America fewish Periodical Curter

currop,

AVINOlt • CINCINNATI 20, OHIO

AsPentorrjEwisn ef RONICLO

PArr. TI- IRTFFN

IN FLINT MICHIGAN

•

Stimulus Given Various Phases
of Communal Life by
Morris Kobacker

For over forty years we have

fulfilled the flower wants for

the people of the city of Flint,

for all occasions where flowers

or plants are used.

I

We Operate 100,000 Sq. Ft.
Of Glass

505 NORTH SAGINAW
623 SOUTH SAGINAW

STARTED IN ICE CREAM BUSINESS IN 1892 WITH LANE BROS.

POWERS ICE CREAM CO.

MANUFACTURERS Or

PURE ICE CREAM AND ICES
Pure Punches of All Kinds

SPECIAL ATTENTION GIVEN RECEPTIONS AND WEDDINGS

Banquet Ice Cream a Specialty

1023-25 N. SAGINAW ST., FLINT

PHONE 1960

W. E. FELLOWS

No history of the growth of Flint's
Jewish community, no matter how
cursory, could be complete without
mention of some of its pioneer citi-
zens and business men whose names
arc closely linked with its every for-
ward-looking movement.
Foremost in the list of men whose
names have been written indelibly
into the annals of the city's Jewish
communal life is Morris Kobacker
who came to Flint in the spring of
1909,
Front the very beginning N1r. Ko-
backer took a keen interest in the
civic life of the town. He set to
rout every rumor of anti Semitic
prejudice and made many firm friends
among every race and creed.
Father altirphy of - the Catholic
Church. Rev. Powers and Rev. Bur-
ley of the Methodist and Episcopal
churches were among the loyal
iriends id Mr. Kobacker. Later lie
worked side by side with Rev. Powers
and Res. Burley in establishing the
first V. NI. C. A. in Flint
ale Kobacker gave unflagging ef-
fort toward the civic progress of his
city. He was one of the founders
and:a charter member of the Cham-
ber of Commerce.
ale Kobacker was instr
instmental
u mental in
organizing the first II'nai Brith lodge
in Flint in 1914. With him at that
time were associated David Seitncr
and Ed. Liehtig of Bay City. The
lodge was founded in 11114 with a
membership of 35.
Shortly after his coming to the
city, NIr. Koh:Acker interested a num-
ber of Jewish residents in the estab-
lishment of a NVaylarers' fund to mkt
care of any Jewish person or family
that might arr,ve in the city destitute
It was through his efforts, also.
that the first religions .enices were
held in the old Knights of Py.thia•
• Hall. .\ Cincinnati antor was en-
gaged at that time, the service be-
ing read• by the men of the .audience.
Ile also conducted the classes of the
first Sunday school for Jewish chil-
dren, meeting his pupils in the rear
of his furniture establishment.
Although sir. Kobacker k not at
present a resident of Flint, having
moved to Toledo in 141 K, his deep
interest in his "home-town" has never
lagged.
"1 view. with pride and admiration
the remarkable progress of the Jew-
ish community in flint" Mr. No-
backer writes from Toledo, "and I and
content that the affairs of the com-
munity rest in suell capable hands
as those who now are leaders in Jew-
ish communal affairs."

Organize Cultural
Society for Women

322 SOUTH SAGINA STREET

Wholesale and Retail

Diamonds, Watches, Clocks, Jewelry and Cut Class

Art Ware and Optical Goods

Flint Women to Study Progress
of Jewish Literature,
Music and Art

MANUFACTURING AND REPAIRING A SPECIALTY

An interesting cultural soc'ely was
organized recently at the home of
Mrs. Nloses Rosenthal, 1624 Lyon
street. under the name, the "Flint
Jewish IN'omen's Literary Club," with
IS charter members. The club will
aim toward the cultivation of Jewish
literature, music and art.
The following officers were elected.
l'resident, Mrs. NI. Rosenthal: first
vice-president, NIrs. Harry NVeingar-
den; second vice-president, Mrs. E.
Rosenberg: secretary. Mrs. Ben J.
Wiener; treasurer, Mrs. S. Jaffe.
Committees were appointed as fol-
lows: Entertainment, sirs. P. Cats-
man and Nina R. Kostoti; program.
Mrs. S. Eistuan. Mrs. NVin. Rosen-
berg and airs. L. I.ebster.
The formation of the club narks a
forward step toward the advancement
of the intellectual and educational in-
terests of the Jewish community of
Flint.

GILBERT'S
DELICIOUS CHOCOLATES

For Sale At

Baker's Drug Store

PHONE 16

502 SOUTH SAGINAW St.

Michigan Coal Co.

COAL, COKE AND CEMENT

Phones 1333-4545

FLINT, MICH.

