A/Her/Cam 'wish Periodical Carter
HISTORY OF JEWS
IN IRVING
MICHIGAN
I. KATZ
By
Article 77
Detroit's Early Philanthropic
Organizations
BETH EL HEBREW RELIEF SOCIETY
PHILANTHROPY is as old as the Jewish people. If,
perhaps, Jews imitated their neighbors to some extent in re-
.spect to mutual aid, in matters philanthropic they had little to
learn from anyone. For centuries every Jew had felt himself
responsible for every other Jew, while the Jewish community
as a whole had invariably undertaken to protect the weak, the
disabled and the unemployed.
Early Jewish philanthropy in
Detroit centered in the Syna-
gogue. The first constitution of
'Temple Beth El (April 21, 1851)
provided that "on application
for charitable purposes, the
president shall have a right to
grant a sum not exceeding five
dollars." For the disbursement
of large sums, the president had
to consult with the board of
trustees. A similar arrangement
was no doubt the rule at the
other Detroit Synagogues.
The alms distributed by Syna-
gogue authorities were undoubt-
edly supplemented by private
philanthropy, which remains un-
recorded.
• • •
J
Friday, September 26, 1947 .
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
Page Sixteen
EWISH
Specific Hints
on Study Habits
(Continued from Page 3)
slowly—while getting acquainted.
Study with another student
who can help you. Of course,
when studying together, both
will study and not talk or fool
around. It is always best to
select a student at least as
capable as yourself. Then criti-
cize . each other , and test each
other. This competition is good
for you.
• • •
ACCURACY FIRST
IN EVERY LEARNING process,
MAURICE H. SOBELL..59, of
1940 Lincolnshire avenue, died
Sept. 19. Services were at the
Lewis Bros. Chapel. Surviving
are his wife, Frances; sot*
Henry and Frank; and sisters,
Ida Sobell and Mrs. Sarah Mai'
of New York City. Mr. SobeIl-•
was an active worker at the
Fresh Air Camp, Brighton, Mich.,
and a member of the Probus
Club and the Masonic Order.
.
Obituaries
JOSEPH MIKOFSKY, of 2626
Pasadena avenue, died Sept. 17.
Services were at the Ira Kauf-
man Chapel. Surviving are his
wife, Minnie, son, Bernard of
Kent, O.; daughters, Mrs. Allen
Charlip and Mrs. Hyman Horen-
stein; and one sister.
MARY BECKER, of 3750 Stur-
tevant avenue and formerly of
Windsor, died Sept. 19. Services
were at the Ira Kaufman Cha-
pel. She leave two daughters,
Mrs. Louis Tatken and Mrs. Al-
bert Kaplan; her mother, Mrs.
Herman Benstein; and brother,
Etsel Benstein of Toronto.
HENRIETTA MILLER, 78, of
2475 Calvert avenue, died Sept.
21. Services were at the Lewis
Bros. Chapel. She leaves her
children, Louis R., Charles 'A.,
Mrs. Harry D. Baum and Mrs.
Harry G., Morris, and a sister.
strive at first for accuracy.
IDA WINBERG, 59. of OA
FRANK WOLFSON, 55, of
Speed comes later. Always re-
member that learning is not 3353 Boston boulevard, died Glendale avenue, died Sept. %A.
even. Everybody learns slowly Sept. 17. Surviving are his wife, Services were at the Lewis Bro.,.
at first, then faster, then less fast Wilma; daughters, Mrs. Norman Chapel. Survivors are her hus-
or not at all and then fast again. Strager and Mrs. Norman Gold; band, Simon; sisters, Mrs. Lil-
This has been proved by many four sisters and one brother. lian Pizer, Mrs. Milton Barack
and Mrs. Benjamin Rich: and
Burl was in Pittsburgh.
psychological tests.
brothers, Herman, Samuel and
More can be learned by
Dr. Martin Z. Feldstein.
many, short practice periods
BENJAMIN ELKIN, 58, died
than by one or two long ses- Sept. 10. Services were at the
sions. You must rest (or change Hebrew Benevolent Society. He
LEAH WERBE, 84, of 35 Owen
the subject) in between prac- is survived by his wife, Lena; avenue, died Sept. 20. Services
tice. Set your goal - of practice son, Sol; daughters, Mrs. Walter at the Lewis Bros. Chapel. Sur-
at high ability.
Farber and Mrs. Joseph Utche- vivors are her daughters, Isa-
As you improve and when yoo nik; and sisters, Mrs. A. Gold- belle, Eva and Mrs. Saul Rothen-
do, you can use shortcuts. If stein and Mrs. I. Kazin of berg; son, Alex; and brothers,
David and Raub Adel.
you keep a time record of your Bridgeport, Conn.
progress, you will provide an
incentive by competing with
Three types of cases are clear-
yourself.
ly discernable in the records.
Don't ever try to reach a stage
DAVID J. WORKUM
One of these is the local poor
of perfection, if perfection is
Jew who, because of incapacity or misfortune, needed the aid of not warranted by • the job at
his fellow Jews. The second type is the immigrant who, often
hand.
penniless on his arrival, had to be helped until he established
himself. The third type is the transient, who remained in Detroit
until he was sent to some other town.
