Page Twelve
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
Friday, November 14, 1947
History of Pisgah Lodge
(Continued from Page 11)
time honored boast that "Jewry
takes care of its own."
• • •
MUTUAL AID WORK
IN ITS EARLY years, Pisgah
Lodge like all other Bnai Brith
lodges combined mutual aid
benefits with fraternal features.
There was a sick benefit fund
for members and their families
as well as a fund for the sup-
port of widows and orphans of
deceased members.
Another important feature was
an endowment insurance plan.
Lode revenues in this era were
devoted exclusively to concrete
aid. One half of the annual
dues went to the sick and dis-
These members of Pisgah Lodge served as President of District Grand Lodge No. 6: (left to
tressed after deducting the barest
General Chairman
right) the late Adolph Freund, 1883-84; the late Bernard Ginsburg, 1898-99; and Aaron
administrative expense; the re-
Droock, 1939-40. Harry Yudkoff, 1945-46, was also District President. His photograph appears
maining half to a Widow and
on column one of this page.
Orphan Fund.
The initiation of members took it then was a part.
Memorial Hospital was founded
On May 2, 1946, Bnai Brith
place with elaborate ceremonies
• • •
at Hot Springs, Ark.
Community Center, the home of
and regalia of three degrees and IN NEW DISTRICT
At the beginning of the twen- Pisgah Lodge on Ferry avenue
members were strictly oath-
IN 1868, District Grand Lodge
bound to secrecy. Today there No. 6 was established and Pis- tieth century a concerted effort was opened. It was the first
is but one initiatory degree gah was included in the new was made to interest all shades lodge in the District to have its
which is given with open doors, district. The organization of of Jewry in joining Pisgah own building. It soon became the
all secrecy having been elim- District Grand Lodge No. 6 was Lodge. Several meetings and center of social, cultural and
drives with this object as the philanthropic activities.
inated.
prompted by the expansion of goal were instituted. A "re-
One of the highlights of this
It is interesting to note that Bnai Brith in the West.
vival meeting" was called in era was the organization of a
the early ritual, passwords and
Pisgah has contributed out- 1902 to encourage younger men
mottoes of Bnai Brith were
70 piece Bnai Brith Symphony
drawn fro m o either German r standing leadership to the dis- to join. It was addressed by Orchestra under the direction of
trict
with
four
of
its
members
Sigmund Livingston and Maurice Dr. Mark Gunzburg.
Hebrew so urces. The degrees
were based upon Jewish histori- having the honor of serving as Houseman of - District Grand
During this period of activity
president:
"Dad
d
y"
Adolph
Lodge No. 6. This meeting was Pisgah Lodge had the distinc-
cal occurenc es.
Freund,
1883-1884;
Bernard
Gins-
successful and a definite up- tion of being the largest lodge
The early titles which can be
seen on the illustration of the burg, 1898-1899; Aaron Droock, tiirn in membership was noted. in the world. In this golden
• • •
Charter of Pisgah Lodge which 1939-1940 and Harry Yudkoff,
era, Julius Deutelbaum set a
1945-1946. These four also DROP INSURANCE
is reproduced in this issue are
new record for service to the
served as president of Pisgah
ABOUT THIS TIME, the mu- lodge, serving as president for
Grand Sar (Grand Master), Lodge.
tual aid and insurance benefit
Grand Maz kir (Grand Secre-
HARRY YUDKOFF
Pisgah Lodge marched down program of Bnai Brith was three successive terms and, two
tary), Gran d Zkenim (Grand
years later, being called upon
Past President of District Elders—the highest ruling body), through the years with Bnai abandoned, as have been all ma- to serve a fourth, term. The
Brith in assisting in the estab- terial aid.
Grand Lodge and of Pisgah all drawn f rom- Jewish lore.
lodge was host to the annual
lishment of the Cleveland Or-
Lodge; general chairman, 90th
In 1908 Pisgah Lodge was convention of District Grand
• • •
phan
Home
in
1868
(now
known
Anniversary Committee.
host to the fortieth annual con-
FIND FRIENDSHIP
as Bellefaire) which was spon- vention of District Grand Lodge Lodge No. 6 in July 1927.
