Friday, March 14, 1947

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle

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HISTORY OF JEWS
IN MICHIGAN

Teen-Age

Sophisticates

By IRVING L KATZ

ARTICLE 46

Jewish Fraternal Orders
Free Sons of Israel

THE EARLY HISTORY of Montefiore Lodge No. 12 of the Free
Sons of Israel reveal that it was run on lines similar to those
of Snot Brith. Members donned regalia corresponding to their de-
grees, the officers wearing special insignia. Inner and outer guards
stood on duty during meetings; the password had to be given before
a member of the lodge could be admitted.
•
A special ritual was provided for swearing in new members;
there was a song of the order
which was sung on special oc-
casions. Every six months, new
officers were chosen; their titles
were hidden behind such symbols
as N. G. and V. G.

All minutes ended with the mot-
to: Freendschaft, Liebe and Wahr-
heit (Friendship, Love and Truth).
Funerals were attended en masse.
Special committees were ap-
pointed to visit the sick; if their
report was favorable, sick benefit
was granted. When a member
died, his widow and orphans re-
ceived support from a special
widows' fund. A member who was
in need did not receive aid from
the lodge treasury, but his fellow
members extended aid to him from
their own funds.

By HELEN TENNENBAUM
III KIDS . . . plenty's up this
11 week, but before I tell you...
would you like to see your name
in this column? . . . I thought
you would like the idea, so why
don't you call your reporter at
TO. 7-6128 and let me know about
your clubs or special activities.
What you're planning might in-
terest the rest of the crowd . . .
so let's know.

• • •

THE ELECTIONS at Durfee..
wow, what excitement ... Who's
it going to be? No one cares to
make a prediction ... too risky
stuff . . . Getting around with the
crowd sure pays off now, I mean
the nominations . . . natch . .
Bob Gans is running for presi-
dent For vice, it's a battle be-
tween two popular fellows, Jack
Novominsky and Fred Horwitz ...
The toughest fight wia probably
be between those three cute gals,
Adelle Rotman, Idelle Graff and
Betty Farber for secretary.
It's a battle of the sexes be-
tween Marilyn Gilbert and Jerry
Weissman for treasurer. March
21 is the day when votes come in.
All I can say is, let the better one
win.
• • •

THIS WEEK'S DRAW ... The
basketball game at Durfee be-
tween 9A's and 9B's; the elders
were victorious of course ... The
SHORTLY AFTER its founding, 9A's boasted Harold Kulish, Sam
the Montefiore Lodge purchased
burial grounds at Mack road and
LEO MICHELSON
Mt. Elliott in Hamtramck. This was the first time in the history of
the, Jewish community of Detroit that an organization other than
a synagogue purchased cemetery grounds for the interment of Its
members and their families.

• • •

In the 1880's, the lodge purchased Section E in Woodmere Ceme-
tery which it still owns. The remains of deceased members at the
ola cemetery were transferred to Woodmere.

Page Fifteen

Lewis, Bernard Schwartz, Chuck
Sachse, Harold Guttenburg, Ron-
nie Labe and Benjy Labe who
made 6 out of the 9A's 24 points...
For the 9B team there were Dick
Carson, Nort Flusty, Sammy Wei-
ner, Allen Chafetz and Walt Sa
peron who scored 6 out of the
team's 17 points . . . The gym
was crowded with kids not only
from Durfee but also from Cen-
tral and some from H. P.
• •
MANY CLUBS held open house
this week. Among them were the
Que-Tics, Chixs and Revels.
More clubs on parade . . . This
week, hats off to the Aces and
the Debs, two swell clubs with a
wonderful bunch of kids. They're
practically twin clubs since they
were organized around the same
time, seven months ago . . .
What's doing every week? ...
why plenty of course The officers
of the Aces, David George, pres-
ident, and Larry Freed, vice,
frequently get together with Ida
Steinman and Marilyn. Waxman,
president and vice president of
the Debs, to plan for joint club
meetings. Both groups have loads
of fun.
The Aces right now are trying
to get a sponsor for their base-
ball group. Any one interested in
lending a hand, please call TY.
5-1946. There still is a chance for
boys 15-16 to join this club at the
Jewish Community Center . . .
Victor Morros, Eddie and Leonard
Ziedman, Arnie Atler and Don
Gondal are members.
• • •
THE DEBS boast a swell bunch
of girls. Among them are Lois
Pearlman, secretary, and Harriet
Blavin, treasurer. Also there are
Idelle Graff, Maxine Woolf, Rita
Langdorf and Annete Margolis.

The teen-agers have real), been
taking seriously what they learned
in Brotherhood Week . . . by that
I'm thinking of the Aces who
have made a group of refugee
boys honorary members.

Ir

Faultless

Since 1919

"Uh, huh ,

We're sending all our cleaning
to FAULTLESS this Easter!"

A Phone Call v I II do It all.

