Friday, May 9, 1947
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle
•
HISTORY OF JEWS
IN MICHIGAN
`Woman of Valor',
Tribute to Mother
becoming wise In the
problems we'll all have to face
est and
Teen-Age
Sophisticates
(Continued from Page 3)
By IRVING I. KATZ
ARTICLE 61
Detroit's Early Orthodox
Congregations
IN PREVIOUS ARTICLES we dealt with the history of Congrega-
tion Beth El of Detroit, Michigan's first Jewish congregation, organ-
Ned in 1850 and now the leading reform Temple in the state, and
Congregation Shaarey Zedek organized in 1861 at the time Michigan's
leading conservative synagogue. In the next three articles we will
present the history of five orthodox congregations of Detroit which
were organized before 1900.
• • •
BNAI ISRAEL
Detroit's third oldest Jewish
congregation is Congregation Bnai
Israel (originally ''Benei Isroil")
incorporated June 19, 1871. The
articles of association list the fol-
lowing charter members: Isaac
Levy, Kalman Freeman, Mendel
Rosenthal, Jacob Burnstine, Jacob
Brownstine, Mendel Starsky and
Isaac Adelson.
The first officers were: Isaac
Levy, president; Jacob Burnstine,
treasurer, and Kalman Freeman,
secretary. The first trustees were:
Solomon Minzer, Jacob Brown-
stine, Mendel Starsky, Harris Co-
hen and Jacob Burnstine.
Services were first conducted in
a rented house and later in
Funke's Hall on Macomb street.
About 1878 the congregation built
Its first Synagogue on Macomb
street, between St. Antoine and
RABBI JUDAII L LEVIN
Beaubien, at a cost of about $10,000.
About 1894 the congregation moved to its second home at 55-59
Mullet street, between Hastings and St Antoine, remaining there
until 1914. The congregation then moved to its third Synagogue at
578 Ferry street east, between St. Antoine and Beaubien, worshiping
in that location until 1933 when it moved to its present site at 13101
Linwood avenue.
•
•
THE FOLLOWING SERVED as presidents of Bnai Israel: Isaac
Levy, David W. Simons, Louis Goldsmith, Susel Goldstick, M. Meis-
ter, Morris Shvarzansky, P. S. Applebaum, Zell Goldsmith and J.
Lesser, the incumbent. The following served as rabbis of the con-
gregation (list incomplete): Rabbi Isaac M. Weinstein, Rabbi Jacob
A Epstein, Rabbi Judah L. Levin and Rabb Fine.
The first cemetery of Bnai Israel was on Williams avenue. At
present Bnai Israel inters its dead in the Machpelah Cemetery.
When Rabbi Judah L. Levin came to Detroit in 1897, Bnai Israel
became a constituent congregatioh of the United Hebrew Orthodox
Congregations of Detroit (comprising congregations Beth Jacob, Beth
Abraham, Shaarey Zedek and Bnai Israel) of which Rabbi Levin
was the rabbi.
In 1939 Bnai Israel became a constituent of the Michigan Syna-
gogue Conference, the state's organization of orthodox congregations.
Enal Israel has at present over 100 members. The congregation does
not have a permanent rabbi.
*
•
BNAI JACOB
CONGREGATION BNAI JACOB was organized Nov. 28, 1875. (This
sionally there was a family picnic
at Belle Isle, the wagon being
loaded (the buggy was too small)
with a hot tzimes, a cold barrel
of beer and cold schave and the
trimmings.
Sarah's cooking was substantial
but monotonous. The result is
that her children to this day shun
sponge cake, chicken soup with
farfel and boiled chicken. Yet
the three-foot, poppy-seeded white
twist she baked for the major
holidays . . . golden brown with
egg yolk, light in weight, was not
only delicious but lent dignity to
the festival.
• • •
HONORED HER RELIGION
SHE TOOK PLEASURE in her
s '
God and in the observance of
her religion. The store was always
closed at sundown Friday and re-
mained closed until Saturday eve-
ning. Every Sabbath was so cele-
brated, during her 40-odd years in
this country . . .
"A woman of worth who can
find, for her price is far above
rubies;
"Her children rise up and call
her blessed; her husband also . .
"Give her of the fruit of her
hands and let her works pralse
her in the gates."—Proverbs, 31.
• • •
Dr. Goldberg is pleased with
the many verbal comments of
JEWISH CHRONICLE readers on
his recent columns, "Red Whisk-
ers," "Pesach on Adelaide Street,"
and "The Plasterer Objects to
Purim."