Letters to the Editor
Synagogue philanthropy was not limited to the distribution
(Continued from Page 4)
of money. Poor people received other formti of aid as well.
These were chiefly free seats in the Synagogue, matzoth before cock? Whoever it -was. all these
the Passover holidays, wood during winter, free burial, and, to signers knew that when they
The equivalent of a $2500-a-year civilian position ..
some extent, free medical aid and loans free of interest.
turned terrorists and turned to
•
• •
travel . . . education . . . adventure. All these are
"revolution" they were advanc-
FROM 1850 TO the end of 1869, the philanthropic work of ing the cause of Independence.
yours—right out of high school—when you join the
'Temple Beth El was carried on by the president and the board
Yet, they did not hesitate!
Regular Army.
of trustees. In December 1869 the work of charity dispensation They understood what Jewish
Sounds good, doesn't it? Your food, clothes, hous-
was delegated by Beth El to a special organization—the Beth El terrorists understand—that a
Hebrew Relief Society—which was organized "for the purpose of certain amount of physical force
ing, medical and dental care, a liberal retirement plan
relieving all deserving Jewish applicants, who may be considered and violence is one of the his-
—all are provided free. You get $75 a month as a pri-
by its officers to be worthy of the Society's bounty."
toric requirements for the build-
vate, and that's just the beginning. You'll move along
The president was charged, among other things, with the ing of a nation.
fast if you've got what it takes to win promotion.
duty of "visiting the sick and indigent, inquire into their wants,
Jews from a political view-
and may relieve the same in any sum not exceeding Ten Dollars,
You'll get a kick out of Army life. And above all,
point
are
no
different
from
and draw his order on the treasurer for the same. If in his
you'll enjoy that deep satisfaction that comes from
opinion more is required, he shall consult his board of officers." others. If they want a Jewish
knowing you're doing one of the world's most important
Membership dues in the Society was set as a minimum of $5.00 homeland and independence—
Jews must fight for it with bloat . ;
per annum.
jobs. Your nearest U. S.
and
bullets.
Will
they
succeed?
•
•
•
Army and Air Force
CAREERS WITH A FUTURE
Who knows? Only time will
CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK soon joined the Beth
tell;
but
Jews
must
gamble
with
Recruiting
Station
has
El Hebrew Relief Society and until the middle of the 1880's
U. S. Army and
philanthropy was centralized in the Beth El Hebrew Relief Society. fate and destiny—and pray for
all the details.
Shortly after the arrival of Dr. Louis Grossman as Rabbi of divine help—like Franklin and
U. S. Air Force
Temple Beth El, a dispute arose which led to the formation by Hancock and our revolutionary
forefathers
did.
And
I
do
hope
members of Shaarey Zedek of an independent society, the Jewish
21 CADILLAC SQUARE
Relief So&iety, which operated along the lines of the Beth El and fervently pray, these ter-
rorists will fight on!
Hebrew Relief Society.
In 1899 the Beth El Hebrew Relief Society took the initiative,
SOLI BLUMROSEN.
through Dr. Leo M. Franklin, to amalgamate the Jewish charities
in Detroit, and in November of that yeat the United Jewish
Charities came into existence, with the Beth El Hebrew Relief
Society, the Jewish Relief Society and several others becoming
part of it.
• •
•
THE BETH EL HEBREW RELIEF SOCIETY was one of the
major Jewish philanthropic organizations during the 30 years of
its existence, dispensing during that time almost $100,000 in
charity, a huge sum considering the small Jewish population of
Detroit before the turn of the present century.
The presidents of the Society were David J. Workum, Emil
S. Heineman, Simon Heavenrich, Selig Schloss and Martin •Butzel.
Can you find a job
to beat this one?
Jewish Strength
in 3 Sanctuaries
(Continued from Page 3)
contracted, never lost its sensi-
tivity . . .
• • •
THE THIRD SILENT sanctu-
ary of Jewish living was the
Jewish home . . . In the home
the link with Israel was forged.
In the home the foundations of
loyalty and understanding were
laid.
In the home the history of
Israel became merged with the
biography of the family as the
past was reenacted through the
pageantry of the festivals. He
must repair the sanctuary of the
home.
A well known legal axiom has
it that "cases are won in chamb-
ers." The case for Jewish sur-
vival and beyond that, for sig-
nificant living was won in the
private chambers of the Jewish
mind and heart and home. Let
us go forth and build these tran-
quil temples, these sanctuaries of
the spirit. From these fortresses
a faith and fidelity shall come
our strength.
-O.,
A NEW LABEL
Aral l(44
'71gede sees
SUPREME
Quaff
SUPREME
Bicur Cholem to Ratify
Constitution at Meeting
61";41.4411
A meeting of the Young Wo-
men's Bicur Cholem Organiza-
tion will take place at 1:30 p.m.
SUPREME
eit 604
_Monday in the home of Mrs.
Harry Brown, 20197 Warrington
drive. Purpose of the session is
to ratify the group's constitution.