Search JTA's historical archive dating back to 1923

Temple for Needs of Jewish Students at Cornell Dedicated

March 1, 1929
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
Advertisement

The part played by William A. Boyd, a non-Jew, in the raising of funds and enlisting interest in the new Temple Beth-El, which is to serve the needs of the local Jewish community and the Jewish students at Cornell University, through the newly established Hillel Foundation, was praised by speakers at the dedication exercises on Sunday. Rabbi Isidor B. Hoffman was installed as Rabbi of the congregation. Rabbi Hoffman has also been named director of the Hillel Foundation at Cornell.

Mayor Fred B. Howe, the Rev. Martin D. Hardin, pastor of the First Pres-byterian Church, and President Livingston Farrand of Cornell, extended a welcome to the new Temple. Dr. Farrand welcomed the coming of the Hillel Foundation to Cornell as “an adjunct to sound education, as creating a constructive atmosphere for the youth of America.” Dr. Nathan Schmidt spoke for the faculty of the University and Morris Sostrin for the Independent Order B’nai B’rith which established the Hillel Foundation.

Charles Polakoff of Buffalo, presenting the Temple in behalf of the building committee, paid tribute to all who had assisted in the effort, toward which many prominent non-Jews had contributed. David A. Saperstone accepted the building on behalf of the congregation. The part played by Mr. Boyd was outlined by Mr. Saperstone in his address-Following the death of the late Daniel Rothschild, Mr. Boyd was enlisted as treasurer of the fund. He worked with the Board of Trustees, propagating the need of a new temple throughout this part of the state. While the number of Jewish families in Ithaca does not exceed sixty families, the need for the new temple was enhanced by the fact that there are nearly six hundred Jewish students at the university and at Ithaca Conservatory.

Rabbi Hoffman was installed by his father. Rabbi Charles I. Hoffman of Congregation Oheb Shalom of Newark, N. J. In his address the new Rabbi of the congregation declared that his aim would be to “develop the spiritual potentialities of this group of nearly 600 Jewish students.”

The Anshe Russia Synagogue, the oldest Orthodox congregation in Newark. N. J., is planning to erect a new synagogue at a cost of $300,000. The new structure will be erected on a different site. The synagogue proper will have a seating capacity of 2,000. The congregation was founded nearly forty years ago. Bernard Brody is president; Rabbi Hyman Brodsky, rabbi emeritus; and Rabbi Joseph Konvitz, spiritual leader.

Sam A. Lewisohn has accepted the chairmanship of the Business Men’s Council of the Federation for the Support of Jewish Philanthropic Societies, succeeding Dudley D. Sicher, the federation announced. Mr. Sicher has assumed the duties of president of the federation. As chairman Mr. Lewisohn will direct the fund-raising activities of 134 industrial and professional committees constituting the council.

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement