looking back
In 1919, the Jewish Women’s Club opened a residence for working Jewish women, usually in their 20s, at 89 Rowena St. in Detroit. These young women
typically were working in secretarial or teaching positions. The residence also served as a clubhouse and center for social and educational activities. Sixty-
five clubs used the building. Recognizing the growing need for social and educational activities, the Jewish Women’s Club closed the residence and
organized the Young Women’s Hebrew Association (YWHA) in 1921. Dues were $1 a year.
Preparing for a club show are Rae Aaronson, Anna Aaronson, Sadie Berstein, Mamie Plotnick, Rose Levin, Sadie Garfinkle and Anna Sachs.
Date unknown. From Jewish Historical Society of Michigan, featured in Michigan Jewish History 2016. •
Historic photos on this page are curated by the Jewish Historical Society of Michigan.
From the DJN
Davidson Digital Archive
MIKE SMITH
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
FOUNDATION ARCHIVIST
F
ootball season is just about over, and soon it will be
time for those of us who like Detroit sports to turn our
focus either to basketball or hockey … until baseball
arrives in the spring.
This made me wonder: How many Jews are playing in the
National Hockey League, are there any Jewish members of the
Red Wings, and does the Detroit Jewish community follow
the team? So I did a bit of research into the Davidson Digital
Archive and other sources.
First, it appears at least five Jewish professional hockey
players play in the NHL in 2017, but there are no Jewish Red
Wings. However, I found a story in the Feb. 9, 2006, issue of
62
January 12 • 2017
jn
the JN on Red Wing Mathieu Schneider. He was with Detroit
for only a few years, but had a long career and is generally
considered the top-scoring Jewish player in NHL history.
In the June 23, 1995, issue of the JN, there is a very interest-
ing article, “Shlugging Octopi,” about whether the Detroit
tradition of throwing octopi onto the ice during playoff games
violates Jewish law. Another story in the June 13, 1997, issue
of the JN is about the love that Russian Jews had for the Red
Wings, since the team featured several of their countrymen at
that time.
So, Jewish Detroit does indeed like its hockey. Maybe we’ll
see Josh Nodler, the 15-year-old hockey player featured in the
JN two weeks ago, on the Red Wings in the future? •
Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation archives,
available for free at www.djnfoundation.org.