Esther Jacobs (Mrs. Joseph
Grabow, 1672 Glynn Court) recalls
the Rebbe's "milcheke lokshen."
Bessie Brenner (Mrs. H. E. Rafel-
son, 2159 Harding, says she felt
"home again." Ben Sidlow, 2500
Glynn Court, liked the story of
Purim. George Sternberg, now of
Bay City, mentioned the wooden
boards used on the sink and tables
for Passover.
This series will be continued.
Please send to the editor or to
Dr. Goldberg, 1314 Eaton Tower,
other incidents to Jewish life in
Detroit. Help is especially wasted
from those who attended the
Cheder when the Rebbe was in
his prime. Credit will be given
if you send in your name and
address, with your items.
Social Affair Planned
by Detroit Adult Club
Julie Green has been elected
president of the Mezeritcher So-
cial Club.
Others elected were Norman
Davison, vice-president; Mrs. Til-
lie Rosen, treasurer; Mrs. Lena
Miller, recording secretary; Mrs.
B. Fealk, financial secretary; Mrs.
Rose Stevens, corresponding sec-
retary; Mrs. Ann Gutterman, ser-
geant-at-arms; and Sam Gutter-
man and Moe Miller7 trustees.
Chosen to the board of direc-
tors were Dr. A. Wolfe, Philip
Stevens and Max Sosin.
Single men and women, ages
25 to 40, are invited by the De-
troit Adult Club to a social eve-
ning at 8:30 p. m. Sunday in the
Jewish Community Center.
Dancing and entertainment will
be highlights. For information call
MA. 8400.
Serving
Greater
Rev. Yehudah Loewy
0144E4
i et
DA. 2696
•
Rev. Cantor
DAVID GOLDEN
Detroit's Favorite 51011EL
TYler 6A9490
Wedding Ceremonies
Performed at Home and by
Appointment
•
Plenty's up these weeks and
loads more to come . . . Let's
start right in . . . The Jays at
Central are planning a wienie roast
soon. Some of the members are
Phil Solomon, president; Jack
Stahl, vice president; Harry Gor-
don, secretary; Seymour Mintz,
treasurer; Ben Labe and Sandy
Schiff.
Another Central girls club, the
Ki-Alpha-Tis sorority. The officers
are Sara Kogan, president; Doris
Lester, vice president; Beatrice
White, secretary; and Roslyn
Kantor, treasurer . . The others
are Martha Meister, Norma Ri-
brat, Charlotte Baugs and Estelle
Dash .. . These girls have many
open meetings which prove to be
a lot of fun .. .
•
ALL•YOU SMOOTHIES must've
heard of Harve Bennet Fisch-
man. In case you haven't, he's
that gorgeous "Van Johnson" type
of a fellow who graduated from
the famous "Quiz Kids" program
last year. Harve has his own
daily column in the Chicago
Times and ,also a radio column of
the air on the coast to coast
broadcast of Junior Junction on
ABC.
Well, your reporter had a
chance to keep up with Harve
through the mails and in his last
letter, he sent 'along a couple of
paragraphs for us Jewish Teen-
Age rs
"Dear fellows and gals: In this
postwar world of ours, the teen-
agers of America have become,
more than ever, a vital part of
our way of life. It used to be Joe
College who monopolized head-
lines and activities in a rising
new generation. But today, it is
the high school crowd which sets
the pace in fad, fashion and for-
tune hunting.
"We must take up the respon-
__ 4
a ,,,,,
JervIcs itAv otoolinf
.--
-..--14
ignify
CARPETS.:
CLEANED IN YOUR
, OWN HOME
Rev. Cantor
Jacob
Silverman
••■•■•
•■••
SURGICAL
N1011E1,
25 Years'
Practice
Wildemere
TY. 4.0062
The Well Known Rev.
Hyman Schulsinger
pas.
/..
•■■•
.111/••
411010
PO.
/OW
,Rugs and
Carpets
, Cl ean l y
LEADER
ao
ff
(013 ,
re' can an
e cautilui
4
of Cong. Beth Tefilo
Emanuel
379 Kenilworth TO 8-3889
VIG3(11;39C3001043434CKWOC3C300043
Capable
and
Specialized
MONUMENTS
e"--Tv
MOHEL
Marriages also
Performed
Services in English
and Yiddish
1934 Hazelwood TY 6.6960
■•■
TY. 11-8400
eitder
!CARPET CLEANINM )
•■•■ •••••• ■ •••••••• ■■ ••=eoeme.emovse.......
