From the Pages -- January 26, 2023

In the Beginning: 1855

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

WANTED — A competent preacher for the Philadelphia Temple Association, who is capable of establishing a Divine service according to the demands of Judaism and of our time, and to perch once weekly ex tempore in the German language. 

The engagement to be probationary for tow years, and the annual salary to be $1000, with the prospect of increasing it after this period. Sufficient time is granted to the applicant for learning the English language. The traveling expenses will be refunded. 

Only such candidates who by their activity in the rabbinical office have already proved their competency and are orators, need apply for the position. 

—January 26, 1855

150 YEARS AGO

Varieties

Fear and terror are the causes of specters. Self-delusion is the cheapest comedy. 

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In Germany and American more Jewish papers are published than in all the rest of the civilized world. 

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The Harmonic Club, of Columbus, O., we see, has ceased to exist. It is a pity that so noble an enterprise did fail. 

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Before you write a sermon, speech, lecture, novel, essay, treatise, anything, sit down and write out any amount of truisms you know, abridge them to the smallest compass, and then put them in logical in your production, and it will be as good as you are capable of conceiving truth. It will make the backbone of the thing. 

Items

China manufactures twice the gunpowder of any other country, but uses more for fireworks than war. 

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Two million barrels of cement are manufactured annually in Ulster county, New York. 

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The center of gravity of the population of the United States, according to Prof. Hilgard, is located at Wilmington, Clinton County, O., 45 miles north-east from Cincinnati. 

—January 24, 1873

125 YEARS AGO

Eighty Rioters Sent to Prison

Algiers, Jan. 25. — The town is quiet to-day. About 10,000 people witnessed the funeral of those who were killed during the recent rioting. Their remains were in tarred in the Christian cemetery outside the town, but on returning there were renewed demonstrations, with the usual cries. The mob attacked an omnibus upon which two Jews were riding. They were badly beaten and stoned. A few other Jews were similarly maltreated. 

Chebat, one of the Jews who was stoned, died to-night. His skull was fractures. 

To-day, 80 of the rioters were condemned to terms of imprisonment varying from three months to a year, and one, who was caught in the net of pillaging, was sentenced to five year in prison. 

Editor’s Note: The riots mentioned here are a response to the Dreyfus Affair. Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a French Jewish officer, was falsely convicted of treason for selling military secrets to German officials. Five years after his imprisonment, evidence was revealed that exonerated Dreyfus and implicated Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy. The evidence, however, was supposed and Esterhazy was acquitted. The military forged documents that were used to press additional charges against Dreyfus. 

On January 13, 898, Émile Zola penned “J’Accuse,” an article published on the front of a French newspaper. It named the anti Dreyfus conspirators. While the article had some errors in it, it  refocused attention on the Dreyfus affair and eventually, Dreyfus was indeed exonerated. Though anti Semitic riots were common in France during this time, it is likely that those mentioned in this particular article are in direct response to the Zola article which fueled anti Semitic sentiments in the region. The recent film An Officer and a Spy (2019) is based on the affair.

— January 27, 1898 

100 YEARS AGO

Harvard University is getting some more unpleasant notoriety. The latest is a charge by one Victor Kramer, proprietor of a laundry in the Bronx, New York City, who charges President Lowell of Harvard with having made statements inimical ate the Jews, including one that “as long as the Jews desire to remain a septette entity socially and ethnically, prejudice would continue to grow.” President Lowell denies categorically the statements attributed to him and Mr. Kramer is equally insistent that Harvard’s President did make the statements. There the matter rests. The whole affair is of little general interest, although it will add nothing to Harvard’s reputation, which has been somewhat impaired through what appears to be the impolitic methods of its responsible heads. 

Jottings

It was recently reported that there is a movement en masse among the Ukrainian peasants to embrace Judaism; to date more than 20,000 Christians have adopted the Jewish religion. 

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The Springfield (Mass.) Republican says that: The “plug” hat is doomed, according to the secretary of the American Association of Wholesale Hatters; but the governors, the mayors and the undertakers are valiantly holding the fort. It might have included in this list the worshipful Masters of the Masonic Lodges. 

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In renting an apartment or house in Munich, Jews are required to sign an agreement that in the event of a pogrom they will make good all damage to property occupied by them, says a Munich report. Guarantees required of Jewish tenants cover the furniture and fixtures in the house they lease. No provision is made for recovery of damage to the property of the Jewish tenants in case of pogroms. 

— January 25, 1923

75 YEARS AGO

Authority on Palestine Next Forum Speaker 

Gerold Frank, an authority on Palestine and the Middle East, will be the fourth lecturer to appear on the Jewish Center Lecture Series. His talk “Powder Keg in the Much Promised Land,” will take place Monday, Jan. 26th, at 8:50 p.m., at Wise Center, N. Crescent Ave. and Reading Road. 

Dr. James G. Heller, rabbi of Isaac M. Wise Temple, will introduce Mr. Frank. Tickets will be on sale that night. 

Sewing Class Teaches New Look

Fashion experts decree that the “New Look” will continue throughout the spring and summer. This gives women a change to pan their new spring and summer clothes. 

The Jewish Center Sewing Class offers instruction in fitting, cutting and sewing new clothes and also learning how to make over old clothes. Two classes meet weekly, one on Tuesday evenings from 7-9:30 p.m. and the other on Thursday afternoons from 1-3:30 p.m. 

Mrs. Kay Sullivan is the instructor. The class is open to all members of the Center. Further information may be had by calling UN 7800.  

Cincinnati Social and Personal

Mrs. Jacob H. Feibel and daughter, Mrs. Victor E. Reichert, will leave Sunday, January 25th, for a two-week cruise to Nassau, Havana and Curacao.  

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“Preparing for the Profession of Parenthood” is the title of a secure which Mrs. Nathan Ransohoff, lecturer on psychology at the University of Cincinnati, will give in the eight-week UC Evening College second semester course on youth and marriage. 

This lecture course has been arranged to acquaint students with the psychological, physical, spiritual and financial aspects of marriage today. It will be held Mondays at 8:30 p.m 

In her lecture, Mrs. Ransohoff will discuss the emotional, mental and physical growth of children, how to make them happy, healthy, well adjusted to their environment. 

— January 22, 1948

50 YEARS AGO. 

Bar Mitzvah

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Ohren announce the forthcoming Bar Mitzvah of their son, Ronald Lee, Saturday, Feb. 3, at 1045 a.m., at the Isaac M. Wise Temple, Eight and Plum Streets. 

Friends are cordially invited to worship with the family and attend the Kiddush following the service. 

Ronald is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Ohren of Lauderhill, Fla., and Mrs. Rose Singer of Chicago, and the late Mr. Meyer Singer. 

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Mr. and Mrs. Leslie L. LeVine announce the forthcoming Bar Mitzvah of their son, David Howard, on Saturday, Feb. 3, at 10:45 a.m. at Temple Sholom. 

Relatives and friends re cordially invited to worship with the family and attend the Kiddush following services. 

David is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Morton D. Weiss of Washington, D.C. and the late Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Levine of this city. 

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Mr. and Mrs. Tom J. Heldman, 1308 Paddock Hills Avenue, announce the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Jay, on Saturday, Jan. 27, at Rockdale Temple. 

Friends and relatives are cordially invited to worship with the family and attend the Kiddush following services. 

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Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Fox announce with pleasure the forthcoming Bar Mitzvah of their son, Larry, Saturday, Jan. 27, at 9 a.m., at Ohav Shalom Synagogue, 1834 Section Road. 

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the service and join in the Kiddish and luncheon following. 

Larry is the grandson of Mrs. Celia Fox and the late mr. Max Fox and Mrs. Lilian Lemko of Chicago and the late Mr. George Lemko.  

—January 25, 1973

25 YEARS AGO

Teen-age emissaries meet with Cincinnati peers

By Brian L. Meyers

Staff Writer

A small group of kids ravened in Plum Street Temple on a recent Wednesday afternoon. They didn’t sit in the pews and there was no rabbi on the bimah. They stood off to the side, either alone or in small groups and read from small prayer books which they brought with them. Everyone of the boys wore a knitted kipper 0 which, in Israel, is one of the signs of a religious Jew. 

The kings -- all Israeli teens — were participants in an emissary program that sends young Israelis to tour the United States to interact with their American counterparts. 

In Cincinnati, they were hosted by families in the Orthodox community. Arrangements were made by Gold Manor Synagogue Rabbi Hanan Balk. 

The kids spent a week in Cincinnati as part of a four week American tour. Following the visit to Plum Street, the group of kids toured the City Hall building and went to see a Cincinnati Mighty Ducks hockey game. 

— January 29, 1998

10 YEARS AGO

Golden retriever motivates Cedar Village residents 

The rehabilitation unit at Cedar Village Retirement Community is equipped with the latest devices for physical therapy. Employees regularly undergo training to make sure they’re using the most effective techniques. 

But sometimes, a 5-year-old Golden Retriever named Gates who works at Cedar Village can motivate a patient to do something remarkable, something that might be challenging due to a patient’s medical condition.

Gates started working at Cedar Village last year after Debi Tyler, Cedar Village’s director of rehabilitation, noticed that residents perked up when relatives brought pets to the community. 

Concert commemorates International Holocaust Remembrance Day 

Internationally renowned pianist James Tocco will perform at the Scheuer Chapel on the campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion on Sunday, Jan. 27, at 4 p.m., in commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The concert is presented as a part of the Concerts on Clifton series and is co-sponsored by the Center for Holocaust & Humanity Education. 

Tocco has a worldwide career as an orchestral soloist, recitalist and chamber music performer. His repertoire of over 50 works with orchestra includes virtually the entire standard 

piano concert repertoire. During this performance, Tocco will be accompanied by Daniel Culnan on cello, Rebecca McMullan Culnan on violin, Chika Kinderman on violin and Yaël Senamaud on viola. 

—January 24, 2013