From the Pages

JEWISH BICENTENNIAL

Each week The American Israelite will print one milestone related to the history of the Cincinnati Jewish community over the last 200 years, provided by the Jewish Cincinnati Bicentennial. Each milestone weaves Jewish history within the greater context of our community’s development, and our country at large.

 1902 | The establishment of Losantiville Country Club, in response to the unavailability of membership for Jews at established club in of the time.

Learn even more about the history of Jewish Cincinnati at https://www.jewishcincy200.org/historical-milestones

This Jewish Bicentennial ad is sponsored by The American Israelite

150 YEARS AGO

August Conflagration 

A Professor Platamour informs us that a gigantic comet is rapidly approaching the earth, and will strike it on the 12th of August this year, when the world will be consumed. This prophecy is confirmed by an egg laid by a hen in Delaware, and bearing an inscription to the sam general effect. Unless the professor was in collusion with the hen, this remarkable coincidence appears to settle the matter beyond question. In view of the fact, then, that the conflagration is to take place on the 12th of August, we can not be too thankful that we have the Holy water works and a paid fire department; and care ought to be taken that it is at hand, ready for service when the fire begins. Persons who feel an interest in the event will find a full report in this paper on the 13th, with a list of insurances. We shall publish this journal in a fire-proof safe during the conflagration; and, as we know that our regular office will be burned out, we solicit subscriptions in advance in aid of the sufferers of this office. Money sent to our address will be thankfully received, promptly acknowledged, an effectively spent. —Jackson News. 

Varieties

Victoria, Australia, counts 731,528 souls, among them 3, 571 Jews. 

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Our agent, Mr. H.M. Davis, will visit our friends in Indianapolis, Lafayette, Chicago and Milwaukee, to do general business for these papers. Our friends are kindly requested to give him their advice and support. 

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Dr. Eisenberger, physician in Tschüss, eighteen years ago embraced Christianity, to enable him to marry a Hungarian countess. Last month he publicly returned to Judaism in Vienna, and who wife followed him into the covenant of Israel. 

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Why does the Cincinnati press systematically ignore THE ISRAELITE? is the question addressed to us the other day by a Cincinnati reader. We return the question, why does the Cincinnati press ignore The Star of the West and every other liberal paper published here or elsewhere, and notices only the most orthodox sheets? Why, in their religious columns, have they never a word to say about Jews, Unitarians, Universalists, and other liberal sects? Because it does not pay. The tone of society hereabout is rather orthodox, those papers and sects are the disturbing element, not exactly welcome to the masses who read the news in the dailies, and so it appears best to say nothing about them. 

It is a matter of business. We for our part can well stand it to be ignored, because we speak for ourselves if we want to be heard. We do not know how our colleagues from the liberal side of the house feel about it; but we do positively not care about bing noticed or ignored. Whenever the masses will be liberalized, the dailies will follow suit. This, however, is our business and not theirs.

—August 9, 1872

125 YEARS AGO

Agents of a National University, located in Chicago, the cable reports, sell in London doctor’s diplomas for $5.00 a piece. The law h as not interfered yet with that business although it may shortly. Does anybody in Chicago know of the existence of a National University there?

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The Union Hymnal for Jewish Worship, edited by the Central Conference of American Rabbis music selected and arranged by the Society of American Cantors, has been published or will be published at some future time; the circular before us does not give any definite information on that point. We presume, however, that it has been published and that it will fill a long felt want. 

Jottings

The difference between a journalist and a newspaper man is that the first prints a lot more than he knows, and the second knows a lot more than he prints.

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Rebecca Goldberg, a daughter of Rev. Samuel Goldberg of Kingston, N.Y., is missing from home and is supposed to have eloped with one of her admirers of whom she had several. 

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“Klondyke” is the name of a new fever affecting a vast number of the American people just now. It is a peculiar malady. When stricken the patient imagines he sees nuggets of gold as big as hen eggs and immediately, if not sooner, packs his grip and leaves for the city shores of British America. He is usually cured and glad he is alive when “home, sweet home” heaves in sight. —-Alamo Signal. 

— August 12, 1897

100 YEARS AGO

Whether or not women duly trained and qualified in every respect to become rabbis, unless their sex be considered an objection, shall be ordained, continues to be a subject for long editorials in the Jewish press. Generally speaking, the Reform Jewish press can see no reason why properly educated Jewish women should not be permitted to officiate as rabbi if any congregations call them to occupy their pulpits. The Orthodox rabbis however appear to be opposed to this. The matter is of ver little importance at present and is likely to remain so for some time to come. In the various Jewish rabbinical seminaries there is but one young woman student and so far none have as yet completed the course. 

Editor’s Note: The young woman in question was Martha Neumark, who was a student at HUC here in Cincinnati. In June of 1922 she attended a meeting of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and successfully convinced the CCAR to permit the ordination of woman rabbis. While she herself was not ordained, she attended HUC’s rabbinical school for seven and a half years. 

Despite the CCAR’s allowance for women to be ordained, Sally Priesand, the first woman rabbi would not be ordained until 1972.

Jottings

The orthodox Jewish organization in Poland has dispatched to the Ukraine food to the value of 40,000,000 Polish marks. 

