Beth El's History Recounted On Its 100th Anniversar

Congregation Has Record
Of Ceremonial Innovations

gregation adopted the use of the
• (Continued from Page 1)
Union Prayer Book published by
gave a free hand to the remain- the Central Conference.
ing members who, in 1862, voted
The long and distinguished
to introduce the following re- ministry of Dr. Leo M. Franklin,
forms:
an 1892 graduate of Hebrew
To replace the Minhag Ashknaz
(1)
('German ritual used in Orthodox Con- Union College, extended for
gregation) by the Minhag America (Amer- almost half a century. Dr`
ican reform ritual).
Franklin served as active Rabbi
(2) To retain organ music and a mixed
Choir as an integral part of the service. of Temple Beth El from 1899 to
(3) To introduce the three-year cycle 1941 and as Rabbi Emeritus from
of reading from Torah instead of the 1941 to the time of his death in
one-year Orthodox cycle.
1948.
(4) To abolish the honors of Aliyos
(calling up to the Torah).
In 1901, the Temple Bulletin
(5) To abolish the wearing of the Talis was published. At the end of
(prayer shawl) at services and the use of
that year, however, Dr. Franklin
Tachrichim (shrouds) for interments
(6) To permit congregants to worship became the editor of the "Jew-
without hats at services.
(7) To allow men and women to sit ish American," Detroit's first
together at services.
English-Jewish Weekly, and the
(8) To introduce the ceremony of Con-
firmation in addition to the Orthodox newspaper became the official
ceremony of Bar Mitzvah.
publication of Beth El until 1910
Dr. Isidor Kalisch, one of the when the Temple Bulletin re-
leading spirits of mthe Cleveland sumed publication, continuing to
Rabbinical Confefence in 1855, this day. In 1903 the Temple on
the first in America, one of the Woodward and Eliot, Beth El's
editors of the Minhag America third house of worship and the
Prayer Book, was the - first De- first to be built by the members,
troit Rabbi to preach English was dedicated. In the same year,
sermons. Rabbi Elias Eppstein Sunday morning services were
introduced late Friday evening introduced and continued until
services in 1867, upon occupancy 1936 when the were replaced by
by the Congregation of the the late Friday evening services.
Washington Avenue Templ e,
First Unassigned Seating
Beth El's second house of wor-
In 1903, Beth El was the pio-
ship on Washington Avenue
neer congregation in the coun-
(now Boulevard) and Clifford.
try to introduce democracy in
the synagogue by adopting the
Single Day Festival
Dr. Kaufmann Kohler, who unassigned seating system at
Was brought by Beth El from services throughout the year.
From 1907 to 1909, Dr. Frank-
Germany and in later years be-
Came the most powerful intel- lin served as president of He-
lectual force in Reform Judaism brew Union College Alumni As-
in America and who served as sociation and from 1919 to 1921
president of Hebrew Union Col- as president of Central Confer-
lege, abolished the observance of ence of American Rabbis.
In 1917, when Rabbi Samuel
the second day of the major fes-
tivals. Thus, in less• than a dec- Mayerberg came here as the
ade, since organ music and a first full-time assistant rabbi,
mixed choir were introduced at supplementary services on the
Beth El, the congregation trav- High Holy Days for non-members
eled nearly the whole gamut of were introduced. In 1920 the first
reform.
congregational Seder was spon-
On July 8, 1873, a delegation sored by the Temple. In 1921,
from Beth El attended the meet- Rabbi' Henry Berkowitz suc-
ing of 34 congregations in CM- ceeded Rabbi Mayerberg as As-
cinnati which organized the sistant Rabbi. In 1922, the pres-
Union of American Hebrew Con- ent edifice on Woodward and
Gladstone was dedicated. In
1925 an amendment to the by-
laws of the congregation was
adopted which provided that the
wife of a member automatically
becomes a member of the con-
gregation in her own right with
full membership privileges. This
led to the election of women on
the board of trustees of the
Temple. In that year, Rabbi Leon
Fram succeeded Rabbi Berkowitz
as director of religious education.
In 1930 the Congregation was re-
incorporated in perpetuity.

.

