In the Beginning: 1854
Each week The American Israelite will print an item from the first years.
The Oldest Bible in America—Dr. John R. Whiterspoon, of Greensboro, Ala., has a manuscript Bible, which he believes, on evidence of tradition and title page to have been written about 840 or 850, A.D., making it one thousand years old. It is about eight inches long, six broad and five inches thick. The substance on which is written, is parchment, as soft and nearly as thin as satin. The covers are of old English oak, and the pegs of oak are used to wedge in the thongs of deer skin that fasten in the leaves. The page is splendidly illuminated with black, blue and red ink letters—very large at the beginning of each book.
—September 1, 1854
150 Years ago
Local and Domestic
In Vienna it is officially maintained that the commercial treaty of Austria with Romania includes all Austrian Jews Romania, and guarantees them equal rights with all other Austrians domiciling in Romania. But the prime minister of Romania in an official document denies this point, so that we know not who lies, Count Andrasst or the Romanian chiefman. The latter appears most likely. Paragraph 8, prohibiting Jews to manufacture or sell liquor in Romania, was repealed; but they are still not permitted to purchase property in the country to any purpose.
The Instruction in Hebrew in the Sabbath School
The present article does not purport to discuss the necessity of Hebrew instruction, the necessity is for the writer no more a question. The question yet to solve is to find the easiest method of teaching the Hebrew.
The object of the instruction is to make the contents of the Scriptures accessible in the original.
– Mr. S Frank of Zanesville, O., and Mr. Rudolph Hilpoltstein of Youngstown, O. declare, that the latter was not guilty of robbing Lehman Myer of $50; that the latter was in very bad company, does not always tell the truth, and did not on this occasion. The statement made by Mr. S Frank is much more credible than that of L. Myer, and exonerates Mr. Hilponstein in the estimation of all who know Mr. Frank.
—September 3, 1875
125 Years ago
– Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy recently found it necessary to deny that she is suffering from a serious illness. This may be all right for the present, but the time is sure to come, sooner or later, when old father Chronos is bound to claim her as one of his innumerable recruits. When that happens how will her “Christian Science” disciples be able to explain the sickness and death of the high priestess of their faith? If all the ills which flesh is heir to are simply due to imagination, then no Christian Scientist has any business to get sick and die. Earthly immortality is the only logical evidence which can be offered to convince skeptics that there is any foundation to the claim advanced by the Christian Scientists. That these charlatans should Jews among their adherents is sad evidence of the ignorance and superstation still in existence in this allegedly enlightened era.
– Preaching dogmas is going out of fashion among both Christians and Jews. The eternal verities are always with us, and preachers are needed now more than ever before to preach them. It is a poor sort of preacher who can not find something uplifting to say to his congregation without troubling it and himself with the problems only blind faith and superstition are asked to solve.
Liberal Judaism in England
The attention of those interested in Jewish matters has been directed lately to the English metropolis, where the sessions of the Fourth Zionist Congress were held.
This congress, being convened in the great English capital, naturally aroused thought on the religious condition among the Jews of the tight-bound isle. Zionism has met with but little encouragement from the Jews of London outside the East End.
—September 6, 1900
100 Years ago
The Jew and the Arab
There has been a good deal of talk in the local press in reference to the hospitality displayed by the Arab towards the Jew entering Palestine. There has been expressed in some quarters a fear that the coming of the Jew would mean an injustice to the Arab.
Like many other movements, the Zionist movement has offered much distortion, from ignorance, from the effervescent enthusiasm of some of its adherents. The Arab trouble, in no small measure, is a direct result of distortion. The movement has received credit (or discredit) for all sorts of wild and wooly schemes.
—September 3, 1925
75 Years ago
Bar Mitzvahs
To Mr. and Mrs. Isadore Litwick, in honor of bar mitzvah of son, Michael, from Fred and Ann Korros.
To Mr. and Mrs. Simon Shafer, in honor of bar mitzvah of son, David, from Mr. and Mrs. Alex Silverstein.
