The Denver Jewish news., 1924-01-31
Israel ZangwiH Speaks at Ami
uersary Banquet
One Hundred Anniversary of Bne Israel Congregation
OF Cincinnati the Oldest Jewish Congregation OF Mid
die West Celebrated With Special Anniversary
Services.

| in the country in which there is II bet
Ter cooperative and n finer understand
ing between Jews and non-Jews than in
Cincinnati. We fully believe that this
is due in very great measure 10 the
undilutcd Amoricanism which has ever
distinguished this pulpit as the mouth
piece of the congregation This makes
The celebration Of the centenary very
significant from the American stand
point nS well as from the liberal Jewish
viewpoint.
In speaking of the century as one of
religion. DR. Thwins said:
Religion ever cmbodics its,'lf in in
stituiions II is manifested in the insti-
tutions Of the Jewish faith. and Of the
Roman Catholic. the Greek Orthodox.
and of The Protestant Churches These
institutions. in relation TO each other.
have come to stand in closer fellowship.
The Jewish faith was never more hon
orcd or lis adhercnts mere respected,
than in this very day. lis sacred Scrip
lures are the holy books Of all churches.
Its worship. its ritual. its observanccs.
are recognized as among the most mov-
ing services used among men. 1t has
become more manifest that the funda-
mental principles of the Church Rcman
Catholic of the Church Greek Or
thodoN. and of the Church Protestant,
Of all nationaliiies, are laid in the sub
lime truths of the Divine Revelation.
IT, in details Of applications. each
Church of faith. lies apart. in essentials
1t is seen that they stand together as
one body of cne God and of the Father
of all
Reviewing American Judaism in the
making. Dr. Simon said:
The year 1915 marks the Westward
movement OF the Jew from Europe.
! frsISTfi!rrN' from Earnnny -anT Austria.
to this land. That there We're Jewish
settlement and congregations before
this time, this celebration amply dem
onStrafcd. Ii can he stated ~ n gen
eral truth that. with the movement of
this body of Jews from England and
Central Europe. the process of The
vi .i'NlNit
began. In oar long history. one cen
fury is but small segment yet it is
instinct with the reforming spirit.
which was neytr absent in all our
literature and history, and illustrated
/ self In many institutions and prac-
tees. hut it tool; n definite step for
v d in what We are pleased to call
i.t:or'in or Liberal Iudaims. Reform,
.Juda ism in America is not n ss'ct. 1t
Gains natural kinshp with the first
manifestation of the Hebraic soul in
Abraham. Bcnc Israel Congregation is
in direct line of descent from the Altar
erected by Abraham, the Tabernacle
reared by Moses. and the temple built
by solomon.
DR. Samuel Schuiman of Temple
Beth FL. New York. who just cclebrat-
ed his 25th anniversary. delivered an
niyersary sermon at the Sabbath morn
ing services.
\ special anniversary program was
given by the students of the Sunday
School on Sunday morning. The pro-
gram included the reading OF divine SER
vice by seniors of the high school de-
partment and symbolic centenary offer
ings by other pupils. There was an
address by Edwin X. Levi, president of
the Alumni Association.
The history OF the congregation dates
practically from the first coming OF
Jews to the ttrritory vast of the Al
leghenics. The first Jewish settler was
Joseph Jonas a native cf Plymouth
England who arrived in Cincinnati in
March 1917. The town Mt that time
had about six thousand inhabitants.
Within the next two years several other
Englishmcn of the Jewish faith joined
him and in the fall of 1918 the first
Jewish worship in this great western
territory was held on the high holy
days Such services were held annual
" until the year 1924 when there were
"nough Jews in the town to organize
congregation. In II memoir written
in 1872 Joseph Jonas the pioneer stat
I'd that it was his constant prayer from
he day of his arrival that he might
hc n nucleus about which the first CON
etcgntion might he formed TO worship
God in this great western territory
This prayer was fulfilled when on Jan.
,mry Is. 1924, ten men organized the
Bene Israel congregation. These pio-
ucSrs and founders were Joseph Jonas.
David Israel Johnson, Morris Moses.
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