712 W. KEARSLEY ST.

W. R. REYNOLDS & CO.

CAPITAL AND SURPLUS $506,0110

REAL ESTATE

INSURANCE — INVESTMENT SECURITIES

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Private Branch Exchange 2470

119East Kearsley Street

Jobbing Promptly Attended To

All Work Guaranteed

JOSEPH MILLER

PLUMBING AND HEATING

Steam. Vapor and Hot Water Heating

Bell Phone 374

1213 N. SAGINAW STREET

FLINT, MICHIGAN

F. NATCHEZ

J. NATCHEZ

NATIONAL IRON & METAL CO.

HIDES, FUR, WOOL. PELTS, RAGS. RUBBER
PAPER STOCK and METAL
FLINT, MICHIGAN
Phone 3365
102 AVON STREET

•

COMPLIMENTS OF

A. W. /VI A Y'S

Musical Instrument House
VIOLIN SHOP
Flint, Michigan
706 North Saginaw Street
Phone 2330,1

Pioneer in Flint
Jewish Activities

One of the most enjoyable inne-
lions ever held in Flint was the dance
given by the Ladies' Aid Society.

50 TO BE INDUCTED
INTO FLINT LODGE
ON SUNDAY, DEC. 19

Expansion Due to
Labor of Wiener

No Belts

Identified With Many Progres-
sive Nlosements; President
of
Brith 8 Years

A FEW REASONS

No Chains

WHY WE

No Springs

Among the few pioneers who stand
Celebration of Tenth Anniversary
mot clearly in the lists if that hand
Planned to Follow Initi-
ful of far-visioned men who helped
ation Ceremony.
to upbuild the Jewish community of

No Exposed

DETROIT'S DEGREE TEAM,
GLEE CLUB TO ATTEND

Western Electric
Washing Machine

Sunday, Dec. 19, will mark the in-
duction of fifty members into, Flint
Lodge, No. 656, Independent Ordee
of Wiwi Brill, at an initiation and
jubilee celebration which will un-
doubtedly prove the biggi st Jewish
communal event in the history of
Fhit Jewry.
'I Ile event will serve to continent-
.,• I lie ienth anniversary of the
tomaling of the lodge, Flint -s pioneer
less sli organization and one of the
strong,t and most potent Jewish
bodies in the city. The induction of
50 new members at the initiation will
bring the membership of the lodgo
close to the 200 mark.
Elaborate preparations are under
way for the celebration. Detroit's
Pisgah Degree Team and Glee Club
have again been invited to play their
mportant parts in the festivities of
he eventful occasion. It is interest-
ng In note in this connection that it
vas Ole HIM lodge which took the
nitiative in inviting the Detroit De-
free Team and Glee Club to officiate
it ally outside I. 0. B. It. activitie,
since then, other lodges throughout
he state have follow, il this prece-
dent.
Representatives of the National Or-
ler will be present at the jubilee, and
present plans speak for a notable
event.
The Flint lodge, established in Jan-
uary, 1910, by a handful of Jewish
citizens of the city and for several
: Tars the only Jewish organization in
the city, ranks today. as the for, 11.1,1
a id most active Jewl.li body in the
community.
Fo•iering usury Jewish activity un-
dertaken in the city, the lodge has
permed a power in building up the
present Jewish social and communal
structure.
The Jewish Community Center,
formerly known as the Progress Club
and at the present time the home of
the Flint It'nai Brith I.odge, was
fostered by B'nai With spirit and en-
terprise.
It was Benjamin F. Wiener, 1111.11
president of the !Vital Ileitis, at a
lodge dinner, who launched the pro-
ject of a Iffilai Brill, clubhouse. lie
succeeded in getting $1,000 to start
the work. The present Jewish Com-
munity Center, now the clearing-
house of all Jewish activities, is the
outcome of thin undertaking.
lit the early days of Flint Lodge,
Mr. Morris Kobacker, now of Toledo.
0., played an important part. His
love for the Order and his zealous
efforts to promote interest and en-
thusiasm in Intai Brith work here
has served as an inspiration to his
followers. Mr. Edward Liehtig, of
Bay City, Who With Mr. Kobacker or-
ganized Flint Lodge, has continu-
ously manifested a steadfast interest
'n the affairs and is known as "The
Daddy of Flint Lodge.:'
Mr. Benjamin F. NViener. the presi-
dent of many terms, has been affili-
ated with the Order of Mud Brith. for
the past 16 years, at one time serving
as State Deputy from Michigan. His
devotion to the Order finds its great-
est expression in the splendid local
organization with its remarkable ac-
tivities and its long list of past suc-
cesses.
Besides Mr. \\leiter, present incum-
bent, Mandel Rosenberg, Harry Har-
ris. Eli Rosenblitin and Edward
Rosenberg have served as presidents
of the local lodge.