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On the occasion of the wedding of the Princess of Romania to King Alexander of Jugo-Slavia, the king of Roumania issued an amnesty decree which includes also the Russo-Jewish refugees who had illegally crossed the Roumanian border. 

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— August 10, 1922

75 YEARS AGO

Captain Marks’ Release on Bail is Promised by British in Holy Land

Capt. Bernard Marks of the SS Exodus of 1947 (formerly the SS President Warfield), Cincinnati veteran of the U.S. Merchant Marine, will be freed under bail by British authors in Palestine, relatives have learned. 

He was arrested hear Haifa Saturday, July 10, while piloting some 4,500 Jews from Marseilles, France into Palestine. He is charged with aiding illegal immigration. 

The office of Rep. William Hess, in whose congressional district Capt. Marks lives, was advised that Capt. Marks has “either been or will be released on bail.” 

He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Marks, 1010 Lusitania Avenue, Price Hill, Cincinnati. His brother, Joesph, lives at the same address. HIs sister, Mrs. David Marks, lives at 3346 Reading Road. 

Cincinnati Social and Personal

Mr. and Mrs. Meyer Siegel, 591 Blair Avenue, announce the forthcoming marriage of their daughter, Leah, to Mr. Joseph B. Cohen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ae Cohen, 500 Hale Avenue, and their daughter Ann, to Mr. Samuel Klein, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Klein, 3542 Wilson Avenue, in a double wedding ceremony at Avondale Synagog Sunday, Aug. 17th. 

Miss Ruth Schuster of New York, formerly of Cincinnati, will arrive in Cincinnati Saturday, Aug. 9th, to attend the wedding of her nieces, the Misses Leah and Anne Siegel. 

— August 7, 1947

50 YEARS AGO

Bar Mitzvah

On Saturday, Aug. 5, Joel R. Collins was called to the Torah on the occasion of his Bar Mitzvah at New Hope Congregation. 

A Kiddush and a buffet luncheon followed the services. 

His parents wish to thank the Rev. Manfred Rabenstein, relatives, friends, and members of the Congregation, who made this a memorable congregation. Joel is the grandson of Mrs. Jean Collins and the late Mr. Jack Collins. 

Bas Mitzvah

Judge and Mrs. Robert S. Kraft, 7842 Dawn Road, cordially invite you to worship with them, Friday night, Aug. `8, at 8:15 p.m., at Adath Israel Synagogue, Ridge an Galbraith Roads, at which time their daughter, Marcie Beth, will participate in the services and chant the Haftorah as a Bas Mitzvah. 

Marcie is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Saul Kiirshner and Mr. and Mrs. John Kraft. She is the great granddaughter of Mrs. Jacob Chodash. 

An Oneg Shabbat in honor of Marcie’s Bas Mitzvah will follow services. No cards. 

Births

Mr. and Mrs. Martin J. Heltzer (Jo Ann Deskins) annouce the brith of a daughter, Aimee Michelle, on July 31st. The infant has a sister, Pamela Dawn. 

The grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Lester Deskins and Mrs. Mitchell Heltzer and the late Mr. Heltzer. The paternal great grandmother is Mrs. Augusta Heltzer of Los Angeles. 

—August 10, 1972

25 YEARS AGO

HUC-JIR’s rabbinic alumni honors Ellis Rivkin

The Rabbinic Alumni Association of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion honored Dr. Ellis Rivkin, at a breakfast held in conjunction with the Central Conference of American Rabbis convention in Miami recently 

Rivkin, Adolph S. Ochs Chair of Jewish History Emeritus at the College-Institute, was honored for his distinguished reputation as an historian as he begins his 50th year with the College-Institute. 

Volunteers involved in July Thank-A-Thon

The Jewish Federation held its fourth annual Thank-A-Thon July 29-31, announced Sherri Weiss, event co=chairman with her husband, ark, and Ronna and Ben Schneider. “We called as many donors as we could in three nights to simply thank them for their generous support of the 1997Jewish Federation Campaign,” Sherri Weiss said. 

“We had nearly 50 volunteers come out to make phone calls during the three evenings,” said Ronna Schneider. “They were able to call and thank almost 2,000 of our Jewish Federation’s donor households.”

— August 14, 1997

10 YEARS AGO

JFS presents award to a Little 

Ashley Andrews, 17, was honored by Jewish Family Service Bigs & Littles as the recipient of the Betty R. Goldberg Community Service Award. This award, which included a $1,000 check, was established in honor of the many years of service that Betty gave to the organization and recognizes a Little who helps others by performing good deeds and acts of kindness. Steve Halper, a Friend of Bigs & Littles, presented the award at the Jewish Family Service annual meeting on July 19. 

Rockdale Temple kicks off the school year 

Rockdale Temple kicks off the school year and the month of Elul with a special adult education series entitled “Tis the Season, to Choose Life!” In preparation for the High Holy Days, a three- session course will be taught on the themes of the season, to be held Wednesday evenings, Aug. 22 and 29, and Sept. 5 at Rockdale Temple at 7 p.m. 

Rabbinic Intern Meredith Kahan will lead participants in study and discussion based on the Yom Kippur morning Torah portion. 

—August 9, 2012