THE JEWISH CHRONICLE
The only Jewish publication in the State of Michigan
Devoted to the interests of the Jewish people
•
Vol. II. No. 35
DETROIT, MICH., OCTOBER
9-6,
1917
$1.50 per Year
Single Copies ltt Cents .
Annual Members' -Meeting and
B'Nai B'Rith Has Ambitious
Dinner of Temple Beth El
Program for Ensuing Year
Will Aid in Erection of Building at Camp Custer for Jewish Boys-
60th Anniversary to be Fittingly Celebrated—Plans Being
Made for Club and Community Building
To Take Place on Monday Evening Next, October 29, 1917—
Views of Proposed New Temple to be Displayed—Will
Be Most Important Meeting of Congregation
An ambitious program of work of The greater part of the total fund will
of course fall on Detroit, and the
an intensive nature has been mapped
members of Pisgah Lodge arc await-
out for the ensuing year by the local
ing the word to "do their big bit."
Pisgah Lodge, No: 34, of the B'nai
B'rith. This year is without a doubt The National Jewish Welfare League
has promised not to solicit funds in
the most important in the history of
Michigan while funds,are being raised
the order in view of the many prob-
lems created out of the world conflict for this purpose.
and our own entry therein as an active
Sixtieth Anniversary Celebration.
belligerent. It is fortunate that such
Definite plans are being discussed
an efficient organization as the
for the celebration of the 60th anni-
B'rith exists to help solve many prob-
versary of the founding of Pisgah
lems of vital concern to the Jewish
Lodge. The order has done a great
people. One of the first and most im- work in Detroit. It has brought to-
portant matters that occupies the at-
gether the various elements of our
tention of the order throughout the community for a common purpose
nation is the proper care and enter- and has been invaluable in furthering
tainment of the thousands of Jewish
every Jewish movement for thc bene-
boys who are now in training at every
fit of the community. When the lodge
military camp and cantonment in the was organized here 60 years ago, De-
country.
troit was then a village of about 20,000
In conjunction with other B'nai people. The number of Jews in town
B'rith lodges in the state, Pisgah
could be counted on one's fingers.
Lodge was instrumental in organizing Today the Jewish population is sev-
the Michigan Jewish Soldiers' and
eral times larger than the entire pop-
Sailors' Welfare League, whose pur-
ulation of the town 60 years ago. The
pose will be administering to the phy- 60th anniversary will be an event not
sical and spiritual wants and needs of only to the Jews of the city but will
the Jewish boys in training at Camp
be of unusual interest to every citizen
Custer. The fact that all Michigan in Detroit. Few organizations of a
boys arc located at Camp Custer at like nature have such a record of
Battle Creek facilitates the work of communal achievement. The celebra-
the League. The Michigan organiza- tion will be consistent with the im-
tion is working in harmony with the
portance of the order. A committee
procedure as outlined' by the national
of arrangements composed of the
Jewish Welfare organization, headed
most prominent and active members
by Col. Harry Cutler, but will act as
of the lodge has been elected. It net
an independent unit in its details.
for its first meeting at the Board of
Commerce on Tuesday, Oct. 23. It
To Erect "Shed" for Jewish Soldiers:
is composed of Milton Alexander,
An executive meeting of the Michi- chairman, Adolph Freund, S. D. Ros-
gan League was held on Friday, Oct.
enzweig, Bernard GinSburg, L. Him-
19th, Detroit being represented by melhoch, Julian Krolik, Adolph Fin-
• Jacob Miller. Reports of the condi-
sterwald, Morris Friedberg, A. Shiff-
tions and needs at the cantonment man, Louis J. Rosenberg, Milton Sil-
concerning the Jewish soldiers were berman, Samuel Klein, Anton Kauf-
read by men who had made a thor- man, Sylvan S. Grosner, L. J. Miller,
ough personal investigation of the
Louis I. Frank (ex-officio).
