JEWISH COMMUNITY: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 01:06, 19 August 2008

To tell the story of Temple Beth El, one has to turn the clock all the way back to 1857, the year that Dubuque’s first Jewish resident (arrival 1833) formed an informal worship community with several other recent entrants to the city. (In Judaism, while a community is best served by a spiritual leader who is learned in Torah, ritual and liturgy, services do not need to be conducted by a priest. Instead, a quorum of ten adults is required to fulfill the obligation of prayer, and any member can conduct lifecycle events and services.)

Alexander Levi

By 1867, with new Jewish arrivals from the East, the group had coalesced into a bonafide congregation with 20 member families, a paid Rabbi and Chazzan, or singer of the liturgy; a paid schochet, the person who slaughtered meat in a ritually proper or kosher way; and a religious school where twenty-five children received instruction in Hebrew and German. By the 1880s, with the support of Alexander Levi, the congregation had grown; had a name, B’nei Jeshrun (Children of God); served 100 member families; and met in a rented hall on 5th and Locust STREETS. In 1890, Bnei Jeshrun had changed its name to B’nei Abraham (Children of Abraham). A second congregation, Knesses Israel (gathering or assembly of Israel), had opened on 15th and Elm possibly to serve recent arrivals from Poland, Russia and Lithuania whose liturgy and culture differed from earlier French and German settlers. A third group Kehilla (literally “community”) appeared for a time and may have been a fraternal organization or a separate prayer quorum or minyan. The Jewish community was firmly established; local newspapers regularly ran stories about Jewish holiday services, celebrations and other temple events.

In 1901, Kenesses Israel had 125 families and was meeting on 10th and Washington. Around that time, the Hebrew Ladies Benevolent Society provided funds for the congregation to buy a lot and 2-story house on Maple between 17th and 18th, which they remodeled into a synagogue. The congregation – forerunner of Temple Beth El - lasted another 35 years; until the DUBUQUE PACKING COMPANY bought the property and, shortly after, demolished the building.

Certificate of membership in B'nai B'rith

The current Temple Beth El (Children of God) was funded largely by B’nai B’rith Dubuque Lodge 1029 (B’nai B’rith, meaning Children of the Covenant, the oldest continuously operating Jewish service organization in the world. It was started in 1843 and chartered in Dubuque in 1927)

The temple – serving 85 member families - was dedicated in 1939; at a time when Hitler was storming Europe and anti-Semitism was being espoused here in the U.S. by people like Henry Ford and Father Charles Coughlin.

Dubuque and its citizens, however, embraced the congregation. The laying of the cornerstone was an ecumenical affair attended by Jews and non-Jews. Synagogue President, Louis Rotman laid the cornerstone. B’nai B’rith President, Meyer Zuckerman chaired the program and the speakers were Rabbi Monroe Leavens of Des Moines, District Court Judge P.J. Nelson, a Catholic; and Rev. William E. Brehm of the First Congregational Church now FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST of Dubuque.

Today's Temple Beth El is a small, but vibrant worship community whose families hail from within a 90-mile radius and represent an age span from 6 months to 94. Some members have lived in the region nearly all their lives and have connections back to the temple's earliest days. Others were raised elsewhere, came to the region for school or work, and settled down to build lives within the Temple Beth El family. The congregation has welcomed some recent additions, as several young people have moved to the area to begin careers.

Temple Beth El members represent teachers, professionals, leaders of businesses and organizations, and students. The congregation has a strong social justice mission, and many members are active volunteers for area charities and nonprofits. Temple Beth El provides an opportunity to strengthen Jewish identity and deepen respect for Jewish ritual and tradition through the celebration of lifecycle events and the observation of Jewish holidays. The temple also provides opportunities for members to live by Jewish values as they help to build and shape Dubuque and the region, much like their Jewish predecessors who founded the Jewish community in the mid 19th century.

In 2008 Temple Beth El was served by Rabbi Stephanie Alexander, the first Rabbi in nearly fifty years. (Entry kindly submitted by Karen Pritikin)

Other prominent Dubuque residents of the Jewish faith have included Benjamin M. SAMUELS, Abraham SLIMMER, and HERZBERGER, Magda.