TOOK ON THE

Gears

Flint, the name of Benjamin I,
Wiener, for many years identified
with every Jewish movement, is de-
serving of an honored place.
Benjamin F. \N'iener was horn in
1880 in Lancaster, Pa., where he re-
ceived his early education. Always
displaying an active interest in Jew-
ish affairs, he was devoted especial')
to two nmin hobbies, the reform
Temple and the B'nai Brith organiza-
tion. And wherever his business
took him he carried with him the
hope ur oganizing a strong B'nai
Bluth lodge and a Temple.

Tested and Approved by
Good Housekeeping
Magazine

FIRST — Because they had tried out fine other makes and did not
find them entirely satisfactory.

SECOND—The . Western Electric used 11w cylinder principle for
washing clothes and we know from experience this is the correct way.
Our eyliniir reverses und therefore does not twist the clothes.

Thus. when in August of 1909, he
settled in Flint and began 10 make a
neeess in
his business interests
through the confidence he quickly
gained from the citizens of Flint, by
his honest and conservative business
principles, he soon became known to
his fellow Jews through his seeming-
ly inexhaustible supply of energy and
will-power to "carry on."
1Vhile ale aViener's efforts on be-
half of reform Judaism have been
hampered by the conservative atti-
tude of the Jewish community at
large. his endeavors to help the cans,:
of the 11'nzli [frith and other worthy
charitable causes have met with a
deserving success,

THIRD—Our gear does not run In oil. Therefore there is no oil
In un In on your clothes. No belts, no chains, no springs, no exposed
gears.

M. & S. Electric Company

Main Store and Office: 107 East Third Street

Phone 1191

NVInat \I r. Weiner was first elected
!president of the Mull !frith lodge in
1912, the organization numbered but
22 members and its activities were
extremely Finned. It was in the
year 1916 that Mr. Wiener first con-

•

4

BOTTLING WORK

CARBONATED BEVERAGES

Made with Polar Distilled Water
GENESEE BOTTLING WORKS

108-10 West Seventh St.

Phone 1612

Moist Air Heating and Ventilating Systems

Scientifically Installed

Flint Furnac!e [Co.

HEATING ENGINEERS

Phone 3281
611 South Saginaw Street ,

-

BENJAMIN F. WIENER

Flint's Largest Jewelry Establishment"

Wm. H. Horton

ceived the idea of obtaining perma-
nent ileadquarisrs for Haut itrith ac-
tivities in the hope that such it plan
might revive the lodge.

RELIABLE JEWELER AND OPTOMETRIST

NVith that end in view, a Fellowship
dinner was arranged at what was
then known as the Nlodel Tea Shop
and was attended by 38 people. Al
a second dinner given two weeks
later, the idea of a !frith Club
house was launched. A drive was
immediately started, and with the
$600 collected at the dinner as a nuc-
leus of the fund, the aim of ale
Wiener was accomplishe d.
Because of the insistence of some
of its members that the club-rooms
be used purely f r social p u rposes,
subletting to the B'nai 'frith for their
activties, the Progress Club came in-
LITERARY SOCIETY MEETING.
__
Later the club.rnnms
to existence.
of the Jewish \\•„,„, it's were thrown open to all Jewish ae -,
Literary Society was held Tuesday re tivities, thus marking the rooms as
4, 1 Jewish general meeting place
cently, at the home of Mrs. Louis the
Lebster, of Garland street. Each mein- in Flint
Pressed for reminiscences of earlier
ber answered the roll call with a quo.

