as is possible within the compass of a magazine article. As is not unnatural, he occasionally gives undue prominence to writers of little significance, while entirely omitting others whose importance deserves mention.

– One of the encouraging signs of the times is the frequent indication that the various religious denominations merge their differences in harmonious co-operation. The latest product of this spirit is the “New York State Conference of Religions,” whose first meeting is announced for November 20-22, in the city go New York. After two or three years of preliminary work the organization has been effected; a general committee of one hundred and sixty has been formed, comprising thirteen denominations of Christian and Jews.

– The presidential campaign, now drawing to its close, has been characterized by a degree of ruffianism unknown to previous elections. We do not recall that in the past it was more than a rare exception to prevent free speech. Hitherto, as a rule, the speakers of the various parties have been given a fair chance to state their side of the case, but this year it has been of almost daily occurrence to read of speakers hooted down and meetings broken up. It certainly is most disgraceful that a candidate for the second highest office in the land should suffer personal violence—as did Mr. Roosevelt on several occasions, and that he was not injured was not the fault of the rowdy element.

— October 25, 1900

100 Years ago

Ban on Jewish Students at Jena

Berlin, (JTA)—A proposal to bar Jewish students from foreign countries from the German universities was contained in a resolution introduced in the Thuringia Diet by the National Socialist group. The resolution asks that “Jena University be closed to foreign Jews.” As a definition of those barred, the resolution contains the following stipulation: “In this sense every foreigner who is unable to produce an affidavit from a notary public that both his parents and all his grandparents were Christian, is to be considered a Jew.”

– Heresy trials still exist among our Christian brethren. Only last week the name of William Montgomery Brown was ordered removed from the list of Bishops when the House of Bishops of the Protestant Episcopal Church assembled in general convention. The Most Rev. Ethelbert Talbot, presiding Bishop, announced at the opening of the house that he had deposed Bishop Brown from the sacred ministry in St. Paul’s church a few minutes before. The Rev. Mr. Brown did not appear before the Bishops. His attorney did, however, and to cap the climax, he disputed the authority of the Bishops to dispose the Rev. Mr. Brown.

— October 22, 1925

75 Years ago

Bar Mitzvah

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Youkilis announce the bar mitzvah of their son, Melvyn Gary, which took place at the Louis Feinberg Synagog Saturday, Oct. 21. A reception was held in his honor Sunday, Oct. 22, at the Hotel Sinton.

Maximum Aid For Israel, Histadrut Urged At Rally

Current international events make it imperative that maximum aid be given to Israel and its labor federation, Histadrut, Dr. Max Lerner, author, lecturer and Brandeis University professor, asserted in a speech prepared for delivery at a rally at the Cox Theater Wednesday night, Oct. 25.

Dr. Lerner pointed out that Israel is a “vital flank” in democracy’s fight against Communist aggression.

Dr. Lerner spoke at two functions on behalf of Cincinnati’s Israel Histadrut campaign. At noon he addressed a luncheon meeting at the Cincinnati Club, arranged by the special gifts committee, Nathan Solinger, chairman.

B’nai B’rith Will Sponsor Stage Hit At Cox On Monday

B’nai B’rith Lodges and Chapters of Cincinnati will play host to a theater party arranged for Monday evening, Oct. 30, at the Cox Theater, at the opening performance of the comedy, “Two Blind Mice,” authored by Sam Spewack.

Melvyn Douglas, star of stage and screen, together with the original Broadway cast, will appear here in a comedy said to be as topical as a news-broadcast.

— October 26, 1950

50 years ago

Bar Mitzvah

Mr. and Mrs. Leon Seltzer are very proud to announce the forthcoming Bar Mitzvah of their son, Steven Allen, on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 10:45 a.m. at Rockdale Temple, Ridge and Galbraith Roads.

Steven is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Josephson of Holiday Fla. formerly of Cincinnati, and Mr. and Mrs. Harry Seltzer of Cincinnati.

Personals

On Oct. 12 Dr. Roy M. Whitman and Mr. John Foreman won the annual John Marshall Senior Invitational Doubles Championship of this region. Players from Ohio, West Virginia, and Michigan and Indiana participated.

In the finals, Dr. Whitman and Mr. Foreman defeated last year’s defending champions, Ray Murphy and Ken Matthews (6-3, 6-4), and in the semifinals defeated the Ohio Championship team of John Noble and Lainie Brisbane (6-2, 6-4).

— October 23, 1975

25 Years ago

Local Jews Rally for Israel

Cincinnati was never closer to Israel than on Oct. 17, when a crowd of approximately 700 gathered at the Jewish Community Center for a “Community Solidarity Rally” to support the State of Israel. The rally, sponsored by the Greater Cincinnati Board of Rabbis, the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati and the Rabbinical Council of Cincinnati, offered participants a chance to think, sing and pray about the recent violence and unrest occurring in Israel since Sept. 29.

Rally speakers, who included Rabbis Hanan Balk, Richard Steinberg and Michael Zedek and Community Shlicha Noga Maliniak, gave voice to the many, sometimes conflicting emotions experienced by Jews around the world in response to the violence that erupted a day after a group of Israeli Knesset members visited the Temple Mount.

— October 26, 2000