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-JEWISH COMMUNITY. Religious group.  Jewish settlers to Dubuque generally immigrated to this area from Poland, Germany, and Russia.  Many settled between 14th and 17th [[STREETS]] along Elm, Pine and Maple.  In 1840 an estimated fifteen Jewish families lived in Dubuque. An informal worship community was established. According to the faith, a community is best served by a spiritual leader who is learned in the Torah, ritual and liturgy. Services do not need to be conducted by a priest. Instead a quorum of ten adults is required to fulfill the obligation of prayer, and any member can conduct lifecycle events and services.
+To tell the story of Temple Beth El, one has to turn the clock all the way back to 1857, the year that Dubuque’s first Jewish resident (arrival 1833) formed an informal worship community with several other recent entrants to the city.  (In Judaism, while a community is best served by a spiritual leader who is learned in Torah, ritual and liturgy, services do not need to be conducted by a priest. Instead, a quorum of ten adults is required to fulfill the obligation of  prayer, and any member can conduct lifecycle events and services.)
-[[Image:levi.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Alexander Levi]]Meeting first in private homes with services provided by visiting rabbis, the Jewish residents of Dubuque led by [[LEVI, Alexander|Alexander LEVI]] waited until 1856 to organize into a congregation known as B'nei Jeshrun (Children of God).  This group of one hundred member families met at 5th and Locust streets in a rented hall.
+[[Image:levi.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Alexander Levi]]By 1867, with new Jewish arrivals from the East, the group had coalesced into a bonafide congregation with 20 member families, a paid Rabbi and Chazzan, or singer of the liturgy; a paid schochet, the person who slaughtered meat in a ritually proper or kosher way; and a religious school where twenty-five children received instruction in Hebrew  and German.  By the 1880s, with the support of Alexander Levi,  the congregation had grown; had a name,  B’nei Jeshrun (Children of God); served 100 member families; and met in a rented hall on 5th and Locust [[STREETS]].  In 1890, Bnei Jeshrun had changed its name to B’nei Abraham (Children of Abraham). A second congregation,  Knesses Israel  (gathering or assembly of Israel), had opened on 15th and Elm possibly to serve recent arrivals from Poland, Russia and Lithuania whose liturgy and culture differed from earlier French and German settlers.  A third group Kehilla (literally “community”) appeared for a time and may have been a fraternal organization or a separate prayer quorum or minyan. The Jewish community was firmly established; local newspapers regularly ran stories about Jewish holiday services, celebrations and other temple events.
+In 1901, Kenesses Israel had 125 families and was meeting on 10th and Washington.  Around that time, the Hebrew Ladies Benevolent Society provided funds for the congregation to buy a lot and 2-story house on Maple between 17th and 18th, which they remodeled into a synagogue. The  congregation – forerunner of Temple Beth El  -  lasted another 35 years; until the [[DUBUQUE PACKING COMPANY]]  bought the property and, shortly after, demolished the building.
+[[Image:certificate.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Certificate of membership in B'nai B'rith]]The current Temple Beth El (Children of God) was funded largely by B’nai B’rith Dubuque Lodge 1029 (B’nai B’rith, meaning Children of the Covenant, the oldest continuously operating Jewish service organization in the world. It was started in 1843 and chartered in Dubuque in 1927)
-By 1867 with new Jewish arrivals from the East, the group had become a bonafide congregation with twenty member families, a paid Rabbi and Chazzan, or singer of the liturgy; a paid schochet, the person who slaughtered meat in a ritually proper or "kosher" way; and a religious school where twenty-five children received instruction in Hebrew and German.
+The temple – serving 85 member families - was dedicated in 1939; at a time when Hitler was storming Europe and  anti-Semitism was being espoused here in the U.S. by people like Henry Ford and Father Charles Coughlin.
-In October 1884, Jewish residents of the Fifth Ward founded the Hebrew Benevolent Society. Like similar [[BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES]] of its day, the organization was established to aid needy members.  In 1897, according the news articles of the day, a "Hebraic organization" was formed in the city.  The population of Jewish residents increased to an estimated one hundred by 1900, but declined to fifty by 1950.
+Dubuque and its citizens, however, embraced the congregation. The laying of the cornerstone was an ecumenical affair attended by Jews and non-Jews. Synagogue President, Louis Rotman laid the cornerstone. B’nai B’rith President, Meyer Zuckerman chaired the program and the speakers were Rabbi Monroe Leavens of Des Moines, District Court Judge P.J. Nelson, a Catholic; and Rev. William E. Brehm of the First Congregational Church now [[FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST]] of Dubuque.
+Today's Temple Beth El is a small, but vibrant worship community whose families hail from within a 90-mile radius and represent an age span from 6 months to 94.  Some members have lived in the region nearly all their lives and have connections back to the temple's earliest days.  Others were raised elsewhere, came to the region for school or work, and settled down to build lives within the Temple Beth El family.  The congregation has welcomed some recent additions, as several young people have moved to the area to begin careers.