• • •
BNAI BRITH and its lodges sored jointly by District Grand No.
6.
social efforts became apparent. including Pisgah grew with in-
SPONSOR
AZA
UNITS
Lodge
No.
2
and
No.
6.
and when an opportunity was creased Jewish immigration and
At this meeting it was pro-
In 1877, a second Bnai Brith posed that a
PISGAII
LODGE
formed and
presented to organize a lodge
new standing com-
Lodge was organized in Detroit, mittee be created to combat sponsored the first two AZA
of Bnai Brith with its broader and•extension of frontiers.
The immigrant might peddle known as Peninsular Lodge No. anti-Semitism in the United Chapters in the city which were
principles and wider scope, Pis-
his way through life, or toil 272. The competition of two States. The plan was accepted housed in the Bnai Brith Com-
gah Lodge had its inception.
with his hands, or engage in Bnai Brith lodges in a small
munity Center. The boys had
In selecting a name for the retail trade; once a week, how- community prompted Pisgah and out of it grew the present the advantage of all the facil-
League, which
lodge the founders chose PIS- ever, he forgot that he was a Lodge to reorganize and strength- Anti-Defamation
ities of the building making good
was founded in 1913.
GAH, which is the mountain stranger in a land , he did not en its forces.
use of the large auditorium, the
Pisgah
Lodge
joined
with
Bnai
Moses climbed to view the prom- understand and that did not un-
History records that a few Brith in futhering the youth gymnasium, the library, the
ised land as recorded in the derstand him.
years later Peninsular Lodge movement with the inception lounges and the many other club
Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter
In addition to his Synagogue, was merged with Pisgah Lodge of Hillel Foundation in 1925 room features.
91, Verse 1: "And Moses went he went weekly to his lodge chiefly through the efforts of and the AZA in 1924.
A Ladies Auxiliary of Pisgah
up to the plains of Moab unto meeting where social relations Daddy Adolph Freund, and Ber-
T h e movement to attract Lodge was organized in 1922
the Mount of Nebo, on the tap among members were encour- nard Ginsburg, a leader of Pen-
younger men into Pisgah Lodge and received its charter from
of Pisgah, that is before Jericho; aged and distinctions along insular Lodge.
gained momentum shortly be- the Supreme Lodge in 1923. This
• • •
and the Lord showed him all economic lines were opposed.
fore World War I, but the out- auxiliary. In that year a char-
the land from Gl'ad unto Dan."
For a good number of years HELP IMMIGRANTS
break
of hostilities interfered male members of the household
The pillars of Jewish religious the proceedings of the lodge
DURING THE 1880's, Pisgah with this plan. Many members of Pisgah, functioned up to 1929
communal
life
in
Detroit
were carried on in German. Lodge continued its philan-
and
when it went out of existence.
appear as the petitioners and English replaced German as the thropic and communal activities enlisted in the armed forces and
the lodge joined in the war ef-
In 1933 a concerted effort was
charter members of Pisgah official language of the lodge at and embarked upon
a program fort as the local unit of the made to organize a new ladies
Lodge. This historic document the insistence of the younger of assistance to the impoverished
American Soldier's and Sailors' auxiliary. In that years a char-
which bears the date of Nov. members.
Jewish immigrants from East- Welfare League of Bnai Brith ter was granted to Pisgah Aux-
Pisgah Lodge though young in ern Europe who came to these which was later merged with iliary No. 122. In 1942, by action
24, 1857, lists the following:
Jacob Silberman, Marcus Cohen. years assumed its burden and shores in great numbers.
of the Supreme Lodge the aux-
the Jewish Welfare Board.