Oran/le and Marble Monuments
11738 DEXTER BLVD.
re a..211)1
Between Webb and Tuxedo
7729 TWELFTH ST.
0410.51mi
•
QUALITY MEATS — ALWAYS FRESH
LA SALLE
Aaron B. Margolis
Window Shade Co.
KOSHER MEAT i POULTRY MARKET
WINDOW SHADES
MADE TO ORDER
Maned
end Repaired
LINOLEUM
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TYUR 7-4320
lirtoirruitE
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9419 DEXTER BOULEVARD
of Edlson
DETROIT 6, MICH.
"We write to movie stars and
ball players. Many of us carry on
correspondence on a large scale.
So if something gripes you, write
to the newspapers and your leg-
islators, make yourself heard.
"We can do a lot for everyone
if we use our pens and brains to
think things out. We can cut
places for ourselves in the jig
saw puzzle of life we'll be enter-
ing as adults."
Let's try to follow some of that
advice, kids . . .
• • •
ROME COMING EVENTS . . .
The Aces are having a wienie
roast, so is the Demolay Mosaic
Chapter.. . . The Demolays are also
having a hay ride in Canada, on
May 17 . . .
More Demolay news . . . Satur-
day is the day for that bang-up
dance at the Masonic Temple.
Some of the Durfee fellows and
their dates will be Jerry Weisman
with Barbara Budson, Mery Man-
ning with Corky Lunenfleld, Bob
Gans and Sandra Blottner, Jack
Levy with Lorreta Winick, Stan
Delidow and Joanie Lewis, Jerry
Varon and Lizzy Baum, Ben Labe
with Mickey Cohen, Dave Lippit
and Helen Schiff, Don Silver and
Flo Grossberg, Sheldon Otis with
Maxine Margolin, Bernard Otis
with Dot Shapiro, Seymour Co-
hen with Diane Katz, and Jerry
Gurvis with Sharon Weisberg.
•
JUNIOR CONGREGATION of
Shaarey Zedek: Chuck Kramer,
the president, tells us that Edith
Weiss, Chairman of the Social
Committee, has planned a wienie
roast for the board of directors,
Juniors that •is, on May 17 . . .
A "Bring Your Friends Sabbath"
is being planned for the near fu-
ture .. . Why not go down some
Saturday, morning around 10 and
attend a Junior Service? Maybe
you will want to join . . .
sibility of being an important
part of society, by taking inter-
. 011.•••
Certified MOHEL
Recommended by world famous
Beth Israel Hospital of N.Y.C.
and leading Medical and
Religious authorities.
By HELEN TENNENBAUM
TN THE MIDDLE OF MAY .. .
in a few short years.
Recommended by
Physicians and
Hospitals
•
RA KAUFMAN
Detroit
I.
HIGHEST PRICES PAID
For Used Furniture
BUY-RITE FURNITURE
2238 Michigan
CA. 8750-8813
is not the same Congregation Snit! Jacob which is located now at
I
Richton and Linwood avenues.)
On Dec. 1, 1875, the founders met at a residence on Mullet street 3(30(30063i5i3C3(30(30(WW(313i3A3b
and elected the following trustees: Samuel Gerber, Maier Jacobson,
Mendel Rosenfield, Lyman Goldberg, Barney Weinberg and Jacob 4 RECEPTACLES
Braunstein.
r Garbage, Ash end Rubbish
Reinforced, concrete. f111 17
We have been unable to find any records of this congregation,
• Guaranteed. Priced Med-
other than the articles of association.
Mezeritcher Elects
Julie Green President
faun Dater...
VENETIAN BLINDS
Drapery Hardcare
Better Quarters—Better Service
To Customers
MOVED TO
8642 LINWOOD AVE.
CALL TYLER 3.1230
01■•■•■ •.......11. 41, 11■•■ •••••• ■ 11 •
CUSTOM BUILT LAMPS
%aces, urns, flasks, candle sticks, figurines, statuary,
and other keel-lashes concerted Into artl.tIc table
lamps. Oil Mime, electrified.
lamps Modernised, Repaired lamp Shades Made
end Refini.hed
and Refinished
(111 style floor lamps mad., Ityled to year lamp.
into indlrect end torchlere. Large clock always
Lamps refinished and replaced.
on display.
HOUSE OF LAMPS
16841 Livernois Ave., Vs Block South of Six Mile
Phone UN. 2-53511
Open' until g p.m. Mon. Wed 8 Fri. Even.