Convention Hosts

DR. DAVID HENRY

gregations, and on Sept. 28 of
that year Beth El became a
Union affiliate. Representatives
of Beth El also attended the
Cleveland convention of the
Union in 1874 when the estab-
lishment of the Hebrew Union
College-75 years old this month
---was endorsed for opening the
following year.

In 1941, Temple Beth El and
its Auxiliary organizations were
hosts to the 37th Council of . the
Union of American Hebrew C on-
gregations and the National Con-
ventions of the National Federa-
tion of Temple Sisterhoods, Na-
tional Federation of Temple
Brotherhoods, and National Fed-
eration of Temple Youth. At this
Council, the National Association
of Temple Secretaries was
founded by Irving I. Katz, ex-
ecutive secretary of Temple Beth
El, who served as first president
of the association. In the fall

of 1941 a group of meinbers or-
ganized Temple Israel, Detroit's
second Reform Temple.
In November 1941, Dr. B. Ben-
edict Glazer, Senior Associate
Rabbi of Temple Emanu-El in
New York, a 1926 graduate of
Hebrew Union College, succeeded
Dr. Franklin. Under the dynamic
spiritual leadership of Dr. Glazer,
the Temple has grown from 900
families in 1941 to 1600 families
in 1950 and is today the fourth
largest Jewish congregation in
the United States.

New Ceremonies Initiated
In 1942, a children's monthly
Sabbath morning service, a con-
secration service for confirmands
and their parents at the Sabbath
Eve service preceding Confirma-
tion, and an annual book review
course was instituted by Dr.
GlaZer. In the same year, Rabbi
Herschel Lymon was appointed
as minister of religious educa-
tion. In 1943, Dr. Glazer founded
the Annual Institute on Judaism
for the Christian clergy of the
city. In that year the congrega-
tion liquidated its mortgage in-
debtness. In 1945, a consecration
ceremony for newly enrolled
children in the Religious School
and a Chanukah Family Service
were introduced. In 1947 the
first American-Jewish Cavalcade
Service was held jointly with
Temple Israel. In August, 1947,
Rabbi Sidney Akselrad assumed
the post of assistant rabbi of
the Temple. To accommodate its
large membership, double ser-
vices on the evenings of Holy
Days were introduced in 1948.
That same year, Dr Glazer in-
augurated the Child Naming
Ceremony at the Sabbath morn-
ing services.
The following have served as
presidents of Beth El during the
past century:

Jacob Silberman, Joseph Newman, Isi-
dor Frankel, Morris Hirschman, Emanuel
Schloss, Simon Freedman, Sigmund Roths-
child, David J. Workum, Simon Heaven-
rich, Martin Butzel, Seligman Schloss,
Julius Robinson, Samuel Heavenrich,
Julius Freud, Louis Blitz, Justice Henry
M. Butzel, Bernard B. Selling, Benjamin
L. Lambert, Louis Welt, Bernard Gins-
burg, Isaac Gelbert, Adolph Finaterwald,
Milford Stern, Melville S. Welt, Israel
Himelho3h, Morris Garvett, Harry C.
Grossman, Joseph M. Welt, -Leonard T.
Lewis, Dr. Herbert I. Kallet and Nate S.
Shapero, the present incumbent.

Beth El Religious School

The School of Temple Beth El
dates back to 1850 when a "Ger-
man, Hebrew and English
School," an all-day school, was
opened where the children re-
ceived their secular as well as
Jewish education. With the de-
velopment of the public school
system in Detroit, the all-day
school was discontinued in 1869
and replaced by a congregation-
al religious school with sessions
on Saturday and Sunday morn-
ings and twice weekly after pub-
lic school hours. In the 1870's
it became a Sunday School. The
school, which now has an enroll-
ment of 900 children, is in
charge of Dr. Glazer, Rabbi Ak-
selrad, Mrs. Samuel Mendelsohn
faculty and student advisor;
Miss Rosalind Schubot, secre-
tary and a corps of 40 teachers.
The Young People's Club was
founded by Dr. Louis Grossmann
in 1886 as the Temple Alumni
Association and now numbers
200 members. Albert Colman is
president.
The Sisterhood founded by Dr.
Franklin in 1901 as the Women's
Auxiliary Association of Temple
Beth El, now has a membership
of 1300. Mrs. Adolph Sloman was

