From the Pages for August 25, 2022

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.

 1958 | Yavneh Day School is founded by a group of parents interested in creating a high quality dual education of English and Hebrew with special emphasis on spoken Hebrew and the study of Modern Israel. In 2008 the school is renamed Rockwern Academy after receiving a generous donation from the Rockwern Charitable Foundation.

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

Packages by Mail

 On the first day of July last, a law went into operation, under which small packages of dry goods, hardware, drugs (except liquid drugs), and other merchandise, not exceeding twelve ounces in weight, can be mailed to any part of the United States at a charge of two cents for each two ounces of ration of two ounces. The existence of this facility is not generally known; but perhaps more than a month’s time is required for the public to be made aware of a privilege it ha long desired. Next in importance to cheap letter and newspaper postage comes this concession of sending packages by mail. Friends may now send many little matters to each other which, heretofore, were kept back because of the express charges. Children at school may have needed articles transmitted, and clothing may become as common in the mail bag as books. Twelve cents for twelve ounces to San Francisco! Truly, progress is not sleeping. 

Items

The total vote of the United States this fall will be enormous. As we have now full forty millions of people, and as our average vote is about one to five and a half, we shall take probably seven millions and a half of ballots. In 1840, thirty two years ago, when the entire vote was brought out, after a most exciting canvass, it was about two million three hundred thousand. Are we to go on in this manner, trebling 1900 we shall have twenty millions of voters!

Editor’s Note: Approximately 6, 471, 983 people voted in the 1872 election. The race was between Ulysses S. Grant and Horace Greeley, with Grant emerging victorious.  Though the Israelite at the time expressed the hope that twenty million would vote in the 1900 presidential election, the country fell a bit shy of that goal, with just below fourteen million showing up to the polls that year. The election was between William Jennings Bryan and William McKinley, who ended up winning  the race. McKinley's running mate was Theodore Roosevelt. 

Varieties

The Jewish Index is the name of a weekly paper, proposed to be published in Philadelphia, from and after October next, by Mr. Isaac Pineas, to be edited by Messrs S. Mendelsohn and D. Levy. The enterprise is recommended by the Hebrew clergy of that city, and we hope it will prove a success.

Editor’s Note: The Jewish Index of Philadelphia was in operation from 1872 to 1873. In 1887, the Jewish Exponent was founded and is still releasing issues today. 

—August 23, 1872 

125 YEARS AGO

The Coming Eclipse

Preparations are already being made to view the total eclipse of the son which will take place on the 22nd of January, 1808. The course of the eclipse in India will run via Ratnagri, Satara, Nagpore, Mandla, Buxar, Motihari, and then in a direct line to Mount Everest. No less than three English parties intend to come out to view the eclipse from stations in the Bombay Presidency, and the Government of India will arrange for at least one party in Tirhut. Th total eclipse will be visible for about two minutes on the Bombay site and for about a minute and a half in Tirhut. 

Notes and Comments

The French duel is an admirable instituion. By its means it becomes possible to heal wounds inflicted on the honor of the most exquisitely sensitive at a minimum risk of danger to the life of the participants. The published accounts of the recent meeting between the scion of the combined royal lines of Orleans and Bourbon and the representative of the house of Savoy cannot fault amuse anyone possessed of the slightest sense of humor. Yet, there are so many fools left in the world that the absurd affair is taken seriously by a large proportion oft people of Europe. The Emperor of Germany solemnly congratulates the Count of Turin on the latter's part in the farce, and the French people make as much to-do over the pin scratches received by Prince Henri as if they were fatal wounds inflicted in defense of the most sacred cause. The proper thing for all concerned in the matter would be six months at hard work on the chain gang, which is the only sensible treatment for such mock heroics and opera bouffe chivalry. 

— August 26, 1897

100 YEARS AGO

League Formed to Curb Ku Klux Activities 

A nation-wise effort to curb the activities of the Ku Klux Klan has been announced at Chicago with the formation of the American Unity League. Bishop Samuel Fallows of the Reformed Episcopal Church, was named honorary chairman. Patrick H. O’Donnell, a Chicago attorney, is chairman. 

“A national conference on campaign plans will be held in Chicago on September 5, to which delegates from every state and leaders representing all the racial and religious groups in America are being invited,” said Mr. O’Donnell. “While the league is nonpolitical, it will oppose candidates who are to be supported by the 27,000 Klansmen in Chicago in the fall elections.” In a telegram addressed to the meeting from Bishop Fallows, now in California, he said: “The Ku Klux Klan is a mean to religious freedom, a source of danger to the state and its growing strength should be curbed through the united effort of all true Americans regardless of creed, race, or condition in life.” 

Editor’s Note: The KKK would end up with 50,000 members in Chicago alone during the 1920s. However, the American Unity League was able to quash the Klan by publishing a weekly newspaper that printed names, addresses, and occupation of many Chicagoland Klan members. By 1925, the KKK had mostly disappeared from Chicago as a result of this effort.

Jottings

A Young Men’s Hebrew Association has been organized in Mexico. It is the only institution in that country of general Jewish interest. 