Louis Benfy, Herman Freedman, did yoeman service during the
• • •
The Constitutional G r and
iliaries were encouraged to
Samuel Sykes, Simon Heaven. Civil War. President Lincoln Lodge convention in 1895 pledged REBUILDING GOES ON
change their designation and the
rich, Emanuel Schloss, Seligman officially recognized the efforts permanent support to the Na-
FROM THE CLOSE OF World group is now officially known
Schloss, Louis Bressler, S. of Bnai Brith in the war be- tional Jewish Hospital at Den-
as Pisgah Women of Bnai Brith
Schwab, A. Hart, Morris Hersh- tween the North and the South. ver, Colo., and again Pisgah War I to 1924, Pisgah Lodge No. 122.
passed through a period of re-
man and M. E. Fechheimer.
In July 1864, Pisgah Lodge was Lodge joined in the support as construction and rehabilitation.
From an original membership
host to the annual convention it did early in the twentieth In 1924 work was commenced of 42, Pisgah Women had grown
of District Lodge No. 2, of which century when the Leo N. Levi on a
to the largest Women's Bnai
community building.
SIGNED BY RABBI WISE
Brith group.
THE CHARTER was signed
• • •
by Isaac M. Wise, founder of
ELECTION CHANGES
Reform Judaism in America, as
DURING THE DEPRESSION
president of District Grand
of 1929 the Bnai Brith Com-
Lodge No. 2. The charter was
munity Center was closed and
countersigned by Julius Bien,
the activities of the lodge were
president of the Constitution
somewhat curtailed as were
Grand Lodge of Bnai Brith. Al-
those of other institutions.
though the charter does not list
As economic conditions im-
the name of Dr. Liebman Ad-
proved so did the progress of
ler, Rabbi of Temple Beth El
Pisgah Lodge. With increased
from 1854 to 1861, the records
activity and a rise in member-
disclose that he was one of the
ship the by laws were revised,
prime movers for the formation
and commencing with July 1,
of a Bnai Brith Lodge in the
1937 the presidents of the lodge
city.
were
elected for a period of one
Jacob Silberman was elected
year instead of six months.
the first president of Pisgah
With the assistance of Pisgah
Lodge and also served as presi-
Lodge and the demitting of some
dent of Temple Beth El from
of its members, Louis Marshall
its inception in 1850 to 185'L
Lodge No. 1203 was created in
As progenitors of some of our
March, 1935; Detroit Lodge No.
contemporary prominent families
1374, June 9, 1939; Theodore
these thirteen stalwarts sensed
Herzl Lodge No. 1377, June 22,
1 the obligation of handing down
1939; and East Side Lodge No.
to posterity the tenets of the
1465, March 15, 1941.
Photo by Jack Maoman
world's most altruistic and ideal-
Pisgah Lodge was also active
Above are the officers of Pisgah. Sitting, left to right, Herbert Eskin, Victor Bloomfield, Meyer
istic fraternity, which in its mul-
in the organization of a govern-
H.
Leib,
Morris
Shatzen.
Standing,
left
to
right,
Elias
titude of activities was destined
Goldberg, Henry M. Abramovitz, Meyer
ing body to coordinate the ac-
Lebowitz, Max H. Goldhoff, Alfred H. Bounin, Bernard Friedgood, Harry Yudkoff, Louis Wasser-
to lay the foundation for the
tivities of lodges in the city and
man, Aaron Droock.
(Continued on Page 14)
lodge were so closely allied that
the sole difference lay in their
immediate aims pnd purposes
Both were reverently religious
and devoted to everything con-
cerning Judaism. The members
of the congregation felt the need
of an organization that would
give help and support not only
to members of the comm u nity,
but also to the newcomer and
stranger.
• • •
BIBLICAL NAME
THE NEED to supplement the
congregation with charitable and
1
0
f.
p
a
e
v
tf
a
ci
bt
Sc
nt
rc
fe
w
gt
U
at
ca
• • •
Present Officers of Pisgah Lodge
ut
ne
in
ad
BO
Br
ur
Br
ye
cal
Its
its
of
cat
set
lib
pa,
do
ex'
of
An
the
ant
irn]