Israel School
For 'Cowboys'

Detroit's' Old-Timers'

By GUS D. NEWMAN

Acting President, Jewish Home for Aged

When "old-timers" of Detroit's Jewish community get together,1 whose guiding spirit and understanding played such a prominer
the Hannah Schloss Memorial Building is mentioned as a nostal- I role in Detroit Jewish life, Harry K. Mendelsohn, Dave Jalan, Mey
er Epstein, Reuben Weiner, Meyer Waterstone, Louis Woolman
gic reminder of days gone by.
By BEN JOSEPH
From the time the building was opened in 1903 on old High Dave Friedman were among its members. And there were othE
(Copyright, 1954, JT/Je, Inc. ,
Street, now Vernor Highway, until 1920, the "old Hannah Schloss" clubs: the Adriatics, the Institutes, the Strauss Club and th e
. The nearest settlement is Rosh was more thanes just a building, it was an integral part of corn- Junior Tri-Squares which was composed of Benny P. Waterston
Pma. Just a year ago, you might munity life among Detroit's Jewish population. Persons of all ages Max Salasnick, Sidney W. Forman, Abe Messenger and Hy Sega'
have walked for miles without from Gratiot to the Boulevard, from Woodward to Hastings and among others.
Edward Bernstein and Sol E. Gordon organized a Boy Scot
seeing a human being. If the
Troop—Troop 23. Today, the Troop's alumni association sponsors
land seemed desolate with the
Boy Scout group using the same number. Ely Robinson, Elias Avi i
neglect of"tenturies, it was not
son, Sam Segel, Al Klunover, Yale Levin, Herman Uday and D i
without a grim grandeur with
Daniel E. Cohn were participants in the original Troop.
the mountains towering above
Memory plays tricks on all of us, but certain names of boys (
Kinneret nearby.
those days who participated in the active club life keep coming t
It is a great place to shut out
mind, among them: Joe Freedman, Sam Bush, Cy Rosenthal, Isi
the world, as the Order of the
dore Freedman, Abe Davis, Fred Goldman and Alex Melick. Thei
Franciscans must have thought
were numerous others who were just as active and I would we
when many years ago they es-
come being reminded of them, for someday the community az
tablished a monastery in the
chives should include the complete roster.
vicinity. If you encountered any-
The girls, too, had their clubs and many still recall the Ka-
one at all in the area, it would
dima Girls, the Bloomer Girls and the Girl Scouts, to mention
be a member of this Order.
just a few. Today's Jewish Community Center is a natural out-
Now, a school to train Israeli
growth of these and similar educational NO recreational ac-
"cowboys" has been establish-
ed here. The school has a
tivities.
large campus-24,000 dunams.
Served a Multiple Purpose
If you wish to call it a stock
farm, instead of a campus,
GUS D. NEWMAN
But it was notftor youth alone that the programs of the Han
LATE FRED M. BUTZEL
there is no objection either.
nah Schloss existed:. There were classes in English, stenographi
East,
came
to
the
building
to
meet
friends,
to
learn
and
to
have
The "student body" is as yet
American history, art and music. Mothers' clubs offered divers'
a good time. Here many distinguished citizens of today had some fled activities for married women, just as they do now at t
small. There is no desire to
of their earliest and most rewarding social experiences.
rush things. The aim at pres-
Jewish Community Center. Liter, in the 1920's, Miss Mary Capl
ent is to lay a solid founda-
As a structure, it was the home of the United Jewish Chari- helped enlarge these programs and she is still the much respect
ties, Detroit Jewry's first central organization for charitable and 1 ■ supervisor of the present-day activities. When the jazz craze he
tion. Not only must cattle be
educational work. Seligman Schloss provided funds for the build- i sway, dances were scheduled at the building. And, there were mo
produced. With Israel bond
funds, cattle are being brought ing and it was named the Hannah Schloss Memorial Building inl I services and basic programs which were offered at the Hanna
memory of his wife. The UJC committees and groups had been ' 1 Schloss
from various countries.
'
All of this is part of a long- meeting in temporary and inadequate quarters after the organi-1
In the matter of health and hygiene, the building contain
range scheme to develop the zation was founded in 1899. The expanding services of the UJC, I practically the only bathing facilities for miles around and ea
meat supply of Israel. Israel has and the community's response to these services made it imperative week Jewish families reserved the facilities for the entire hour
made remarkable strides in that new, permanent quarters be established. Further, such things ; hold. The charge was nominal—ten cents supplied towels and so
agriculture. Vegetable production as the lack of bath tubs in Jewish homes, the desire for the vo- for the entire family. There was also a medical clinic, first hea
has kept pace with the popula- rational distribution of Jewish boys into handicraft coupled with ed by Dr. Louis J. Hirschman and then by Dr. Hugo A. Freun
tion increase, more than doubl- the lack of manual training classes, and the absence o gymna- later succeeded by Dr. Max Ballin. Eventually this medical ser
ice was to become North End Clinic. Dr. David J. Levy conduct