———

The report of the New York Naturalization Bureau shows that of 150,000 new citizens made last year over one third of the total were Jews. 

— August 24, 1922

75 YEARS AGO

Jewish Center to Be Host to Softball Tourney

The Cincinnati Jewish Center will play host for the first Annual Midwest Section, National Jewish Welfare Board Softball Tournament Sunday, Aug. 24, beginning at 10 a.m. on the Jewish Center grounds, Blair & Hartford Avenues. 

Sam Kruke, Jewish Center athletic director, and the tournament committee, consisting of Hy Goldberg, Stan Jaffe, Pete Schneider and Aaron Rubin have announced that teams representing St. Louis, Canton, Youngstown, Indianapolis, and Louisville will meet the Cincinnati teams to determine the midwest champion. 

The wining team will receive a handsome softball trophy, while each team member of that team will be given an individual award. 

This tournament, which began last year as an area meet, created such interest that the committee decided to include all Jewish Centers and Y.M.H.A.’s or the entire midwest section. 

Cincinnati Social and Personal

Price Hill will welcome all its friends to the Silver Jubilee carnival and bazaar to be held on the grounds of Beth Jacob, Kirbert and St. Lawrence, Sunday Aug. 24th. The committee promises an opportunity to meet your old friends and enjoy the games and delicious food. 

— August 21, 1947

50 YEARS AGO

Bas Mitzvah

Mr. and Mrs. Fred R. Brenner of 9099 Cherry Blossom Lane are proud to announce the forthcoming Bas Mitzvah of their daughter, Jennifer Beth, on Friday, Aug. 25th, at 8 p.m., at Northern Hills Synagogue, 715 Fleming Road. 

An Oneg Shabbat will follow services. 

Jennifer is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis B. Wollin and Mrs. Louis Brenner and the late Mr. Brenner. 

Bar Mitzvah

Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Kessler of 11513 Kenn Road, are proud to announce the forthcoming Bar Mitzvah of their son, Gary, on Saturday, Sept. 2, at 9:30 a.m., at Northern Hills Synagogue, 715 Fleming Road. 

A kiddush will follow services. 

Gary is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Z. Lieberman of Cincinnati and Mr. and Mrs. Albert H. Kessler, of Miami Beach. He is the great grandson of Mrs. Anna Lieberman of Columbus. 

———

Happiness is …. Gary Scott’s Bar Mitzvah, Saturday, Aug. 26th, at 10:45 a.m., at Wise Center, N. Crescent and Reading Road. 

Gary is the grandson of Mrs. Sam Lipman and the late Mr. Lipman and the late Mary and Julie Silverman. 

—August 24, 1972

25 YEARS AGO

Diversity celebrated under stadium

by Brian L. Meyers

Staff Writer

Beneath Cinergy Field Stadium, Aug. 19, strains of Klezmer music strangely mixed with a heavy percussion beat could be heard among the concrete buttresses and stored field equipment. 

While the Cincinnati Reds were waiting for the rain to stop long enough for them to take the field to battle the Colorado Rockies, the Cincinnati Klezmer Project and the Lincoln Court Bucket Boyz played an impromptu jam session.

The two bands had been invited to play on the field for the second annual Celebration of Diversity Baseball Game. Unfortunately, the game was delayed and the pregame show cancelled: Neither the Klezmer Project nor the Bucket Boyz got to take the field to play. 

Nonetheless, the program's sponsors are hoping that in some way, their message has gotten out: Cincinnati has many different ethnic and cultural groups and such diversity should be recognized and celebrated.  

Visit ‘Sukkah World” at NHS

Northern Hills Synagogue Congregation B’Nai Avraham will host “Sukkah World,” a Sukkot theme park, on Sunday morning, Sept 7, from 9:45 a.m. to Noon. 

“You may have been to Disney World, but you’ve been nowhere until you’ve been to Sukkah World,” said Jeff Bassin, Northern Hills Synagogue vice-president. 

Sukkah World will feature everything people need to make Sukkot special. In the Enchanted Sukkah, people can see how easy it is to build a sukkah. In Lulavland, learn how to bless and use a lulav and esrog. In Decoration Square, people can make decorations for the holiday. 

Rabbi Gershon Barnard observed, “Many people who have never done it before aren intimidated by the thought building a sukkah or otherwise observing the holiday. We want to show how easy and fun it is. “

— August 28, 1997

10 YEARS AGO

Adath Israel Congregation builds community with Mitzvah Day 

More than 15 organizations will get a helping hand from Adath Israel’s upcoming Mitzvah Day. Volunteers can fight hunger, pack school supplies for needy children, or choose a project closer to their hearts on Aug. 26, from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The event is open to the community. 

“Mitzvah Day shows the community who we are and what we believe in,” said Adath Israel Congregation’s Rabbi Irwin Wise. “It’s a call to action before the New Year and a unique way for Cincinnati’s Jewish community to reach out to its neighbors in need. It’s an experience where you truly do give a little and get a great deal in return.”

—August 23, 2012