camp. They stated they were cor-
Club and Community Building.
dially received by officials in charge
Sentiment
for a B'nai B'rith Club
and were extended every courtesy by
and
Community
Building has devel-
the Y. M. C. A. workers. Although
the Y. M. C. A. organization has of- oped into a definite plan of action to
acquire what has been the dream of
fered the use of its shed to the Jew-
many members for. several years. An
ish men, it has been found inadequate
advantageous location has been in
to meet the demands upon it. The
committee recommended that inas- mind for some time. A committee
much as there were several thousands has been named to present various
methods of raising the necessary
of Jews in camp that the Jewish Wel-
funds. Such a club would be of ines-
fare League of Michigan begin raising
funds to build and equip a shed for the timable benefit not only in increasing
use of the Jewish contingent. Meet- the membership and activities of the
lodge, but will bring all Jews together
ings could be held more often for the
Jewish boys and the tax on the Y. M. on a common ground of social inter-
C. A. quarters diminished to allow course. It is hoped that the dedica-
tion of the campaign for the building
them greater facilities for taking care
take place on the occasion of the
will
of the thousands of soldiers making
60th anniversary.
use of their own shed.
The members of the executive com- GREATEST MEETING OF JEWS.
mittee were enthusiastic over this
suggestion and as a means of acceler- Assembly of Delegates in New York
ating the work of building have asked
Oct. 28 to Finish $10,000,000 War
Adolph Kraus, president of the B'nai
Relief Campaign—Most Con-
B'rith in America, to go to Washing-
spicuous Notables to
ton and make request of the War De-
Attend.
partment for permission to erect a
The special assembly of delegates
meeting shed for Jewish soldiers. from every part of the country to
There is no doubt of the request being plan the completion of the $10,000,-
granted by war officials. Money must 000 relief fund for the Jewish war
be raised, however, to do the actual sufferers will be held at the Spanish
building and there is likewise no doubt and Portuguese Synagogue, Seventi-
that this will be forthcoming. Several eth street and Central Park West, on
pledges have already been made. Kal- October 28. About 1,000 delegates
amazoo has offered $1,000. Lansing are expected. Following the business
has tendered an equal amount. Other
(Continued on page 11)
cities pledged proportionate sums.
Announcement has been made that
the sixty-seventh annual meeting of
Temple Beth El wilt be held in the as
sembly rooms of the Temple on next
Monday evening, October 29th, at 7:30
This promises to be one of the most
important meetings ever held in the
history of the Congregation. Report
of officers will be received and new of-
ficers elected for the ensuing term. One
of the most interesting features of the
meeting will be the showing by Archi-
tect Albert Kahn of drawings and
stereopticon views of the new Temple
to he erected by the Congregation a'
the corner of Woodward and Gladstone
The plans contemplate
avenues.
magnificent edifice, in every way suited
to the needs of a rapidly growing con-
gregation.
The meeting will be preceded by the
annual Temple dinner, to be served un-
der the auspices of the Woman's Aux-
iliary Association. All members of the
Congregation and their households are
most cordially invited to be present at
the dinner. Gentlemen are asked to
come to the Temple direct from their
business and to meet their families
there for dinner. It is expected that
the meeting and dinner will be very
largely attended.
U. S. CONSUL REPORTS ON RE-
LIEF OF JEWS IN
SALONIKI.
ISAAC GERSON, LEADER IN
JEWISH LIFE OF TOLEDO,
DIES.
60,000 Homeless Jews Being Cared for
by Red Cross—Money Is Plenti-
ful—Food, Clothing and Sup-
plies Are Scarce.
The Joint Distribution Committee is
in receipt of the following report from
United States Consul Horton upon• the
conditions in Saloniki and the relief
work needed there.