• Curtains

• Lamp Shades

• Drapes

• Sults

• Slip Covers

• Dresses

• Bedspreads

• ()Touts

CURTAIN LAUNDRY
and DRY CLEANERS

4737 ELMHURST

HOGARTH 1010

What's Happy about a Hospital?

The minutes of the Montefiiore Lodge reveal that there was a
iendly relationship between the members of the lodge and the
lodges of other Jewish fraternal orders, such as Pisgah Lodge of
Pnai Brith and Nathan Lodge of the Order Kesher Shel Barzel (Iron
Knot).

fI

Special meetings of the three lodges were held to arrange funerals
of members, especially officers and trustees. A number of joint affairs
were also held, such as the one in 1892 when a joint celebration'was
held in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the discovery of
America.

• •

•

THE EARLIEST MINUTES of the Montefiore Lodge have, un-
fortunately, been lost and a list of presidents for the first 13 years
is not available. The following presidents headed the lodge since 1877,
some of them serving. several terms: Abraham Anspach, Louis E.
Rosenfield, Herman Krolik, J. H. Van Baalen, Moses Marx, George
Morris, Philip Weiss, Bernard Marx, Simon y Heavenrich, Ludwig
Kohn, Simon Cohen, Emanuel J. Cohen, Joseph Lichtenstein, Louis
Meyer, L. Blumberg, Sigmund Simon, Isidore Frank, J. Grabowsky,
Ben Marx. Also Cheri Mandelbaum, Edmund M .Sloman, Isaac Gra-
imwsky, Jacob Tobin, Benjamin D. Marx, Leo Michelson (at present,
the oldest member in Detroit from the standpoint of affiliation),
Arthur A. Gottesman, Max Michelson, Joseph Mellenoff, Carl C. Mey-
ers, Dr. S. B. Dante), James Kates, Albert Blitz, Bela Jacoby, Adolph
Goldberg, Maurice Merker, Sigmund Schor, Leo M. Brown, Saul M.
Lewis and Maxwell Emmer, the incumbent.

MONTEFIORE LODGE is at present a social and fraternal lodge
with a membership of 80 comprising both men and women. It still
maintains the insurance feature of its program. Montefiore Lodge
is the fourth oldest Jewish organization in Detroit.

A`rival to Montefiore Lodge was organized in Detroit in 1876,
, under the name of "Charity Lodge No. 14 of the Improved Order
Free Sons of Israel." The Articles of Incorporation were filed with
the County Clerk's Office Sept. 23, 1876, listing the following charter
members: Lewis Michaels, Elmyer Boertelse, Louis Hershman and
Simon Samter.
We have been unable to find any records about the lodge, except
the Articles of Incorporation mentioned above.

Parents' Failure to Give Their Son
Jewish Education Hit in Intermarriage

and gave her a child; today he haps that you forgot the biblical
changes his mind and sends her passage which reads: "And thou
out of his house. Oh no. Just be- shalt teach them diligently unto
cause she is a Christian? He thy children . . . "
Having made an error, are
knew that before, when he mar-
. you a big enough person to
vied her." . ..
it? And then to
Nathan then came into the acknowledge
make the best of the situation?
house, worried about his Gentile
the happiness of your
sister-in-law and the possibility So that
that she needed help. His mother, son and his wife (and eventually
their children) will not be mar-
favoring the breakup between her red. The hurt will be softened
other son and his wife, was angry in time, but the hurt in your
with Nathan. But Moshe Wolf ad-
ded, "There's nothing wrong in heart
remain.
The will
.adjusting
human being al-
what he is saying. Our sages
teach us to have pity on all God's ways faces life as it is, not as
he would like it to be . . . an
children.
she is,
she's
a
creature Whatever
of God—she
and
the adjustment to reality instead of
child." to a dream world. Have your cry,
admit your failure to your Maker
and make your peace with the
next generation.
FACE THE FACTS
You cannot change the fact
TIEING ANGRY with your (as others see it) that you have
" daughter-in-law, d oes not not done your share toward the
make you happier. It is merely a perpetuation of Jewishness through
defense reaction. You are really your child. Don't acid bitterness
angry with yourself that your in your children's lives to your
teachings were ineffective. Or per- failure.

• • •

Frankly, not much.

Not for a veteran who comes home to lie long months in pain.
Not even during those up-and-about weeks that seem like a
tedious lifetime.

Some things help, though. Things your Red Cross does.

Recreation, hobby fun, work with the hands—those help.

Advice on family problems and anxieties—that helps.

Assistance with claims for government benefits, pension adjustments,
job guidance, family aid—that helps.

The American Red Cross does it—with your help.

Give give all you can.

—

GIVE

so your

RED

+

CROSS can carry on!

DETROIT CHAPTER

-

THE AMERICAN RED CROSS

CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS, 153 EAST ELIZABETH STREET—CADILLAC 3900

