New-York tribune., 1909-06-14
JEWS LIN CELEBRATION
FIRTH ABRAHAM JUBILEE
Weeks Session Begins at Hippo
drome-Mr. Taft Sends Regrets.

The Order Birth Abraham, through the grand
lodge of the United States, in convention at the
Hppodrome. yesterday began a weeks celebration
its golden jubilee. A throng of thousands more
than the big hall could hold was assembled long
before the doors were opened. and when the hour
for beginning the exercises arrived ticket holders'
delegates and woud-be spectators intent on joining
in the celebration jumbled together into a
crush which required IN some instances rough work
by the police handle So great was the ardor
and enthusiasm OF OF the Hebrews that,
though they failed to get into the building they
stayed outside in hard rainstorm until the after
noon's exercises were finished.
Perhaps the dominant feature OF this dstincttvely
Jewish celebration was the splendid spirit of pa
triotc Americanism which pervaded the message
of Samuel Dorf. grand master. and the speeches OF
the others. and extended into the decorations
of the Hippodrome. American flags and the en-
blem of the order constituted the decorations for
this convention. Practically every person in the
big auditorium had small American flag and they
were in futter Of applause from the time the cur
tain at the beginning Of the exercises until
the singing Of America" at their end.
After a prayer by Rabbi Rudolf Cfrossman and
the singing OF a Jewish hymn, Grand Master Dorf.
who after sixteen years of service announced that
he felt he must retire from office, read his message
70 the convention. He described its growth from
the beginning fifty years ago through the revolution
sixteen years ago. when the Independent Order
Birth Abraham formed, to it's present condt-
tion, with $4,000 members. in 341 lodges through
the country. and total payments to widows and or
phans ana other expenditures for sick and relief
benefits amounting to more than s10,000,00o- MI
Dorf said further:
This order has aided greatly in sustaining the
ideals Of American Judaism II has become a ma
Of every fair-minded and tolerant citizen Of the
deed Of Americanizing the FOREIGNER, and thus
discharged one of the highest and noblest duties
glorious Republic.
A letter from President Taft 10 Mr. Dorf
read. in which the Chief Executive expressed re-
great at being unable to attend the golden jubilee
exercises The letter went
-, I have been made aware Of the great good which
good standing in its 31 lodges located in different
widows and orphans of its members Of 80 100000 Is
an indication of its value to the community. and
the OF sick benefits distributed by it IS also
a very large I extend my congratulations
to your order on its hftieth birthday, and hope it
may continue its excellent work.
Vfce-President Sherman also wrote to Repre-
sentative GoIdfogle regretting that he could be
present. expressing desire that pleasure and
profit might come 20 each and every participant
in the exercises.
Acting Mayor MCGOWAN. in behalf Of the city,
welcomed the delegates to the convention. He
said
This is the greatest convention OF any race
have ever witnessed 1t is hard TO think that fifty
The people themselves did not know. To-day some
OF our best citizens are Jews They are looked
munity where they are known All they need is
the opportunity and they will prove themselves the
equals OF any race on earth
Samuel S Koenig. Secretary of State greeted the
delegates behalf OF New York State. congratu-
lating them the golden jubilee OF their order He
said that. remarkable had been the growth Of
tn orders membership. its steadfast advancement
in the noble principle OF succoring the needy and
relieving distress had been still more remarka BILE
No order could do greater work than Birth Abra-
ham, he believed He said:
Birth Abraham has gone TO the hospitals from
You have aided the struggling in the oodde OF
life; when the prosecuted foreigner came 10 our
shores YOU rendered him helping hano the poor
of the conEested districts in our great American
cities know that the order OF Britn A0Tsnan am mas b d
helped to spread the blessings of education; you
and in fostering aiding worthy public institu-
tions you have taken leading part. ,,-,to-,
My fond hope is that you will continue 10 prosper
bounds Of the earth. Nav the deliberations in this
your golden jubilee year rebound to the beneht oil
every member of the order.
Representative julius Kahn Of California: Rep
resentative GoIdfogle. OF New York. Louis Marshall
and Deputy Controller y. Taylor Phillips told Of the
good work of the order. The Rev H Misliansky
made an address in Yddish-
AS a part of the exercises there much sing
ing both in English and Hebrew. Hebrew hymns
were sung by a choir of men and boys. led by a
cantor. the Pev. S Meisel There was double
sextet of mixed voices. which sang English Selec-
tons. Particularly impressive was the chanting OF
tie hymn Eel MOla Rachmin' In memory OF the
dead. The audience involuntarily broke into ap-
pIause as the last strains died away
Among those on the platform with the officers of
the grand lodge were Judge Rosalsky, Coroner Har-
burger AskieI Schrieber. Richard COhn. grand mas
ter of the Sons of Benjamin. and l. Franklin
grand secretary of the order: l. GrOssman.
grand master. and Sigmund FodOr, secretary of the
Free Sons of Judah; George Leon Sanders. grand
master and Jacob SChoen. secretary, of the Inde-
,f EyFrttH A a1au fnrU
past grand master of the same order.