ing during the past five years. slum facilities made the need for a community building acute.
' a weekly clinic for well babies.
The production of citrus fruit The Development of Leadership
is at an all-time high. The pro-
Many facets of our present day social service programs have
The Hebrew Free Loan Association operated from the build
duction of wheat has been in- sprung from the Charities and the Hannah Schloss Building. But, ing and "fresh air" activities began there, later to blossom int
creased by 50 percent; fish whatever type of symbol the building has become to those who a full program embracing both Fresh Air Camp and, more re
were then in their early years, it will remain Tiostalgically as a cently, Camp Tamarack. The Detroit branch of the Industri
production has doubled.
But meat is scarce and high homey place, and as a cultural and recreational haven. It was, in Removal Bureau which encouraged and aided emigration awes
priced. The one hopeful fact fact, a community centeefor a largely immigrant group and their from New York had its headquarters at the Hannah Schloss.
about the meat situation is the children which, through its services, came to know and appreciate
There were moments of extreme urgency too. Still recalled
disappearance of the pessimis- both Judaism and America.
the depression period following World War I when many we
It
was
there
that
the
boys
organized
their
own
clubs
and
.
tic attitude.
without shelter. The building management in an effort to he
It is interesting that the elected their own leadership. They planned their own programs alleviate this situation closed the gymnasium in the Ginsb
change in attitude about the and dealt directly with the building management for both their
an Memorial and transformed it into a dormitory for homeless me
prospects for meat is principally rights and their responsibilities, with adults serving only in
These were some of the events that "old-timers" recall, th
had their hub at the "old Hannah Schloss," and that gave the
due to two non-Jewish sources. advisory capacity. It was, indeed, the Jewish community's early
answer to juvenile delinquency.
a focal point of activity in the general community.
The story begins with a Texas
There are names they recall too, persons who advised
In 1908, five years after the building'was opened, the Ginsburg
cowboy, a half-Indian, Jess
(Tex) Slade. During World War Memorial, thanks to a benefaction by Bernard Ginsburg, was add- counselled, infused enthusiasm and offered a guiding hand.
ed and the clubs enjoyed extensive facilities. There were enlarged
They recall Homer Lane, a teacher who supervised the onl
II, "Tex" Slade served in the
club rooms and a well equipped gymnasium. Club activities in- 1 manual training classes offered. for boys on the east side o
U.S. Air Force. At the end of
eluded picnics, literary exercises, football, baseball, and above all, ! Detroit. While not Jewish, Lane became a revered name in th
World War II, Tex arrived one
the beloved game- of basketball. Membership among the clubs
day in his ten gallon hat on
Jewish community. Later he was to become - the first superin
ranged from boys of 11 through 17 and for every club, no matter
the Palestine scene. The Is-
•
of the Ford Republic. •
what the age group, there was a basketball team. I tendent
raelis were fighting seven
The old-timers remember Blanche J. Hart; the first super;
Keidan,
Jacob
Mazer,
Henry
A.
I
A.
In
the
YMHA
'group,
Hy
0
countries and "Tex" wanted
Mazer, Albert A. Forman, Sol 'Gordon, Samuel Raskin, William tendent of the building destined to remain with the organizatio
"to help the underdog."
Jacob, the Nathan brothers and Alex Goldman were active mem- alor a score of years. They remember her extremely warm perso
"Tex" became something of a hers. ity and devotion to her work which helped make the buildin
character in Israel and people
- The Tri-Square Club was composed of older boys and inchid- a real center.
And they speak with reverence of Fred Butzel, whose rol
began to - listen as he expbund- ed Nate S. Shapero, Isadore' Levine, Nathaniel H. Goldstick, Simp-
•
ed his ideas about cattle ranges. son Rosenberg, Lou Miller, Sam Levinson, Aubrey Gittleman, Ezra ranged from combined membership-leadership in the Tri-Squar
The. Israel government was im- Levine, Abe Srere, Morse Goldman, Dr. Hilliard Goldstick, Abner A. Club to Presidency of the United Jewish Charities, and whose d
pressed and "Tex" even accepted Wolf, Harry Winston, Dr. Samuel Eder, Mike Victor, Daniel Lewis, was always open to the young, the old, to all those needing assis
a job to implement the ideas he Sam Gordon, Louis Rosenzweig, Dave Block, Nate Perlmutter, Ellis ance. Also playing an important role as leaders were men li
urged. But "Tex" finally couldn't Warren and this writer.
Henry Wineman, Julian H. Krolik, Joseph M. Welt, Judge Willis
Friedman, Irving Hirschman and Dr. Leo M. Franklin..
resist the nostalgia to return
The Homer T. Lane Club was named for the manual train-
The building, the people—all were part of the mold whic
home. He missed "especially the
helped shape the lives of Detroit's Jewish citizens and which s
saloons on Saturday night" as ing instructor at the , building and on its membership rolls were