"As mentioned in this consulate's ca
ble of August 21st. the disastrous fir(
of the 18th and 19th made hoineles ,
from 70,000 to 75,000 people, of whom
probably 60,000 are Israelites. At the
present time, about 10.000 refugees are
encamped on the outskirts of the city
where they are being cared for by tIv
military and local Greek authorities and
by the Red Cross organizations. The
rest have taken .refuge with relative
and friends in the sections of the city
which escaped the blaze, a circumstanc-
•hich has vastly increased the conges-
tion of population in these section ,
which was serious enough before thy
fire. Great numbers of those rendere- .
homeless escaped with little more tha•
the clothes on their backs. As most or
the civilian supply depots and 'prac-
tically the whole business section wer ,
destroyed, it is nearly •mpossible to pro
cure the ordinary necessities of life.
American Red Cross Aids.
"'To obtain actual supplies is by far
the most important matter at this time
Food, winter clothing, bedding. disin-
fectants, medical supplies, material fo .
temporary houses and other articles of
fundamental necessity can be used i•
large quantities. The question of foo'"
is not so acute as those of shelter, cloth.,
ing, medicine, etc. The feeding of the
homeless is being well managed by th-
military officials and the Red Cross or-
ganizations, of which the American Red
Cross is doing most efficient work under
the able leadership of Dr. - Edward W
Ryan. However, the hygienic condition'
due to the overcrowding in the section ,
of the city which escaped the conflagra-
tion are very bad, and will call for great
quantities of drugs and disinfectant:
The refugees on the outskirts of the
city are all under canvas shelter, but
this will be of little avail during the
rainy season, which is fast approaching
Supplies, Not Money, Is Needed.
"'Money is not needed at present
Great numbers of the Jews have funds
and it is the general opinion of relict
workers here that it would be a tnistik('
to send more here. The Jewish busi-
ness and trades people of Saloniki hay ,
profited to the extent of eight million
Prominent Figure in Philanthropic
and Commercial Life Passes Away -
on Oct. 18th.—Was Well
Known in Detroit.
Toledo, Ohio.—The death of Isaac
Gerson occurred suddenly on Thurs-
day morning, Oct. 18th, at his home,
2202 Glenwood avenue. His death is
ascribed to heart failure. He was 65
years old.
Mr. Gerson was a figure in the life
of the Jewish community of Toledo,
and his name was associated with al-
most every Jewish cause. He was for
a few years president of Congregation
B'nai Israel. He was on the Building
Committee of the Jewish Educational
League, and was instrumental in ob-
taining for the institution its present
site. He was a Ben B'rith, was the
founder of Gerson Toledo Lodge,
Order of B'rith Abraham, and was
also the local representative of the
Jewish Consumptive Relief Society
of Denver. He was a director of the
Federation of Charities, and was a
member of the Progress Club. Mr.
Gerson was also a 32nd degree Mason.
In business circles, Mr. Gerson was
also prominent. He was the founder
and president of the I. Gerson & Sons'
Co., iron and steel dealers, and was
also president of the Detroit Metal
Refining Company of Detroit. He was
director of the Commercial Savings
Bank and Trust Company, and was
on the finance committee of that insti-
tution.
Mr. Gerson was born in Germany,
but came to Toledo 20 years ago, after
a few years' residence in Bucyrus,
Ohio.
The funeral was held from the resi-
dence Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock,
interment taking place in Eagle Point
Cemetery.
Mr. Gerson leaves to survive him,
his widow, three sons, Samuel and
Elmer of this city, and Sol of Detroit,
and a daughter, Mrs. Seymour Frank-
lin, of Detroit.
pounds sterling ($40,000,000) during the
past two years from the British army
alone, to say nothing of the other Al-
lies. Moreover, it is a matter of rec-
ord with this consulate that during the
past two years fully $75,000 have been
paid over to the Grand Rabbi of Salon-
iki for relief work in this district from
relief organizations in the United
States. It is therefore strongly urged
that supplieS only be sent. and that free
distribution be for the destitute only.