+Temple Beth El members represent teachers, professionals, leaders of businesses and organizations, and students. The congregation has a strong social justice mission, and many members are active volunteers for area charities and nonprofits. Temple Beth El provides an opportunity to strengthen Jewish identity and deepen respect for Jewish ritual and tradition through the celebration of lifecycle events and the observation of Jewish holidays.  The temple also provides opportunities for members to live by Jewish values as they help to build and shape Dubuque and the region, much like their Jewish predecessors who founded the Jewish community in the mid 19th century.
-In 1890 B'nei Jesrun had changed its name to B'nei Abraham (Children of Abraham) and a second congregation, Knesses Israel (Gathering or Assembly of Israel) had opened on 15th and Elm. A third group Kehilla (Community) appeared for a time and may have been a fraternal organization or a separate prayer quorum or ''minyan''.
+In 2008 Temple Beth El was served by Rabbi Stephanie Alexander, the first Rabbi in nearly fifty years. (Entry kindly submitted by Karen Pritikin)
-In 1901 Knesses Israel had 125 families and was meeting on 10th and Washington. Members of this group founded the Jewish Ladies Aid Society, This group, renamed the Sisterhood of Beth El in 1947, provided funds for the congregation to buy a lot and two-story house on Maple between 17th and 18th streets.  The congregation--forerunner of Temple Beth El--lasted another thirty-five years until the [[DUBUQUE PACKING COMPANY]] bought the property and demolished the building.
-A Talmud Tar, Hebrew school, was opened in a building at the corner of White and Eleventh streets in October 1900.  The school only gave religious instruction, and classes were held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.  The following month, the Hebrew Independent Political Club was established with 150 charter members.  Officers of the organization included Louis Motulsky, president; J. Blumenthal, secretary; G. Blumenthal, treasurer; and L. Conigsky and I. Manhoff, trustees.  The announcement for the club stated that the organization would take an active role in elections and encourage the members to vote as a bloc.
-Articles of incorporation were filed for the Dubuque Protective Club in December 1902. The purposes of the organization were stated as social and intellectual improvement of the membership and holding religious meetings.
-In February 1928. a Hadassah chapter was organized in Dubuque.  Local officers included Mrs. Louis Rotman, chairman; Mrs. Myer Goodman, secretary; Mrs. Charles Pochter, assistant secretary; Mrs. Louis Belsky, cultural chairperson; and Mrs. Freda Paul, visiting chaperson.  With the specific goal of health work in Palestine, Hadassah chapters in the United Staes had already accomplished the maintenance of five modern hospitals, forty rural stations, sixteen infant stations, and a tuberculosis sanatorium. At the time the Dubuque chapter was formed, the organization had broadened its involvement into providing pre-natal and post-natal care, school lunches, eye and teeth treatment, and general public education in hygiene.
-The current Temple Beth El(Children of God) was funded largely by B'nai B'rith Dubuque Lodge 1029. B'nai B'rith (Children of the Covenant) is the oldest continuously operating Jewish service organization in the world. It was started in 1843 and chartered in Dubuque in 1927.  The temple--serving 85 member families--was dedicated in 1939 at a time when Hitler was storming Europe and anti-Semitism was being voiced here in the United States by people like Henry Ford and Father Charles Coughlin.  Dubuque and its citizens, however, encouraged the congregation and the laying of the cornerstone was an ecumenical occasion. The synagogue, an achievement of B'nai B'rith, was built in November 1939.  Louis Rotman, president of the Congregation Beth El, presided at the ceremonies.  Rev. Charles Carriel, pastor of [[WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH]], represented the Protestant churches of Dubuque while Herbert J. Hoffmann represented Dubuque's Catholics.
-In 2008 Temple Beth El was a small but vibrant worship community whose families came from within a ninety-mile radius of the city. The members represented teachers, professionals, leaders of businesses and organizations, and students.  The congregation had a strong social justice mission, and many members were active volunteers for area charities and nonprofits.  Temple Beth El provided an opportunity to strengthen Jewish identity and deepen respect for Jewish ritual and tradition through the celebration of life cycle events and the observation of Jewish holidays. The temple also provided opportunities for members to live by Jewish values as they helped to build and shape Dubuque and the region, much like their Jewish predecessors who founded the Jewish community in the mid-19th century.
-In 2008 Temple Beth El was served by Rabbi Stephanie Alexander, the first Rabbi in nearly fifty years.
 Other prominent Dubuque residents of the Jewish faith have included [[SAMUELS, Benjamin M.|Benjamin M. SAMUELS]], [[SLIMMER, Abraham|Abraham SLIMMER]], and [[HERZBERGER, Magda]].

JEWISH COMMUNITY: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 01:06, 19 August 2008

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