Abe Levin, Max Friedman, Morris Robinson, Nate Robinson,
the pattern of their work and leadership in their striving to ma
he put it. One day, "Tex" dis-
our community an ever better place to live in. A dozen different so
appeared as suddenly as he had Harry Goldman, Hy Goldman, Sol Goldman, Sam Jacob, Punxsy
cial agencies and countless hundreds—perhaps thousands—of ou
arrived, but not before he had Gerson, Aarbn Satovsky, Herman Bush and Alex Werbe.
become something of a legend
The George Washington Club, later to become known as the standing Jewish citizens of today bear the proud imprint of ear
and not before the idea he had Washington Progressive Club, was' organized by Fred M: Butzel association with this pioneer institution.
sown took firm hold. It is a fact
that Sdeh Boker, the Negev set-
By RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX
tlement which has come into
(Copyright, 1954, JTA, Inc.)
such prominence because it has
become the home of the retired
• recital of this Psalm would tem ,
first Prime Minister of Israel,
Generally, this is done so that rabbi is called upon to an- i
Why is it customary to keep
David Ben-Gurion, was estab-
nounce
the
notes
since
in
his
to
convert the God of - Judgment
lished by a few of those who had the shofar covered when not the one who blows the shofar mind the meaning and signifi- I to the God of mercy. The rabbi;
using
it
during
the
High
Holi-
should not mistake the sequence
listened to the words of Jess
are fond of mentioning an Olc
day New Year's service?
of the notes and thus blOw the cance .is supposed to be abso-
"Tex" Slade.
Even during the course of the
Midrash which depicts the LoN
Then another Americ an service the shofar is hidden from wrong one by mistake. Since lutely clear.
. Why is the forty-seventh first sitting on the throne oi
"clinched" the idea. This time it sight. The reason usually ad- the series of blasts do follow a
was not a man with a ten-gallon vanced for this is associated specific pattern it is necessary Psalm recited before the sho- Judgement and then being con
hat. It was an American cattle with the scene of the binding to keep to the pattern, and thus far is blown?
vinced through his passionat
erpert. Alvin Malone from Bill- of Isaac on Mount Moriah. each sound is announced. before
A number of reasons are of- tenderness for his people tc
ings, Montana.
When Abraham was building so that both the blower 'and the fered for this custom and choice switch to the thrOne of mercy
What was hindering the pro- the altar upon which he was congregation are fully aware of of • this particular Psalm. First, Since the: shofar is 'a token o
duction of cattle was the lack preparing to sacrifice his son the next note—especially the this Psalm includes t h e verse the awakening of the mercy (34
of grass. Malone noticed a wild Isaac, the Midrash relates, he blower since he 'cannot keep "God is gone up amidst shout- the Lord this Psalm would. IN
grass growing on the mountains kept Isaac hidden until the time track with the prayer book, hav- ing. the Lord amidst the sound liturgy pronounces hint
of the shofar. "Hence this Psalm
here and there. It was the com- he was ready to sacrifice him, ing the shofar in his hands.
It is also claimed by the Yali
mon belief that cattle would not so that nothing would happen
The - task of announcing the is one which contains mention
relish this grass. It was Malone to render the sacrifice or the blasts is given to the rabbi or of the shofar. The Psalm speaks kut that this Psalm was said .fa'
who showed that it made an altar unfit. Since the blowing of the most learned in the con- of God being King over all the King David after he regainet i
ideal grazing food. The American the shofar on Rosh Hashanah gregation in absence of the rab- earth, which is one of the reas- Jerusalem - from the hands
cattle expert estimates that Is- commemorates the binding of bi, because of the necessity of ons for blowing the shofar and the Jesubites and he sang this' i
rael has a land area of two and Isaac upon the altar, it indicates keeping in mind the exact pur- announcing, the Kingdom of the Psalm as he realized that thel
a half million dunams suitable the readiness of the Jew to sac- pose and meaning of the shofar Almighty like the trumpets of Lord would be: "king over all the
for grazing. It can produce 40,- rifice his dearest possession if blowing. In the prayer books man would announce the arriv- earth;" as our Rosh Hashanah
liturgy repeatedly pronounced
there are many mystical nota- al of a mortal king.
000,000 pounds of meat yearly, the Almighty requests it.
'
* * *
Some sources contend that the him.
tions having to do with angels
1
enough for all.
Why are the individual notes that are inserted alongside the reason is because the name
It is a not a task that can. be
done overnight, but progress is of the shofar announced first shofar notes. An ordinary indi- "Elokim" which denotes the God
being made. The "cowboy school" by the rabbi of the synagogue vidual might become confused of Judgement is mentioned in 88—DETROIT JEWISH NEM,
Friday, September 24, 1954
with these words and thus the the Psalm seven times. And this
before each one is blown?
is one such step.

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Rosh Hashanah Quiz