Thanksgiving night at the Community tation. A very interesting paper on days before the Progress Club was
the "Early History of the Jews" was organized, Mr. Wiener said:
Center.
()ne of my first attempts which
Cook's orchestra rendered some read ltv Mrs. Eisen, and NIrs. Ben
\VI-Mork paper, "The 1-fir of Flavins I recall vividly was a series of little
very snappy music which made danc-
social
parties given in the K. of I'.
melt enjoyed by the
ing easy and jazzy steps irresistible.
was „
Hall. We all met on happy terms
SOM.' very delightful punch and de- members. A
and
had
some good old times. A
delicious lunch wa ''' rred
licious wafers were served throughout by the Imstess. Ihe next meetIng successful a ffair which brought out
the evening and the party reluctantly will be held at the home of NI r'. Wil- the entire Jewish population was the
broke tip at I o'clock. ham Rosenberg, of Mason street .
Brith farwell party' given in
honor of our beloved It'nai Brith
worker, Mr. Morris Kobacker. We
used to meet in the old St. Cecilia
Hall in those days.
(By W. F. Hufstader, of the Flint Chamber of Commerce).
Drifting from past to present. Mr.
Wiener said, "Our present Jewish
The story is told by' NVashington for Company and was the outgrowth
Community Critter, orgtinized at the
Irving in his legend of Rip N'an of the Flint IXagon Works. The instance of Rabbi Rudolph Lupo,
VI'inkly, that when Rip returned from growth of this industry has steadily soon after his arrival in Flint, owes
his long sleep in- the mountains he increased until at the present time the its success in large measure to the
found to his aellaZetliellt that a city city is the second largest automobile many loyal members of the B'nai
of beautiful homes, busy streets, and center in the world. The cars manu- Brith and the Progress Club. It was
throbbing industries had replaced the factured in Flint are the Buick, Dort, their unstinted support and co-op-
quiet little village which he had left. Chevrolet, and l'atterson.
eration that made possible the reali-
As a result of this phenominal zation of this institution. Whatever
Such might be the amazement of John
Todd, one of the early settlers of growth in industry, Flint has been may be the success of the Jewish
Flint if he were to return now to see transfortned from a city of 9.800 in Community Center can. to a large
the great metropolis which has re- 1890 to a metropolis of 103,845 in 1920. degree, lie attributed to this tem-
placed the quiet little village that sur- There has also developed a spirit of porary house of all Jewish activities."
rounded the wayside tavern which he progressive enthusiasm which has at-
Mr. Wiener is President of Flint
tracted the attention of all eyes
once conducted.
throughout the nation. The question Lodge, No. 656 and has served in
Flint, the third cite in Michigan,
that capacity for eight years, but his
is asked on every hand, "How did you
was first settled in 1821). It was in-
ken him beyond the
a
do it . and t 1 se_ on l y reply that ca.., leadership has t
corporated as a city in 1855 with a
lodge-rooms alone.
be given is " italized man power. ' f°"6"" of the
population of 2,000 and made made
ects are
has His varied activities and rovers
The Chamber
- terf o Commerce
'
the count y seat of Genesee County played
part in a l l pro- linked and interwoven with the very
i
' aye/ an mportant•
by an act of the Territorial Legisla-
gresstve movements in the past, and fabric of Flint's Jewish communal
i., Lure. August 25, 1835.
is at the front of every movement history.
Long before Flint seemed prepared
Nlanufacturing in a small way tending to foster civic development
marked the early periods of the city's and community advancement. Some for general communal activities, N1r.
history. The lumbering industry grew of the accomplishments achieved are Wiener, as an organizer of the In-
very rapidly and during the sixties
o dern tellectual Advancement movement,
d seventies
was
one of
the
the Nolan
Plan, the
the erection
m
an
industries.
Then
in 1869,
W.
A. chief
Pat- start
lighting City
system,
with the aid of Rabbi Leo NI. Frank-
of a new million and a half dohs, lie of Detroit, presented to Flint Jews
ierson started the first carriage fan- Durant 11 old, the $60.000 NI unicipal . a series of lectures by some of the
tory. Later, in 1886, W. C. Durant Market, the bond issue for a sixty. , foremost Rabbis in the country.
Ind J. D. Dort started tee manufac- seven acre High School site costing I Later he succeeded in securing Rabbi
'5 lure of apatent road cart which later $750,000, and an additional bond issne p Samuel S. Mayerherg then assistant
developed into one of the largest car• of one and a half million dollars for Rabbi of Temple Beth El to deliver
-tage factories in the country. With a new High School building. In ad- bi-monthly lectures and sermons.
the development of the carriage in- dition, the Chamber of Commerce has His success in leading a \Var Suf-
dustry, subsequent industries making successfully completed within six ferers' campaign in Flint four years
accessories were incorporated. The months the following campaigns: ago is still recalled. With the as-
W. F. Stewart Company, The Imperial
Actually sistance of a Detroit committee con-
Wheel, The Flint Axle and The Flint
Quota Secured aisting of Rabbi Franklin, David A.
Varnish Company being several of Boy Scouts
$ 90,000 $109(X)0 Brown. the late Jacob Brown, Adolph
the concerns resulting from the Salvation Army .... 55.000
599 4 5 Finster•arld, Anton Kaufman, Mil-
growth of the carriage business.
Masonic Temple.... 200000 205000 ton M. Alexander and others. the sum
The manufacture of automobiles
It is the clearing house for corn- of $13,000 was forwarded to the war-
was started in 1910 by the Buick 110- munity thought and action
sufferers in Europe.

Flint, Michigan

THREE STORES

403 South Saginaw Street
404 Asylum Street
Durant Hotel Block

PAW°

AP IA .110(1,

diuilf•7;

WHITE SWAN
FLOUR

PENINSULAR FLOUR MILLS

— MICH.

•

The China Closet

The Growth of Flint

•

McAustin & Logan

Flint, Michigan

•

J. M. Barringer, Pres. 8: Treas.

M. McCarty, Sec'y

Flint Foundry
Company

GREY IRON AND STEEL CASTINGS

WOOD AND METAL

PATTERNS

Flint, Michigan

Plants at Flint and Marshall, Michigan

•