Emcee Gives Services to Bnai Brith

JACKIE KAN-
NON, master-
of - ceremonies
at Club Gay
Haven, return-
ed the check
for his services
to the Louis D.
Brandeis Lodge,
of Bnai Brith,
so that it may
be used to help
1881.
further the
Dr. Louis Grossmann was the
group's chari-
first Hebrew Union College grad-
table work.
uate to ocdupy the pulpit of Beth
Kannon was
El. In July, 1889, Temple Beth
the
star of the
El was host to the eleventh
recent Brandeis
council of the Union of Ameri-
fifth anniver-
can Hebrew Congregations. At
s a r y celebra-
this convention, • the Central
Conference of American Rabbis tion at Bel-Aire. From left, Kannon, BEN E. RICH, lodge pro-

Temple Library Founded

Dr. Henry Zirndorf, who was
brought' to Detroit from Ger-
many and in later years served
as professor of history and lit-
erature at Hebrew Union College,
established the Temple Library.
Beth El made its first contact
with the Hebrew - Union College
by engaging Israel Aaron, a stu-
dent of the first graduation
class of the College, to assist Dr.
Zirndorf at Holy Day Services of

.

was organized. In 1895, the con- gram chairman and MAX SOSIN, chairman of the affair,

the first president. Mrs. M.
George Wayburn is the current
president.
The Men's Club, fouhded by
Dr. Franklin in 1919, now has a
membership of 750. Walter S.
Heavenrich was the first presi-
dent, Walter D. Schmier is the
current president.
Scout activities began in
Temple Beth El in 1910, the year
in which the National Boy Scout
Movement was inaugurated.

Although he has been,7,.; re'
dent of Detroit for only nine
years, Dr. Glazer's influence and
leadership has been felt through-
out the community. He was re-
cently cited as one of the seven
leading citizens of Detroit. He
serves on the boards of the lead-
ing civic, educational and phil-
anthropic institutions of the city.

-Patriotic Record

Beginning with the Civil War,
the members of Beth El have a
notable record of participation
in home-front efforts and in ac-
tive service. On Nov. 7, 1861, dur-
ing the Civil War, Beth El was
represented at the organization
meeting of the Ladies' Aid So-
ciety which shortly thereafter
became known as the "Soldiers'
Aid Society," the first in the
United States. A number of Beth
El members saw active service
during the Civil War. On April
19, 1865, Dr. Kalish conducted a
memorial service for President
Lincoln in the Rivard Street
Synagogue, the first memorial
service for a non-Jew held in a
synagogue in Detroit.
There is a record of eight Beth
El members who participated in
the Spanish-American War.
Two hundred and seven mem-
bers and sons of Beth El mem-
bers saw active service during
World War I and four made the
supreme sacrifice.
Five hundred and eighteen
members and sons and daught-
ers of members were in active
service during World War II and
10 made the supreme sacrifice.

.

RABBI SIDNEY AKSELRAD

Beth El's Boy Scout Troop No.
76, chartered in 1918, is the old-
est Jewish Troop in Michigan.
Girl Scout Troop No. 28 also
meets at the Temple.
Formal adult study classes on
Jewish subjects were inaugur-
ated by Dr. Louis Grossmann. In
1925, Beth El College of Jewish
Studies was opened and con-
tinues to this day.
A literary club, Polemiat for
general adult education was or-
ganized '.by Rabbi Eppstein in
1867. Rabbi Grossmann was the
founder of the Emerson Circle,
a itociety for the promotion of
culture. Dr. Franklin inaugurat-
ed a Temple Forum Course in
1904. Dr. B. Ben.edict Glazer in-
troduced the Annual Book Re-
view Course and Child Guidance
course.