Obituary
Dr. Frank Lande, of McConnelsive, Ohio, passed away Monday, Aug. 28. Services were held at the Well Funeral Home Thursday, Aug. 31. Rabbi Bernard Greenfield officiating. Internment was in Ohav Shalom cemetery.
Dr. Lande is survived by his widow, Mrs. Fene Lande, of McCoonelsville; a brother, Jacob Lande; and a sister, Miss Mollie Lande, both of Cincinnati.
Children’s Rosh Hashono Services
The Annual Rosh Hashono Children’s Service will be held on Tuesday morning, Sept. 12, at 11 o’clock in the Dining Hall of the Wise Center. All children of the religious school are urged to attend the service. The following children of the Religious School will read the services: Bernard Malman, Dick Frenkel and Edith Graller.
—September 7, 1950
50 years ago
Births
Mr. and Mrs. Harold L. Bear (Linda E. Flechtheim), 9131 Linden Circe Windham, Ohio 44288, announce the arrival of a daughter, Michelle Lyn, Aug. 27. Maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Flechtheim and paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Carl Bear, all of Cincinnati.
Bar Mitzvah
In honor of the Bar Mitzvah of David Seltzer by Mr. and Mrs. Mel Stern.
N. Hills Synagogue
Rosh Hashanah Eve services at Northern Hills Synagogue will be Friday, Sept. 5, at 8 p.m. Saturday adult services Sept. 6 at 8:30 a.m. and Junior Services 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Evening services for the Second Day of Rosh Hashanah 7:45 p.m.
On the Second Day services will begin at 8:30 a.m., with Junior Services 10:30 a.m.
—September 4, 1975
25 Years ago
Vision Council plans Jewish community campus
Now the decision has been made to build a new Jewish community campus in Blue Ash at Deerfield and Kemper Roads, the Campus Vision Council is hard at work developing a proposal for what to build.
Its mission, in the Council’s own words, “is to propose a campus and service delivery model for enhancing Jewish life and identity in Cincinnati, through the development of complementary and collaborative, social, cultural, educational and recreational services and programs.”
Bar Mitzvah
Sat. Sept. 9, 2000-Plum Street Temple
10:45 a.m.-Bar Mitzvah of Jory Block
Son of Robert and Justina Block
Sat. Sept. 16, 2000-Wise Center/WOHL Chapel
10:45 a.m.-Bar Mitzvah of Jordan Cohen
—September 7, 2000
10 Years ago
Dr. Robert Satloff executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy addresses the community on the Iran Deal
On Tuesday, August 25, Dr. Robert Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP), spoke to an audience of over one hundred and fifty people on the Iran Deal. There were many civic leaders, JCRC board members, Jewish Federation bond members and members of the Jewish community who were in attendance.
Dr. Robert Satloff lives in Washington D.C. and has his own show called Dakhill Washington (‘Inside Washington’), a weekly news and interview program. The show is hosted on the United States government approved Arabic satellite television channel that broadcasts throughout the Middle East. Dr. Satloff is the first non-Arab to host a show on this channel.
Dr. Satloff has also been on numerous television shows, forums and quoted in many newspapers. He is one of the most sought after experts on Middle Eastern affairs.
Cantor to help usher in season at Valley
Cantor Aviva Katzmann will be Cantor-in-residence at the Valley Temple this weekend. Cantor Katzman will sing at services on Friday, September 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, September 5 at 10:30 a.m. Cantor Katzman will then lead an adult education program about faith in Judaism found in Jewish music and Jewish texts at 8:00 Saturday, September 5. She will then join Rabbi Sandford Kopnick at 10: p.m. for a Selichot Service in preparation for the High Holy Days.
Cantor Aviva Katzman is Cantor Emerita of Temple Shalom in Chicago, IL, where she served as Cantor since 1986. While there, Cantor Katzman was known for her beautiful voice, gentle and kind was with students, and her love of Jewish culture. Cantor Kantzman’s visist is open to the commnity. All services will be held at the Valley Temple, 145 Springfield Pike, Wyoming, OH.
—September 3, 2015
