Jewish Community of Lansing is Held Up as Exemplary By G. W. Hawkins, Special Correspondent
Dating back to 1864, a period when this city was virtually a forest, three Jewish families settled here, those of Samuel Beck, Henry Lederer and David Ekstein, and today, as a monument to the strugles of those early pioneers, will be found well established and reputable business places, and as a further tribute to their ancestors, many of the present generation are holding important civic and political posts in the community.
Starting with this little group of pioneers, the Jewish community has grown steadily until today there are nearly 300 Jews residing in the city, a large majority of whom are either established in business or are engaged in some profession.
Among the Jewish leaders of the community, and a man who is internationally known, is Dr. R. L. Kahn of the State health department, known for his research work in developing the famous Kahn tests for venereal diseases. At present Dr. Kahn is making plans for a trip to Europe, having been requested to appear before the League of Nations Health Committee to present details of his research work in connection with the Kahn tests. He expects to leave for Europe about April 1. Mrs. Kahn is known in the city and in the State as one of the most ardent religious and charity workers, and is called upon frequpently to address womens’ clubs and societies in the city and at times at other points in the State.
Other prominent Jews in the community include Samuel Beck, former president of the local exchange club and at present head of the Radio Listeners’ League of Lansing; Joseph Beck, for 18 years a member of the city park and cemetery board and for nearly that length of time president of the body; Louis May, recently named to head the social service bureau; Alex Cohen, secretary of the North Lansing Commercial club and former state legislator, and Henry Behrendt, former chief of police and at one time United States marshal for this district. All of these men are prominent in business and professional circles in Lansing.
Probably the most active Jewish organization in Lansing is the Jacob Schiff lodge, I.O.O.B. This order was organized fifteen years ago with but a few members and has grown steadily. Officers of the lodge elected recently are: President, William H. Remez, vice-president, Max Nathan; secretary, M. D. Michaels; treasurer, J. A. Barto.
There is but one synagogue in the city, Orthodox, and this is presided over by Rabbi Eli Krimsky, a man small in stature but large in the hearts of his people and a very active man in his work despite his advanced age. The Reform and Zionist groups have meeting places in the city, a large number of them being affiliated with the Temple Beth El in Detroit.
There is perhaps no city in the United States where the Jewish people are so well liked and highly respected by the community at large as in Lansing. They are equally as prominent and successful in civic, business or industrial enterprises as any group or individual which might be named. The Jewish community might be an example for the rest of the Lansing citizenry. It is seldom that a Jew is brought before a court in Lansing for any offense, no matter how trifling, and records will reveal that few have been incarcerated in city or county jails, and that few Jewish inmates will be found in the boys’ or girls’ juvenile homes in the state, Taken as a whole the Jewish community here consists of law-abiding, progressive and broad-minded citizens.
The most recent civic movements in which several prominent Lansing Jews participated were the Community Welfare drive and the Chamber of Commerce fund campaign and reorganization.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