Beth El and Jewry

The Rabbis and the leaders of
Temple Beth El were responsi-
ble for the founding of the fol-
lowing organizations and insti-
tutions in the city:

Bikur Cholim (sick visiting) Society,
1851; Pisgah Lodge No. 34, Bnai Brith,
1857; Ladies' Society for Support of He-
brew Widows and Orphans in Michigan,
1863, which functioned until the late
1920's; Gentlemen's Hebrew Relief Society,
1869, Detroit's first centralized Jewish
was
philanthropic organization which
sponsored jointly with Congregation
Shaarey Zedek. The name of this Society
was later changed to Beth El Hebrew
Relief Society. In the 30 years of its ex-
istence this Relief Society dispensed almost
$100,000 in charity. Hebrew Ladies' Sew-
ing Society, 1882: Self Help Circle, 1889;
Women's Club •of Temple Beth El, 1891,
which later became the "Jewish Women's
Club of Detroit" and in 1925 the "Detroit
Section of the National Council of Jewish
Women"; United Jewish Charities, 1889,
out of which sprang the Jewish Welfare
Federation in 1926.

In addition to the two daugh-
er Congregations of Beth El
(Sha.arey Zedek and Temple Is-
rael), the following Reform Con-
gregations in Michigan were or-
ganized by Beth El: Temple Beth
El of Flint, Temple Beth El of
Port Huron, Temple Beth Jacob
of Pontiac, Temple Beth El of
Lansing, Temple Beth El of Sag-
inaw.

Beth El and the Community
In 1882, Dr. Zirndorf preached
for the first time from the pul-
pit of the Church of our Father
and since that year there has
been a continuous interchange
of pulpits between Beth El's rab-
bis and Christian ministers.
Rabbi Zirndorf was the first
rabbi to speak before civic and
educational groups. Dr. Gross-
mann was regarded as - the
spokesman of the Jews of De-
troit before the general assem-
bly. Dr. Franklin took part in
every social, civic or philan-
thropic movement in Detroit. He
was honored for his work by be-
ing awarded an honorary Doc-
tor of Laws degree by the Uni-
versity of Detroit, an honorary
Doctor of Laws degree by Wayne
University, a "citation for dis-
tinguished living" by the Detroit
Round Table of Catholics, .Jews
and Protestants, and by being
elected three times as president
of the Detroit Public Library. He
established the Citizen's Inter-
denominational T h a nksgiving
Service in 1902.

Beth El's History on
WWJ and WWJ-TV

The history of Temple Beth
El will be reviewed simul-
taneously over Radio Station
WWJ and Television Station
WWJ-TV, in a 15-minute
program, from 7 to 7:15 p.m.,
on Monday, March 20.
George W. Stark, Detroit
historian, will interview Dr.
B. Benedict Glazer during this
broadcast. Music will be Pro-
vided by the Temple Choir.
Historic Beth El pictures
gathered by Irving Katz, the
Temple's executive secretary,
will be shown during the tele
vision program.

The Temple and - its auxiliary
organizations sold a total of
$11,000,000 in bonds during the
war loan drives, the highest of
any congregation in America.
The Sisterhood Red Cross Unit
was, as in World War I, the
largest and-most active congre-
gational unit in the city.

Music Department

In the early years of its his-
tory the rabbi of Beth El also
officiated as cantor, without
choral or musical accompani-
ment. When organ music and a
mixed choir were introduced in
1861, Abraham J. Franklin be-
came the first voluntary music
director, a position which he fill-
ed for 25 years. The first or-
ganist of - the Temple was Her-
man Bishop, music director of
the Harmonie Society. The post
of music director and organist
is now held by Jason H. Tick-
ton.

Beth El Cemeteries

On Jan. 1, 1851, a few months
after its organization, Terriple
Beth El purchased half an acre
of land adjoining Elmwood cem-
etery as a burial ground for $150.
of which half was paid in cash
and the other half secured on a
mortgage by notes payable with
interest in six and 12 months re-
spectively. This first Jewish
Cemetery in Detroit was known
as the Champlain Street Ceme-
tery. Still owned and maintain-
ed by the Temple, it now is
known as the Lafayette Street
Cemetery. In 1873, Temple
Beth El made arrangements
with Woodmere Cemetery for the
exclusive use of Section North F.
In 1915, Section Beth El in
Woodmere Cemetery was added
for the use of the congregation.
In 1939, the 40-acre Beth El
Memorial Park, on West Six Mile
Road between Inkster and Mid-
dlebelt, was opened. Karl B. Se-
gall is managing director.

24

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THE JEWISH NEWS

Friday, March 17, 1950

